Reforming elections: assessing the government’s proposals
23 September 2021 - Leading experts discussed some of the controversial proposals put forward by the government in the Elections Bill and draft Online Safety Bill.
In September 2021, parliament scrutinised two sets of government proposals relating to elections: the Elections Bill and the draft Online Safety Bill. Some aspects of both measures were widely welcomed, but others were controversial. Will tighter parliamentary control over the Electoral Commission harm that body’s independence? Will voter ID requirements reduce access to the ballot? Does the Bill deal effectively with complex questions concerning notional expenditure and ‘third party’ regulation? Will the proposals on online safety – much changed since they were first put forward in 2019 – enable rather than inhibit misinformation? In this seminar, a panel of leading experts and practitioners reflect.
Speakers:
- Justin Fisher, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Policy Unit, Brunel University
- Laura Lock, Deputy Chief Executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators
- Baroness (Nicky) Morgan of Cotes, former Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, now Vice-Chair of the APPG on Digital Regulation and Responsibility
- Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation at the Electoral Commission
- Chair: Dr Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit