RT @UnlockDemocracy: The government hasn't made its first year count when it comes to restoring trust. Without urgent, visible action to c….

The government hasn't made its first year count when it comes to restoring trust. Without urgent, visible action to clean up Westminster and modernise our institutions, Labour risks deepening the crisis in mistrust it promised to solve.

It’s time to install the update. #v16 #votesat16 #updatedemocracy

Reform is charging potential Holyrood candidates up to £200 to stand for the party. "Charging prospective candidates a fee. will act as a significant barrier for some, and risk reducing the talent pool of potential MSPs", our Director said in response.

RT @UnlockDemocracy: "If you're going to maintain an appointed system, you have to ask 'how do you Johnson-proof it?'". Only 55 peers decid….

RT @TobySJames: New!. The latest data on election quality around the world is out today from @ElectIntegrity. With low turnout and an unf….

You can watch back our webinar with Dr Rob Saunders on the legacy of House of Lords reform, along with all our other events, here 👇 .

The flaws in the current system match those of our constitution: complete reliance on the Prime Minister playing by the rules. As Lord Wallace put it last night, "the head of the executive is also responsible for making sure the executive behaves itself.". The risks are obvious.

"If you're going to maintain an appointed system, you have to ask 'how do you Johnson-proof it?'". Only 55 peers decided to tackle that question last night, by backing a proposal to give the House of Lords Appointments Commission the power to block unsuitable appointees. 1/3

Worth remembering where the public stands on this. An entirely appointed House, the destination the government's legislation is taking us in, does not command popular support.

Regrettable, then, that the government chose this evening not to engage with an amendment to kickstart consultation on the options for a more representative House of Lords. Could be peers just missed a once in a generation opportunity to make the Lords properly democratic.

Excellent speech this evening from Lord Brady on why we need a wholly or partly-elected House of Lords. Without it, we risk "elective dictatorship" where a govt with a big Commons majority can ride roughshod over the people, with an illegitimate Lords unable to stand in its way.

RT @mylifemysay: 📲 v.16 is the latest version of the movement to extend the franchise and grant 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote. 🤝 We….

RT @LordRennard: Excellent article by ⁦@TomBrake⁩ of ⁦@UnlockDemocracy⁩ as we face another day in ⁦@UKHouseofLords⁩ moving to remove heredi….

Trust is the lifeblood of democracy, and it’s draining fast. The government must act to stem the bleeding, starting today by cleaning up Lords appointments. Restricting freebies and second jobs should also be high up the agenda. Hope is not a strategy.

26 years ago today, the Scottish Parliament sat again for the first time in nearly 300 years. But where does its power actually come from?. Watch our new explainer - produced with @ia_democracy - on how constitutions work, and why they matter 👇.

“A strong whiff of corruption”. The House of Lords’ lack of legitimacy affects how well we are governed, as Dr Rob Saunders explains. Peers must seize tomorrow’s return of the Hereditary Peers Bill to prevent Prime Ministers from appointing unsuitable cronies to the Lords.

RT @MakeVotesMatter: 📅 REMINDER: On Saturday the 5th of July, @MVM_Manchester is hosting a Rally for Real Democracy #PRnow . There will be….

At the same time, 6 in 10 people now want a fairer voting system - a record high. We're calling on the Prime Minister to act now to bring in a fairer voting system. Will you add your name to our letter?.

We’re heading into dangerous territory. Only 1 in 10 people trust the government to put the country first. That’s according to the new British Social Attitudes Survey. This feels like a breaking point for our democracy.