Upgrade Holyrood is run by me, Richard Wood. Originally from Edinburgh, I currently work in public affairs in London, having previously worked for an MP in the Westminster for three years. I am also on the Unlock Democracy Council (2024 – 2026) and sit on the executive committee of the Liberal Democrats for Electoral Reform.
The need for political reform drives much of my politics as shown by my activism with PR campaign-group Make Votes Matter and involvement in the Electoral Reform Society (board member between 2022 and 2023). I am regularly published in Politics.co.uk and Comment Central, where I write about democratic reform issues.
In the interest of full transparency, I am also a member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats although all my work with Upgrade Holyrood is done in my own capacity.
I am a passionate supporter of the Scottish Parliament but I strongly believe that Scottish politics can and must be better. That’s where Upgrade Holyrood comes in! Issues surrounding Holyrood’s broadly proportional but far from perfect voting system as well as the return of dual mandates at the 2021 election, spurred me on to create Upgrade Holyrood.
I want to improve Scottish and Westminster politics. That’s why I’m here!
upgradeholyrood.com 