The next manifesto could offer the possibility of significant changes to the governance of Britain through promising two referendums, alongside accounting for handling of the economic crisis and a 'steady as she goes' policy platform based on the NPF outcomes. Should majorities subsequently vote in referendums for a PR based system for electing the Westminster Parliament and for joining ...

In the not too-distant, we are going to be offered a referendum to decide which voting system we prefer in the UK and Northern Ireland. This is the equivalent of being offered a trial-by-combat to decide who should be awarded a peace prize. Referendums have very little by way of respectability in terms of making voting fair.

No, not that referendum. We still don't know what will happen in Ireland where they may well have to vote again, as they got the original answer wrong. There will be no referendum in the UK or in Denmark, the country we are talking about. However, a little while ago the Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, announced that he was thinking of holding one or more referendums (that is the correc...

The Initiative & Referendum Institute – Asia seeks to promote direct democracy in Asian nations. Its website provides information on its aims, membership and activities. It includes free acccess to press releases and reports. Thes einclude introductory materials on the nature of direct democracy, deliberative democracy and referendums and case studies and asessments of their specific usage in...

Amid all the excitement of the US midterms, a small, local ballot took place which has important lessons for the UK’s referendum on the Alternative Vote – due to take place six months on Friday. Like us, America uses the straightforward first-past-the-post voting system for its thousands of elected offices – from local school boards and sheriffs to races for governors’ mans...

There have now been two suggested referendums to be combined with the next general election. In both case ( electoral reform and Scottish independence ) its not the referendum question that's the motivation, but a desire to hold up the Labour vote. It shows you the lengths that Labour will toy with to hang onto power. The answer should be that no referendum is necessary with parties seeking e...

The elections watchdog says there will be a delay in counting the votes of the planned referendum on changing the Westminster voting system.

Well, MPs did in the end vote to hold a referendum on introducing a new voting system - the Alternative Vote - to Westminster elections, but it is hardly a game changer. It will only happen if Labour win the next election outright (a coalition with the Liberals would presumably produce a more proportional suggestion), and then it is only a commitment to hold a referendum. But it has at least focus...

The House of Commons votes to hold a referendum on reforming the Westminster voting system on 5 May next year.

Ahead of her Westminster Hall debate on early voting, Labour MP Linda Riordan writes for ePolitix.com on the lessons Britain can learn from the American electoral system.