Iain McLean co-authors Choosing an Electoral System & discusses elections in the press

Professor Iain McLean is one of three authors of a British Academy research report, Choosing an Electoral System, launched by the Academy’s new Policy centre in March 2009. Please see further details and download the report.

An interview with Iain on Reuters TV at 13.00, 29 April 2010 can be heard here.

Iain is also one of the signatories to a letter to The Guardian on electoral systems: ‘We do not back a particular system, but set out what social scientists know about how different systems work and what are the choices and potential consequences. We also try to bust some myths…UK voters will continue to be assailed on all sides by politicians claiming that one system is the best. Check them against the independent evidence first.’

The Guardian, p. 39, 28/04/10 http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/28/put-electoral-reform-in-proportion

Iain has also contributed to BBC Mundo, discussing the role of the press in influencing the outcome of the election:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/internacional/2010/04/100428_reino_unido_elecciones_prensa.shtml

Iain also wrote an article for The Guardian’s Comment is Free, on reforming the electoral system: ‘Turnout is lower in safe Labour seats; the Conservatives leach more votes to the Liberal Democrats in crucial places than Labour does. There is a fix to this, which I offer with my compliments to Messrs Cameron, Grieve and Pickles: introduce proportional representation for the House of Commons. Only that will eliminate the anti-Conservative bias of the present system.’

Professor Iain McLean is Professor of Politics, Official Fellow, Nuffield College.