MEET THE TEAM

LCER's EXECUTIVE

Sandy Martin - Chair

I became Chair of LCER in Spring 2020. I was MP for Ipswich 2017-2019 and Shadow Minister for Waste & Recycling. Prior to that I was a Suffolk County Councillor for 20 years, and leader of the Labour Group. I am a longstanding member of LCER, and have been passionate about electoral reform since my university interview in 1975. I am also a member of the SERA Executive. In the past year I have written for Chartist and LabourList on electoral reform. I live with my civil partner in Ipswich.

antony taylor - secretary

My background is in higher education, where I was a trade union rep. I have acted as a regional rep for LCER since 1998 and have campaigned for voting reform in Greater Manchester across a number of organisations, most recently, Unlock Democracy. I was co-opted onto the LCER Executive in October 2024. I have campaigned for the Labour party since 1992 and have taken up numerous roles, from agent to candidates in local government elections to, currently, the Disability Officer on Bury South CLP Exec.

KEN RITCHIE - TREASURER

I’ve been a member of LCER for over 30 years and at present I’m its Treasurer. From 1997-2010, I was Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society and since then I’ve been a regular speaker and writer on reform (publications include ‘The Reform Debates’, ‘Fixing our Broken Democracy’, ‘Turning out or turning off’ and ‘Don’t take No for an answer’ (latter two with Lewis Baston). I’m also a founding member of Labour for a Republic, and I have been a Labour candidate in three general elections.

William Bain - Scotland

I have been a campaigner for electoral and other constitutional reform for nearly three decades, as a constituency activist, CLP Chair and Secretary for 10 years prior to my election to Westminster as Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow North East in 2009. During my time as an MP, I held frontbench roles on Transport, Defra and Scotland, and was chair of LCER from 2011-15. Also on the MVC board, and a member of Unite, the Fabian Society and the Co-operative Party, I engage regularly with other Scottish Labour activists on the case for fairer votes and reforming our political institutions.

Rick Gaehl - vice chair

I’ve been voting for over 50 years, but I’ve yet to vote for a winning candidate - and I’m by no means alone in this. I live in the countryside and everyone who lives in the wrong sort of place is effectively disenfranchised by our current electoral system. Is it any wonder that public confidence in our broken politics is at an all-time low? My working life, mostly spent in education and the voluntary sector, has been dominated by the search for fairness and equity. Campaigning for electoral reform is a natural extension of this struggle. It could well be the best way of getting anything significant done about all the other crises that beset us.

Maria Iacovou - Membership

As a young activist in London I was shocked by the number of Labour supporters who never bothered voting because "Labour always gets in round here". Then I moved to rural Essex and saw how many of our supporters stay home on polling day because the Tories always win! All my experience, as a Labour activist and in my job as professor of social science at Cambridge University, have convinced me that PR is essential for a healthy democracy and effective government.

aileen mcloughlin - trade unions

I am a longstanding Labour member and an active trade unionist, holding national roles in UNISON and in Labour Link, where I have promoted PR; I was part of the teamwork that led to policy change in UNISON and moved the successful motion at UNISON Conference. I am involved in LCER's South West group, building support for PR in CLPs across the region. Electoral Reform is a prerequisite for robust sustainable change. Without Labour it will not happen.

Mary Southcott - South West, Vice Chair

Mary joined the Labour Party in 1977, went as constituency delegate to Annual Conference in 1983 and has attended every Conference since. She was LCER's Parliamentary & Political Officer from 1990 to 2020, wrote Making Votes Count in 1998 with Martin Linton, ran the South West Constitutional Convention in the early 2000's, is on the L4ND Steering Committee from Chartist Magazine, and worked with LCER South West from 2020.

nancy platts

I'm a long-time supporter of PR and advocated for fairer votes when I was a parliamentary candidate in Brighton Pavilion and Brighton Kemptown. I am now coordinator of the Politics for the Many Campaign - the trade union campaign for electoral reform.

I want to create a collaborative and unified voice by developing stronger links with the trade union movement and creating greater synergy across our campaigns.

annabelle harle

A Labour voter whenever I've had the chance, and a PR supporter as long as I can remember, I read French and Spanish at Nottingham University and trained as a technical and specialised translator. After working for several years for the Ministry of Justice, I moved to Cardiff in 1988, volunteering in the office of our recently-elected MP, Rhodri Morgan, and later working in his office in the Assembly (now the Senedd). I then worked for the Electoral Reform Society office in Wales, setting up a Welsh office. I am now retired and pleased still to be part of the campaign for PR.

lewis colwill

Electoral reform has been a foundational issue for me since my first vote in the AV referendum. I was inspired to join the movement for PR after attending L4ND fringe events at 2021 conference.

I fundamentally believe that there can be no democracy without diversity and I want to do my part in building an expansive, inclusive and resilient democratic society, where everyone has a meaningful voice in their community, at the ballot box and beyond.

krish daryanani - youth officer

I am a stauch Labour activist, having served on Liverpool City Region CA’s Race Equality Panel, represented Young Labour at the Young European Socialists Democracy and Fight Against Right-Wing Extremism network, and been TULO of Liverpool Labour Students. I will ensure LCER's young and ethnic minority members have their voices heard. So many people feel like their vote doesn’t count, and that simply isn’t right. After 14 years of Tory selfishness, we have a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with this ambitious Labour government to bring about real change in British democracy. Let’s use it.”

sue lloyd

After my first vote, 1974, in a Tory-heavy shire constituency, I became a supporter of electoral reform. I joined the Labour Party in 1977, heading a branch working group on electoral reform in 2017. I am advocating for reform of the second chamber and constitutional balance across the different English regions. Our electorate needs to feel that a vote counts, whether at local, regional or national level; only this way can we increase healthy participation in our democratic process. I also believe we should be free to offer constructive criticism of Labour party policy when required.

kelvin cracknell

Nic Hesper

chris myers - administrative organiser

Chris has been a member of LCER for several years and now serves as the organisation’s Administrative Organiser. With a background in political organising and local government, Chris brings practical experience from both inside the Labour Party and elected office. He is passionate about democratic reform, social justice, and building a fairer, more representative politics.

alex zur-clark -
parliamentary organiser, labour for a new democracy

Alex joined Labour for a New Democracy in early 2023 and leads its work with Members of Parliament, Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, and other key party stakeholders. He has a background in advocacy and democratic reform.