My article for Democratic Audit on the media’s lazy reporting of local election results, as evidenced by the use of the ‘No Overall Control’ description for councils without a majority party. This article was first published in 2014 but remains highly relevant today in the wake of recent elections. For instance, Trafford in Greater Manchester…
The BBC could provide integrated and targeted information on all UK elections, helping to strengthen democratic participation. My article for the Open Democracy’s OurBeeb project showed how.
I reviewed Louise Thompson’s new book on House of Commons bill committees for LSE Review of Books. The book offers a persuasive new account of committees’ work and shows how backbench MPs can influence legislation.
I appeared on the BBC’s Newswatch programme, criticising the BBC for its coverage of the debate on British military involvement in Syria. Read a summary of my argument here.
My article for the LSE’s new Brexit blog (23 November 2015). I argued in favour of the House of Lords’ (probably short-lived) amendment of the referendum bill to enfranchised 16 and 17 year olds, but suggested that the debate on lowering the voting age has so far been generating more heat than light.
Analysis for Health Election Data (7 November 2015) about the poor quality of election results publication at NHS Foundation Trusts. I highlighted various instances of bad practice, from delayed publication to the withholding of key information.
Post for Health Election Data (15 April 2015), my site monitoring NHS Foundation Trust elections, on how greater coordination in the timing of NHS elections could lead to increased voter participation.
My post for the Crick Centre blog (1 May 2015), at the University of Sheffield, considering how our democracy treats voters who have moved overseas. Not very well at all, I argued.
My article on The Huffington Post (30 April 2015), criticising Channel 4 for its decision to switch off E4 on election day. Although well-meaning, this move represented a continuation of tiresome efforts to exhort young people to vote.
My list-based commentary article for Buzzfeed (6 May 2015), proposing we abolish ‘election night’, embrace common sense and count votes the day after a general election.
