Heather Green
@votingrules.bsky.social
Legal academic - public law & law relating to elections. Former University employee, now working independently/not institutionally affiliated in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Digital ID policy includes plans to include it in list of accepted forms of voter ID.
October 21, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Digital ID policy includes plans to include it in list of accepted forms of voter ID.
Q: Will Gov consider removing the Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission? [To restore its independence, as urged by Labour in opposition]
A: The Tory authored version will indeed be removed & then replaced with one matching this Gov's priorities for the Commission.
A: The Tory authored version will indeed be removed & then replaced with one matching this Gov's priorities for the Commission.
October 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Q: Will Gov consider removing the Strategy and Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission? [To restore its independence, as urged by Labour in opposition]
A: The Tory authored version will indeed be removed & then replaced with one matching this Gov's priorities for the Commission.
A: The Tory authored version will indeed be removed & then replaced with one matching this Gov's priorities for the Commission.
He was confronted with this last week, during HoL debate on absent voting Bill, a couple of days before he was shuffled out of ministerial post.
September 12, 2025 at 3:44 PM
He was confronted with this last week, during HoL debate on absent voting Bill, a couple of days before he was shuffled out of ministerial post.
Electoral Commission continues to object to the SPS regime as a risk to its independence. Letter from EC Chair to Speaker, Feb 2025 www.electoralcommission.org.uk/letter-mr-sp...
September 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Electoral Commission continues to object to the SPS regime as a risk to its independence. Letter from EC Chair to Speaker, Feb 2025 www.electoralcommission.org.uk/letter-mr-sp...
Confirmation Govt plans to keep & use the power to set a Strategy & Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission, despite vocally opposing this reform during passage of Elections Act 2022
September 5, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Confirmation Govt plans to keep & use the power to set a Strategy & Policy Statement for the Electoral Commission, despite vocally opposing this reform during passage of Elections Act 2022
Bradshaw v UK - ECtHR finds no violation of A3P1 right to free elections: steps UK Gov took to minimise risks of Russian interference were adequate.
hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion…
hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion…
July 22, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Bradshaw v UK - ECtHR finds no violation of A3P1 right to free elections: steps UK Gov took to minimise risks of Russian interference were adequate.
hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion…
hudoc.echr.coe.int/app/conversion…
Here's Chair of Electoral Commission warning about the state of disrepair of the body of election law. Commission and Association of Electoral Administrators have urged often that consolidation be prioritised. Model plans made in joint Law Commissions report (2020) haven't been progressed.
July 22, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Here's Chair of Electoral Commission warning about the state of disrepair of the body of election law. Commission and Association of Electoral Administrators have urged often that consolidation be prioritised. Model plans made in joint Law Commissions report (2020) haven't been progressed.
There's a Westminster Hall debate on this petition this afternoon. Maybe it will feed into Gov's policy choices for its upcoming strategy on electoral law reform.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
March 31, 2025 at 9:10 AM
There's a Westminster Hall debate on this petition this afternoon. Maybe it will feed into Gov's policy choices for its upcoming strategy on electoral law reform.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
Gov has no plans to change citizenship rules for voting in UK Parl, NI Assembly, local elections in Eng & NI, or PCC elections. No intention to follow the model of a residence-based franchise already implemented in Scotland & Wales for devolved elections.
March 27, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Gov has no plans to change citizenship rules for voting in UK Parl, NI Assembly, local elections in Eng & NI, or PCC elections. No intention to follow the model of a residence-based franchise already implemented in Scotland & Wales for devolved elections.
It would be interesting to see this SNP legal advice that is reported as having persuaded the party not to implement similar affirmative measures for selecting female MSP candidates for 2026.
March 23, 2025 at 1:59 PM
It would be interesting to see this SNP legal advice that is reported as having persuaded the party not to implement similar affirmative measures for selecting female MSP candidates for 2026.
Devolution & election law: UK Gov plans to drop voting age to 16 will cover NI Assembly & local elections. That will standardise voting age at 16 for all reserved & devolved elections across 4 nations. Gov won't seek legislative consent motion, elections being an excepted matter under NI Act 1998
March 19, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Devolution & election law: UK Gov plans to drop voting age to 16 will cover NI Assembly & local elections. That will standardise voting age at 16 for all reserved & devolved elections across 4 nations. Gov won't seek legislative consent motion, elections being an excepted matter under NI Act 1998
Written Parliamentary question on countering AI risks to UK elections
March 14, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Written Parliamentary question on countering AI risks to UK elections
Gov is considering digital IDs as part of its review of voter ID law & policy
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
March 12, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Gov is considering digital IDs as part of its review of voter ID law & policy
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
Gov 'does not hold data' on how many people have been subject to disqualification orders under new Elections Act 2022 rules barring those convicted of offences involving intimidation of candidates, campaigners or MPs from standing for election for 5 years.
March 11, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Gov 'does not hold data' on how many people have been subject to disqualification orders under new Elections Act 2022 rules barring those convicted of offences involving intimidation of candidates, campaigners or MPs from standing for election for 5 years.
Electoral Commission is in dialogue with Government about practical implementation of lowering the voting age for Parliamentary elections to 16.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
February 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Electoral Commission is in dialogue with Government about practical implementation of lowering the voting age for Parliamentary elections to 16.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
Government will publish plans for electoral law reform before the summer recess.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
February 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Government will publish plans for electoral law reform before the summer recess.
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...
ECtHR refuses interim measures to suspend effect of Romanian Constitutional Court decision annulling 1st round of presidential election. Request outside scope of interim measures: no imminent risk of irreparable harm to electoral rights.
January 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM
ECtHR refuses interim measures to suspend effect of Romanian Constitutional Court decision annulling 1st round of presidential election. Request outside scope of interim measures: no imminent risk of irreparable harm to electoral rights.
Summary of its recommendations for changes/reforms, including not holding a general election during a major holiday period & improving voting facilities for overseas electors
November 14, 2024 at 12:02 PM
Summary of its recommendations for changes/reforms, including not holding a general election during a major holiday period & improving voting facilities for overseas electors
Private Members Bill introduced yesterday (Tracy Gilbert MP, Lab) would change devolved election law in Scotland & Wales. Scottish Parl & Senedd both have power to make this change. UK Parl did it for reserved elections in the Elections Act 2022. Seems an odd use of a PMB.
October 17, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Private Members Bill introduced yesterday (Tracy Gilbert MP, Lab) would change devolved election law in Scotland & Wales. Scottish Parl & Senedd both have power to make this change. UK Parl did it for reserved elections in the Elections Act 2022. Seems an odd use of a PMB.
Looks like there's little prospect of Gov repealing the voter ID law, as it's actively considering how to adapt the rules as part of dropping the voting age to 16.
October 15, 2024 at 11:12 AM
Looks like there's little prospect of Gov repealing the voter ID law, as it's actively considering how to adapt the rules as part of dropping the voting age to 16.
Gov is today proposing a Speaker's Conference on intimidation of MPs & candidates. It's a useful cross-party forum that could be used to promote a more consensual, less partisan look at reforming election law more broadly.
October 14, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Gov is today proposing a Speaker's Conference on intimidation of MPs & candidates. It's a useful cross-party forum that could be used to promote a more consensual, less partisan look at reforming election law more broadly.
Gov is 'continuing to assess and review' voter ID rules, & proposals to reform will appear 'in due course'. There's a risk this slips down the legislative agenda as next GE is years away. Gov could have opted to use a Speaker's Conference to review all of electoral law, including voter ID.
October 14, 2024 at 3:48 PM
Gov is 'continuing to assess and review' voter ID rules, & proposals to reform will appear 'in due course'. There's a risk this slips down the legislative agenda as next GE is years away. Gov could have opted to use a Speaker's Conference to review all of electoral law, including voter ID.
August 27, 2024 at 8:13 PM
