John Ault speaks with Neil Forsyth, the writer behind the critically acclaimed BBC Scotland series Bob Servant Independent, about the creation of one of television's most memorable fictional candidates. The conversation traces Bob Servant's origins — from a Dundee cheeseburger van owner replying to spam emails to the self-appointed saviour of Broughty Ferry's local by-election — and explores what makes him such a sharply observed portrait of a certain kind of political hopeful. From the relentless self-belief and legacy-hunger that drives Bob into the race, to the structural appeal of election campaigns as a writer's device, and from Brian Cox's unlikely comic turn to the real-life Dundonian publican who ran on a roadkill platform, this episode examines why fictional elections so often reveal the truest things about the real ones — and why Democracy Volunteers considers Bob Servant Independent among the worst portrayals of elections ever made.

Bob Servant Independent: Fiction, By-Elections, and the Art of the Accidental Candidate

Ethan Reuter speaks with Iain Dale, award-winning broadcaster, author, and political commentator, about the 1979 general election that ended five years of Labour government and brought Margaret Thatcher to power as Britain's first female Prime Minister. The conversation traces the decade of industrial strife and economic malaise that set the stage for Thatcher's victory, from the collapse of post-war Keynesian consensus to the Winter of Discontent's rubbish-strewn streets and unburied dead. From James Callaghan's fateful decision not to call an election in October 1978 to the pioneering political messaging of the "Labour Isn't Working" campaign, and from the IMF crisis that shattered national confidence to the monetarist ideas Thatcher magpie-like assembled into what would become Thatcherism, this episode asks whether 1979 was an election the Conservatives won or one Labour simply couldn't avoid losing — and what its legacy means for opposition parties rebuilding today.

Historic Elections: The 1979 General Election and Thatcher's Iron Revolution

Ethan Reuter speaks with Professor Stephen Fielding, Emeritus Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham, about the 1964 general election that brought Harold Wilson's Labour Party to power after thirteen years of Conservative rule. The conversation explores the context of Britain's economic decline, the Profumo affair, and the modernising rhetoric of Wilson's "white heat of technology" speech, while examining whether the election truly delivered the transformational change it promised. From Alec Douglas-Home's aristocratic disadvantage in the television age to the racist campaign in Smethwick, and from the Liberals' surge to Labour's wafer-thin majority of four seats, this episode unpacks one of the closest elections in modern British history and questions whether its legacy matches its reputation.

Historic Elections: The 1964 General Election and Harold Wilson's White Heat

Ethan Reuter speaks with Professor Stephen Fielding, Emeritus Professor of Political History at the University of Nottingham, about the 1964 general election that brought Harold Wilson's Labour Party to power after thirteen years of Conservative rule.

The conversation explores the context of Britain's economic decline, the Profumo affair, and the modernising rhetoric of Wilson's "white heat of technology" speech, while examining whether the election truly delivered the transformational change it promised.

From Alec Douglas-Home's aristocratic disadvantage in the television age to the racist campaign in Smethwick, and from the Liberals' surge to Labour's wafer-thin majority of four seats, this episode unpacks one of the closest elections in modern British history and questions whether its legacy matches its reputation.

Historic Elections: The 1945 General Election and Attlee's Welfare Revolution

Democracy Volunteers deployed observers across the Netherlands for the parliamentary elections in October. Deploying 32 observers and experts, 25 of whom were based in the European Netherlands and the other 7 on the BES islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.

Democracy Volunteers has now observed in The Netherlands on 8 separate occasions, deploying 99 observers, across 63 of the 345 municipalities and special municipalities, attending 619 polling stations, observing 19,833 voters casting their votes. We have spent 308 hours in Dutch polling stations. On average we have spent 47 minutes in each polling station during these 8 observations.

You can read the full report on the Democracy Volunteers Website: www.democracyvolunteers.org

Dutch Should End On-Demand Proxy Voting

One of the world's largest technology companies has made protecting elections a core part of its mission — but why does a tech giant care about democracy, and what exactly is it doing? In this episode, Lily Russell-Jones speaks with Dave Leichtman, Microsoft's Senior Director of Global Elections, about the company's work safeguarding democratic processes around the world. The conversation explores the threats facing modern elections, from foreign interference campaigns by state actors like Russia, China, and Iran, to the spread of AI-generated deepfakes and misinformation. Leichtman explains how Microsoft works with election officials and observers to enhance cybersecurity, combat phishing attacks, and block the generation of deepfakes during election periods. He discusses the company's AccountGuard programme, which protects political campaigns from hacking attempts, and its partnerships with organisations like Democracy Club in the UK and the National Association of State Election Directors in the US to ensure accurate election information reaches voters. The episode also examines the productive uses of AI in election administration — from translating voter materials to processing campaign expense reports — while addressing concerns about the technology's potential to undermine trust, displace workers, and erode critical thinking skills. Drawing on his experience observing elections in Zimbabwe with the Carter Center, Leichtman reflects on the importance of end-to-end transparency in democratic processes and the critical role of election observers as human rights defenders.

Tech and Democracy: How Big Tech Safeguards Elections

Lily Russell-Jones explores the government's plans to expand acceptable voter ID to include bank cards, a key part of wider electoral reforms announced in July. The episode features Professor Ed Fieldhouse from Manchester University, who discusses research from the British Election Study showing that around 5% of voters lack valid photo ID, and how this disproportionately affects younger, less affluent, and geographically disadvantaged groups. The conversation examines the balance between election security and voter access, with insights from Adam Diver, a veteran unable to vote at the last election, and Megan Fitzgerald from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, who provides an international perspective on voter identification requirements. From the impact on turnout to the state's responsibility to prevent disenfranchisement, this episode offers a comprehensive look at one of the UK's most debated electoral reforms.

Electoral Reform Special: Voter ID and Bank Cards

Harassment and abuse directed at political candidates and elected representatives is on the rise — the Electoral Commission found that 70% of candidates experienced abuse or harassment at the 2024 general election. In this episode, Lily Russell-Jones explores the growing crisis and what's being done about it. She speaks first with Hannah Phillips of the Joe Cox Foundation, which campaigns for safer, more respectful political culture in the wake of the tragic murder of MP Jo Cox in 2016. Hannah discusses the many forms intimidation takes, from online threats to in-person harassment, and how it is deterring people — particularly women — from entering politics. Later, former MP Lisa Cameron, who served East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow from 2015 to 2024, shares her personal experience of threats during her time in Parliament and reflects on the government's proposed reforms, including plans to remove candidates' addresses from public records and introduce tougher sentences for those who harass electoral staff. Together, the conversations offer a clear-eyed look at a problem that threatens not only the safety of those in public life, but the openness and health of our democracy.

Respectful Politics: Tackling Harassment and Intimidation of Candidates

Twenty percent of voters cast their ballot by post at the 2024 general election, but is postal voting working as it should? In this episode, Lily Russell-Jones speaks with John Ault, Director of Democracy Volunteers, about the rising challenges facing postal voting in the UK—from missed deadlines and delayed deliveries to the particular struggles of overseas voters. Through Stephanie Carlton's story of being unable to vote despite applying on time, the conversation explores how administrative bottlenecks and an overstretched postal service are undermining democratic participation. John argues that while recent government reforms extend deadlines and allow emergency proxies, they don't address the fundamental problems with postal voting, including susceptibility to family voting and logistical failures. With only six percent of overseas voters in Australia successfully returning their ballots on time, should the UK be looking beyond postal votes to in-person alternatives—such as embassy voting and advance polling hubs? This episode examines whether convenience has come at the cost of reliability, and what it would take to truly enfranchise the 1.5 million Brits living abroad.

Postal Voting Under Pressure: The Case for In-Person Elections

With dozens of English councils facing local government reorganisation, the government has given 63 authorities until 15 January to request a delay to May 2025 elections. In this episode, Lily Russell-Jones speaks with Peter Stanyon of the Association of Electoral Administrators about the unprecedented dilemma facing local democracy. Should elections proceed as planned, or should councils postpone to focus on reorganisation? The conversation explores the tension between democratic accountability and resource constraints, the Electoral Commission's strong objections to delays, and the real-world challenges facing electoral administrators caught in the middle. From the cost of democracy to concerns about councillors serving six-year terms without facing voters, this episode examines a critical moment for local governance in England.

Local Elections in Limbo: England's 2025 Reorganisation Dilemma

The Observations Podcast, brought to you by the Democracy Volunteers team, brings you insightful coverage of elections—past, present, local, national, and international. Our team of experts dives into the stories behind the ballots, speaking with candidates, campaigners, organisers and winners to uncover the narratives you won’t hear anywhere else.

Tune in for a deeper look at the elections that shape our world. Our expert interviewers: TV presenter Edd Charlton, ITV and BBC journalist Alex Iszatt and researcher Matt Davis bring their skills to our “Observations” podcast which seeks to inform our listeners to the world of elections and elections observation.

We are nonpartisan and so is it. We interview behind elections and democracy. Subscribe today or just listen in.

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