• Research Briefing

    Electoral Administration: draft legislation relating to electoral timetables, polling place reviews and the use of emblems on ballot papers

    On 13 July 2011 the Government published draft legislation on three electoral administration provisions for pre-legislative scrutiny. Further draft electoral administration proposals were published on 14 September 2011. The draft legislation forms part of a larger package of measures including draft legislation on individual electoral registration (IER). The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee examined the Government’s proposals for individual electoral registration and the other electoral administration provisions at the same time and published its report on 4 November 2011. The Government published its response to the PCR Committee’s report on 9 February 2012.

  • Research Briefing

    Palestinian elections?

    A date of 4 May has been agreed for Palestinian legislative and presidential elections. Observers are unsure whether they will in fact take place on that date, as much depends on the fraught reconciliation negotiations between Hamas and Fatah.

  • Research Briefing

    In brief: Pakistan’s multiple crises

    This note briefly surveys the current crisis in civil-military relations in Pakistan, which is symbolised by the 'memogate' scandal. With the Supreme Court also hearing a charge of contempt of court against Prime Minister Gilani, the government's position looks precarious. While a military coup is possible, early elections are more likely.

  • Research Briefing

    Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: Wales

    The number of parliamentary constituencies in Wales will fall from 40 to 30 as part of the current boundary review. Provisional proposals for the new seats were published by the Boundary Commission for Wales on 11 January 2012. This note looks at the extent to which proposed constituencies can be identified with existing seats and which existing constituencies would be most affected by the proposals. The proposals for Wales are also compared with the initial proposals from the Boundary Commissions for England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, published in September and October 2011.

  • Research Briefing

    Russian revolt?

    The election for the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) saw a dramatic slump in the legitimacy of Vladimir Putin’s regime. The Kremlin was widely perceived to have falsified the results but still lost many seats. This note looks at the difficulties faced by the Russian elite and some possible consequences for relations with western neighbours.

  • Research Briefing

    Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: Scotland

    The number of parliamentary constituencies in Scotland will fall from 59 to 52 as part of the current boundary review. Initial proposals for the new seats were published by the Boundary Commission for Scotland on 13 October 2011. This note looks at the extent to which proposed constituencies can be identified with existing seats and which existing constituencies will be most affected by the proposals.

  • Research Briefing

    Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: Northern Ireland

    The number of parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland will fall from 18 to 16 as part of the current boundary review. Provisional proposals for 16 new seats were published by the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland on 13 September 2011. This note looks at the extent to which proposed constituencies can be identified with existing seats and which existing constituencies would be most affected by the proposals.

  • Research Briefing

    Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: England

    The Boundary Commission for England published its initial proposals for 502 new English constituencies on 13 September 2011. This note examines how the initial proposals would change the existing map of constituencies. It looks at the extent to which proposed constituencies can be identified with existing seats, including which seats remain unchanged, and which existing constituencies would be most affected by the proposals.

  • Research Briefing

    AV and electoral reform

    The Coalition Programme of May 2010 included a commitment to introduce a Referendum Bill on electoral reform. The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill was introduced on 22 July 2010 and made provision for the introduction of the Alternative Vote system for the House of Commons if there is a positive result in the referendum to be held on 5 May 2011. The Bill received Royal Assent on 16 February 2011. This note provides a summary of the main provisions of the Act; full details on the introduction of the Bill are given in Library Research Paper 10/55.

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