The Constitution Unit (The Constitution Unit)
Explorez tous les épisodes de The Constitution Unit
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 2021 | Attitudes to Democracy in the UK Today | 01:12:04 | |
How do people in the UK view democracy? How do they think UK democracy ought to operate? What roles do they think should be played by parliament, government, the courts, and the public themselves? How do such attitudes vary across the population, and what shapes them? The Constitution Unit has just embarked on a major new research project – Democracy in the UK after Brexit – that seeks answers to such questions. But what do we already know on these matters? What do we not know? And what can we learn from research conducted in other countries about the best ways to find out more? In this seminar, Alan Renwick – who leads the new project – will explore these questions with three of the leading experts in the field. Speakers:
Chair: Dr Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit and Project Lead for Democracy in the UK after Brexit. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 12 Mar 2021 | The Prerogative Powers of Governments | 00:28:51 | |
We typically divide the modern state into three branches: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. On a traditional view, the legislature makes the laws, the executive implements them, and the judiciary decides on disputes. In reality, in most states, the executive in fact plays a much bigger role than that. It not only executes the will of the legislature, but also shapes the policy agenda, develops legislative proposals, and conducts a great deal of foreign policy. And on some matters the executive can act without the consent of the legislature – even, in some cases, against its explicit opposition. Here in the UK, such powers are called prerogative powers, and they have been pretty controversial in recent years – relating, for example, to the government’s ability to suspend sittings of parliament. And they raised eyebrows in the United States too, when, on his first day in office, President Biden reversed a whole series of Trump-era policies just by signing a set of executive orders. So what such prerogative powers exist? How do they work? And, in the context of modern democracy, should they be subject to greater constraints? This episode of 'UCL Uncovering Politics' explores these questions, and more. Host: Dr Alan Renwick Guest: Professor Robert Hazell You can read more about the SSHRC-funded research project on the prerogative powers which Robert Hazell is working on here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/prerogative-powers-project Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 27 Oct 2022 | Planning for the next Coronation, and the new Reign | 01:13:10 | |
The next big event for King Charles after accession will be his coronation, planned jointly by the monarch, church and state. Parliament will need to update the Regency Acts to provide for additional Counsellors of State. Meanwhile several Commonwealth countries have declared their intent to leave the monarchy and become republics. Three experts come together to discuss what these developments tell us about the new reign: • Catherine Pepinster, author of Defenders of the Faith: the British Monarchy, Religion, and the next Coronation • Dr Craig Prescott (Bangor), author of a forthcoming book on the Regency Acts • Dr Sue Onslow, Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London. Chair: Professor Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit Further reading: The Coronation of Charles III Constitution Unit report by Dr Bob Morris Swearing in the New King: Accession and Coronation Oaths Constitution Unit report by Professor Robert Hazell and Dr Bob Morris Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 25 Jan 2024 | How Parliaments Question Prime Ministers | 00:37:22 | |
How parliaments hold ministers (particularly prime ministers) to account is a fundamental part of parliamentary democracy. And one of those mechanisms of accountability involves asking questions. We take a good hard look at how – and how effectively – parliaments question prime ministers. We are joined by Dr Ruxandra Serban, Associate Lecturer in Democratic and Authoritarian Politics here in the UCL Department of Political Science. Her research focuses directly on parliamentary questioning processes. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | How to be an effective opposition | 01:13:58 | |
Opposition parties play a crucial role in parliamentary democracy, scrutinising the government and putting forward alternative policies. But what makes opposition parties effective, both inside parliament and beyond? As the Conservative Party announced its new leader, this expert panel with first-hand experience of life in opposition discussed the task facing them and the other opposition parties. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 25 Oct 2023 | Mark D’Arcy - Reflections on over 20 years of reporting on parliament | 01:15:39 | |
Mark D’Arcy recently retired after spending 21 years covering events at Westminster for the BBC. During that time he built up an unparalleled knowledge of the institution, its procedures and dynamics, with insider access to innumerable key players and a ringside seat at important political moments large and small. This conversation discussed his key reflections on parliament and parliamentary journalism, and how they have changed in the last two decades. Features: Mark D'arcy in conversation with Professor Meg Russell You can see the next Constitution Unit event here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/events/2023/nov/future-democracy-uk-public-attitudes-and-policy-options Mark D'Arcy on the UK&EU podcast: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/podcasts/mark-darcy-on-his-career-at-the-bbc-and-how-brexit-has-changed-parliament/ The Hansard Sociey: https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/ (we will add a link to Marks new podcast with them when it becomes available) Subscribe to our mailing list here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/subscribe Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Jun 2024 | Opinion Polls | 00:54:18 | |
The podcast originally appeared on 'Uncovering Politics' from UCL's Department of Political Science. In the run up to the UK General Election we have a special episode on opinion polls. Opinion polling is a staple of modern elections, captivating political enthusiasts with fluctuating numbers but also sparking controversy. Polls are sometimes criticized for inaccuracies, notably in the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election. Polling methods, including sampling and voter prediction, are hotly debated. The emergence of MRP polls, which accurately estimated results in the 2017 UK election, has added to the intrigue, despite producing widely varying predictions for the outcome of the current UK election. So what should we make of the polls? And how can we best interpret all the numbers to understand what’s really going on? Our guest is Prof Ben Lauderdale. Ben is Professor of Political Science here at UCL, a former Senior Data Science Advisor to the polling firm YouGov, the original brain behind the development of MRP methods and general polling guru. UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Dec 2022 | Reform of the Prerogative | 01:04:35 | |
From the prorogation of parliament to military action, the executive’s prerogative powers have been at the heart of some of the most heated political controversies of recent years. This seminar marks the publication of a new book and report on this little-understood but crucial topic. Robert Hazell will explains the main prerogative powers, the successes and failures of recent attempts to regulate them, and the respective roles of parliament and the courts. Other speakers then look at specific instances of the prerogative: Arabella Lang (Head of Research, Public Law Project) discusses the effectiveness of parliamentary scrutiny of treaties Prof Philippe Lagassé, Carleton University, Ottawa evaluates parliamentary attempts to regulate the war making power, in Australia, Canada and New Zealand as well as the UK Sir Peter Riddell, Honorary Professor at UCL, talks about regulation of public appointments This seminar is chaired by Prof Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit. The book, Executive Power: The Prerogative, Past, Present and Future by Robert Hazell and Timothy Foot (Hart Publishing) The Constitution Unit Report, Reforming the Prerogative by Robert Hazell and Charlotte Sayers-Carter. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 22 Oct 2020 | Monarchy in Modern Democracy | 00:30:37 | |
Serious books on monarchy are rare, but a new volume on Europe’s eight contemporary democracies helps to fill the gap. Does monarchy still deserve the attention of students of politics? And is the fact that most of the world’s healthiest democracies are monarchies anything more than a coincidence? In this episode of 'UCL Uncovering Politics', book co-author, Professor Robert Hazell, explores some of these questions. Host: Dr Alan Renwick Guest: Professor Robert Hazell Find out more about the project: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/monarchy-church-and-state/monarchy-europe Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 27 Jun 2024 | Constitution Unit Conference 2024: Standards in government and parliament | 01:12:45 | |
The 2019–24 parliament has been dogged by complaints of low standards of conduct by our politicians. Rishi Sunak has committed to upholding the ideals of ‘integrity, professionalism, and accountability’, while Labour has promised to overhaul how standards are regulated in government and parliament. What are the priorities in this area for a new government to address? Does this require cultural changes, institutional reforms, or both? Which changes or reforms might be most effective? Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit Episode links:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Jan 2020 | The Johnson government's constitutional reform agenda: prospects and challenges | 01:18:22 | |
Conservative experts Lord Dunlop and Chris White speak at The Constitution Unit's first seminar of 2020. The Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto commits the new government ‘to look at the broader aspects of our constitution: the relationship between the government, parliament and the courts; the functioning of the Royal Prerogative; the role of the House of Lords; and access to justice for ordinary people’. There were also specific commitments: to update the Human Rights Act; to ensure that judicial review is not abused; and to set up a Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission. In this seminar two Conservative experts will discuss how the new government might implement this agenda, the obstacles it might face, and how they could be overcome. Speakers:
Chair: Prof Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 22 Jan 2021 | Taking Back Control: Why the House of Commons Should Govern its own Time | 01:24:39 | |
'Taking Back Control: Why the House of Commons Should Govern its own Time' is a Constitution Unit report which explores why MPs lack control of their own institution, what problems this causes, & what should be done. The Constitution Unit hosted a launch event to discuss the findings of the report. Speakers:
Chair: Jill Rutter, senior research fellow of UK in a Changing Europe. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 12 Jun 2023 | Combatting democratic backsliding: what works? | 01:15:46 | |
Recent years have seen rising global concern about ‘democratic backsliding’, whereby political leaders challenge democratic norms and institutions and dismantle checks and balances on the executive. What can be done to combat these trends? In particular, how can international actors, and domestic actors such as opposition forces and civil society, work constructively to counteract or contain attempted backsliding? What is the UK’s role in such debates? In this seminar, an expert panel will discuss what we can learn from existing responses to backsliding around the world. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Useful reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 27 Nov 2020 | Constitutional Reform, Then and Now | 01:19:49 | |
As part of the Constitution Unit’s 25th anniversary celebrations, this online seminar looks back at the constitutional reform agenda of the 1997 Labour government, and forward at the constitutional reforms proposed in the 2019 Conservative manifesto. What were the key questions, and motivating factors, then and now? Jack Straw, who held senior positions in the Brown and Blair cabinets, and Professor Francesca Klug OBE, discuss the origins of New Labour’s constitutional reform programme, its implementation and its legacy. David Gauke, Lord Chancellor under Theresa May, discusses the current government’s constitutional reform proposals. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 04 Nov 2022 | Parliament’s Role in Brexit | 00:38:32 | |
Politics in the UK is in a state of turmoil. Every time we think it can’t get any crazier, it finds a way of doing just that. Many of the roots of the trouble can be found in Brexit. Whatever you think of Brexit, it’s clear that the referendum of June 2016 forced parliament to implement a massive switch in the direction of the country that most MPs thought was wrong, and split the main parties – particularly the Conservative Party – down the middle. The politics of ideology trumped the politics of competence. This episode comes from our sister UCL podcast - Uncovering Politics and looks at a new piece of research by two researchers here at the Constitution Unit UCL, which sheds light on an important aspect of the story. It assesses just how much influence parliament had in shaping the various laws that had to be passed to make Brexit a reality and put alternative arrangements in place. The authors of the study are: Dr Tom Fleming, Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics here in the UCL Department of Political Science and a member of the UCL Constitution Unit, Mentioned in this episode:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 01 Mar 2024 | The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales: UK-Wide Implications | 01:16:18 | |
The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales launched its final report in January 2024. Its recommendations – which assessed options for ‘entrenched devolution’, full federalism, and Welsh independence – have implications for the whole UK. How would such arrangements be viewed outside Wales? How would they function in practice? Would they affect constitutional debates in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland? This webinar discusses these UK-wide implications with an expert panel including the Commission’s Co-chair, Professor Laura McAllister. Speakers:
Chair: Alan Renwick - Professor of Democratic Politics and Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 08 Aug 2023 | Conference 2023: Panel 4 Elections and Electoral Reform | 01:13:56 | |
Adopting a more proportional electoral system is opposed by the Conservative Party, and by the Labour leader, but attracts growing support elsewhere. Would such reform be desirable or practical, and what might be its consequences? What might politicians wish to consider regarding other aspects of our elections, such as the minimum voting age, voter ID rules, or the reform proposals of the Law Commissions? How might any such changes be delivered? Speakers Cat Smith MP – Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood and former shadow minister for the Cabinet Office Lord (Robert) Hayward – Conservative peer John Pullinger – Chair of the Electoral Commission Professor Sarah Birch – Professor of Political Science at King’s College London Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Feb 2022 | What Kind of Democracy Do People Want? | 01:18:05 | |
Recent years have raised fundamental questions about the kind of democracy that people in the UK want. How do they think government and parliament should relate to each other? What role do they want for the courts? Do they want more or fewer referendums? What standards of behaviour do they expect from their politicians, and how do they expect those standards to be upheld? These and many other related questions are explored by the Constitution Unit’s Democracy in the UK after Brexit project. This seminar marks the launch in late January 2022 of the project’s first report, which sets out the findings of a major survey of UK public opinion fielded in July 2021. In the seminar, the key findings will be presented and discussed with leading experts. Speakers:Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Paula Surridge, Senior Lecturer in Political Sociology, University of Bristol, and Deputy Director of UK in a Changing Europe James Johnson, founder of J.L. Partners and former Senior Opinion Research and Strategy Adviser to Prime Minister Theresa May Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 18 Oct 2022 | Caretaker Conventions in British Government | 01:12:21 | |
After Boris Johnson announced his resignation as prime minister, he was widely described as leading a ‘caretaker government’. But this episode has highlighted that the conventions surrounding such governments are far from clear in the UK. What are the UK’s caretaker conventions? When do they apply? Should the existing conventions be clarified, codified, or reformed? If so, what lessons might be learned from experience in other countries? A distinguished panel will discuss these timely questions. Speakers: Lord (Gus) O’Donnell is a crossbench peer who served as Cabinet Secretary from 2005 to 2011, and oversaw the drafting of the UK’s Cabinet Manual. Lord (Gavin) Barwell is a Conservative peer who worked as Theresa May’s Downing Street Chief of Staff from 2017 to 2019, including a similar ‘caretaker’ period following her own resignation as prime minister. Professor Anne Tiernan is an Adjunct Professor at the Griffith Business School, and the co-author of Caretaker Conventions in Australasia: Minding the Shop for Government. Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Useful reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 05 Jul 2021 | Re-balancing between parliament, executive and the courts | 00:58:39 | |
This is a recording of the final panel session from our conference looking at the government's constitutional reform agenda. The focus of the discussion was the balance of power between parliament, the executive and the courts. Speakers:
Chair: Prof Petra Schleiter, Oxford The two-day conference was jointly organised with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Oxford University and UK in a Changing Europe. This episode was recorded on 18 June 2021. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 12 Jul 2021 | Judicial review, human rights and judiciary | 01:11:19 | |
This is a recording of a panel session from our conference looking at the government's constitutional reform agenda. The panel discussed the government's review of administrative law and programme for reform of human rights and the judiciary. Speakers:
Chair: Prof Catherine Barnard, UKICE. The two-day conference was jointly organised with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Oxford University and UK in a Changing Europe. This episode was recorded on 17 June 2021. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 20 Mar 2025 | Constitutional Reform in the UK | 00:43:02 | |
Politics in the UK has been in turmoil in recent years — Brexit, Covid, movements for independence in Scotland and Northern Ireland, rule-breaking Prime Ministers and now the shockwaves from Donald Trump’s return to the White House. These pressures have tested the UK’s political system, raising serious questions about whether constitutional reforms are needed. In this episode, we dive into a new report from the UCL Constitution Unit, which examines possible constitutional changes, their likelihood of passing, and whether they could truly address the challenges the UK faces. Our guests are two of the report’s authors:
Our host, Alan Renwick, also a co-author of the report, leads the discussion on possible constitutional reforms, their feasibility, and what reforms could be on the horizon. Mentioned in this episode:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 05 Jul 2022 | Northern Ireland: how can power-sharing be revived? - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 01:12:09 | |
Northern Ireland finds itself again without a functioning Executive or Assembly. All mainstream voices agree that the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement offers the only viable framework for politics in Northern Ireland in the coming years, but the risk of breakdown is severe. How can Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangements be restored in the coming months? How far are solutions to be found in changes to the Protocol or to the 1998 Agreement? And what role should the government in London play in seeking a healthy outcome? Speakers Julian Smith MP – Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, and former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 16 Sep 2024 | Prospects for the House of Commons Modernisation Committee | 01:14:44 | |
The House of Commons has established a new Modernisation Committee with a remit ‘to consider reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards, and working practices’. This reflects a Labour manifesto commitment, and echoes the Modernisation Committee appointed in 1997 under the last Labour government. As the committee gets up and running this autumn, it faces a number of important questions. How should it approach its work, what issues might it address, and what lessons can it learn from past efforts to reform the Commons? We discussed these questions with an expert panel. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit Useful reading:
For those interested in keeping up to date with the Modernisation Committee, you can subscribe to its email list using this link. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 16 Jul 2021 | Devolution and the future of the Union | 01:15:09 | |
This is a recording of a panel session from our conference on the government's constitutional reform agenda. Panellists explored the devolution arrangements in the UK and the future of the Union. Four experts based in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland joined the discussion. Speakers:
Chair: Prof Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit, UCL. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 21 Jul 2023 | Conference 2023: Panel 5 Constitutional Standards | 01:15:57 | |
The issue of ensuring high standards of behaviour in public life remains high-profile following the Johnson and Truss premierships. Rishi Sunak pledged to lead a government of ‘integrity, professionalism, and accountability’ when he first became Prime Minister, while Labour has proposed an extensive overhaul to the UK’s system of standards regulation. What are the key problems in the current system, and what reforms could most successfully address them? Speakers Lord (David) Anderson of Ipswich – Crossbench peer, and former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Dr Hannah White – Director of the Institute for Government Jeremy Wright MP – Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam, former Attorney General and former member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2024 | Constitution Unit Conference 2024: Rule of law | 01:12:43 | |
The role of courts and judges has been controversial in recent years, with criticism of both domestic judges and the European Court of Human Rights. Several government bills have raised difficult questions about the respective roles of government, parliament, and the courts. Has the rule of law been undermined by recent trends in policymaking or political discourse? If so, what should be done to bolster and protect it in the future? Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 25 Jan 2023 | The Brown Commission: What Next? | 01:18:02 | |
The Labour Party’s Commission on the UK’s Future, chaired by Gordon Brown, has published recommendations for sweeping constitutional change, including major reforms to the devolution framework and the House of Lords. What does the Commission’s report propose? What does it leave out? Could its proposals be practically implemented? If so, how might this be done? A panel of experts discusses these questions. Speakers Professor Aileen McHarg is Professor of Public Law and Human Rights at Durham University. Akash Paun is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Professor Meg Russell is Director of the Constitution Unit. Chair: Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit. Further reading: Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future The Future of the Territorial Constitution under Labour? The Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future by Aileen McHarg. Five things we’ve learned about the Brown Commission on the UK’s future by the Institute for Government. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 31 Jan 2025 | Making a success of votes at 16 | 01:16:24 | |
The Labour government has committed to lowering the voting age for Westminster elections from 18 to 16. This proposal raises a number of questions for policymakers to consider. What might be the consequences of widening the franchise in this way? What practical steps will be required to implement this change and – just as importantly – to ensure it works well? In particular, how might teaching about politics in schools need to change? And what can be learned from other elections, in the UK and beyond, in which 16 and 17 year olds are able to vote? An expert panel discusses these questions. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Jan 2022 | What can be done about the House of Lords? | 01:13:18 | |
There are regular calls for reform of the House of Lords. The chamber is widely seen as too large, with unregulated prime ministerial appointments, and has recently been subject to renewed allegations of 'cash for peerages'. The Lord Speaker established a committee to make recommendations on controlling the chamber's size, but its recommendations have been flouted by the current Prime Minister. Boris Johnson is also the first Prime Minister to have overruled recommendations by the House of Lords Appointments Commission about the propriety of his nominees. Meanwhile, bills to end the elections which maintain 92 hereditary peers in the chamber have been repeatedly blocked. So what can be done about the House of Lords? This distinguished panel will consider the difficulties of achieving even small, incremental reforms, and whether new approaches are needed. Speakers: Baroness (Angela) Smith of Basildon, Labour's Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Lord (Michael) Jay of Ewelme, Crossbench peer and former Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission Sir Bernard Jenkin MP, Conservative chair of the House of Commons Liaison Committee and former chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 03 Dec 2020 | Populism and the Rise of Autocracy | 01:09:45 | |
There are concerns about the rise of populism and erosion of democratic standards throughout the world. Examples include countries such as Hungary, Poland and Brazil, growing support for populist parties in western Europe, and recent development in the US. Populism has grown through new challenger parties, but also through capture of previously mainstream parties. This Policy and Practice seminar discuss these worldwide trends, how to counter them, and how worried we should be about a populist rise in the UK. Three international experts joined the discussion. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Further Reading
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 24 Nov 2022 | What does the new Prime Minister mean for the constitution? | 01:15:43 | |
Rishi Sunak’s agenda for government will inevitably be focused on the UK’s economic woes. However, Sunak also faces important questions about constitutional change. How might he approach his predecessors’ legislative proposals relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol, retained EU law, and human rights? How will he deliver on his pledge to prioritise integrity, professionalism, and accountability? Will his approach to the civil service differ from that of Boris Johnson or Liz Truss? This expert panel provides a constitutional stock-take at the start of the Sunak premiership. Speakers: Jill Rutter is a Senior Research Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government. Dr Ruth Fox is the Director of the Hansard Society. Professor Colm O’Cinneide is Professor of Constitutional and Human Rights Law at University College London. Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Useful reading: How Sunak can restore integrity, professionalism and accountability - Meg Russell, Alan Renwick, Sophie Andrews-McCarroll and Lisa James Ministers should protect the UK’s system of constitutional guardians - Jack Pannell Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 05 Jun 2024 | Priorities for new MPs' induction in the next parliament | 01:15:21 | |
Whatever the result of the upcoming general election, a large number of new MPs will enter the House of Commons. A well-designed induction programme will be crucial for helping them to find their feet and become effective parliamentarians. So what do new MPs need to know about their roles in parliament and beyond? How might this differ from in the past, and how might such induction best be delivered? We discussed these questions with experts from the Hansard Society and Institute for Government, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and a former MP. Speakers
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 18 Sep 2023 | Ian Dunt’s How Westminster Works … and Why It Doesn’t | 01:13:15 | |
The recent book by journalist and author Ian Dunt provides a detailed and critical account of many aspects of the UK’s political system, including political parties and elections, parliament and the legislative process, the work of ministers and civil servants in Whitehall, and the role of the media. The book analyses various perceived problems, and proposes a range of possible solutions. In this seminar Ian presents some of his key arguments, and responds to comments and questions from a panel of experts and the online audience. Speakers:
Chair: Dr Tom Fleming, Constitution Unit, UCL You can buy Ian's book here. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 06 Feb 2025 | The Politics of Parliamentary Reform | 00:34:32 | |
Parliament is at the heart of democracy—it’s where voters are represented, laws are debated, and key decisions are made. But who really controls what gets discussed and how time is allocated? In the UK, that power lies overwhelmingly with the government, leaving most MPs with little say over what they debate. That seems odd—after all, parliament is supposed to be sovereign. So why does it allow the government, a supposedly subordinate body, to set its agenda? To unravel this, Prof Alan Renwick is joined by Dr Tom Fleming, Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics at UCL and a member of the UCL Constitution Unit.
Mentioned in this episode:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Jul 2022 | Parliament: the decline of scrutiny? - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 01:13:31 | |
Johnson’s premiership has been marked by various controversies about parliament. On COVID-19, the government was accused of overusing delegated powers – adding to already long-standing concerns in this area. Subsequently, some primary legislation has been rushed, and the relationship between whips and backbenchers often difficult. Most recently, the proposed fast-track procedures for amending Retained EU Law and on human rights risk further sidelining parliamentarians. How concerned should we be about these developments, and how best can parliament respond? Speakers Baroness (Angela) Smith of Basildon – Labour peer, and Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 10 Jun 2021 | Launch event: Final Report by the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland | 01:18:46 | |
The Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland published its Final Report on 26 May. The report explores how any potential future referendum or referendums on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland would best be designed and conducted. The Working Group takes no view on whether such referendums should take place or what the outcome should be. It concludes that referendums should not be called without a clear plan for the referendum processes that would follow, and it identifies difficult issues that need to be addressed. For example, what evidence would inform the decision to call such a vote? Would referendums take place before or after proposals for the shape of a united Ireland had been developed? How would the referendum campaigns be regulated? This webinar discusses the Working Group’s analysis and conclusions, and considers how debate on these issues is likely to develop. The webinar was jointly hosted with the Democracy Unit, Queen's University Belfast; the Trinity Centre for Constitutional Law and Governance (TriCON), Trinity College Dublin; the Institute for Irish and British Studies (IBIS), University College Dublin; and the Transitional Justice Institute, Ulster University, and includes contributions from the Working Group’s Chair, Dr Alan Renwick, and a panel of distinguished external speakers:
Chair: Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan, Professor of Politics at Ulster University and member of the Working Group. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 13 Mar 2025 | Improving parliamentary scrutiny of legislation | 01:14:15 | |
Recent years have seen frequent complaints about the quality of legislative scrutiny by parliament, and particularly by the House of Commons. Various commentators and experts have argued that the scrutiny of proposed laws is too often rushed and/or inadequate, leading to worse policy outcomes for citizens. This online seminar will explore a number of important questions. What problems are there with the legislative process? Have they got worse? And what can be done to fix them? Speakers:
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 16 Dec 2024 | Improving election discourse in the UK | 01:14:53 | |
This year’s UK general election saw a range of concerns about the quality of election discourse. Alongside evidence of many candidates facing abuse and intimidation, the campaign also saw the spread – particularly online – of misinformation and disinformation. Meanwhile, Labour and the Conservatives were accused of a ‘conspiracy of silence’ about the costing of party manifesto pledges, and voters faced difficulties knowing where to turn for trustworthy sources of information. These challenges all threaten to undermine the UK’s democratic process. So how can they be tackled? This webinar will bring together experts from the Electoral Commission, Full Fact, and the Jo Cox Civility Commission to discuss options for practical solutions. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 19 Jan 2024 | The Future of Power-Sharing in Northern Ireland | 00:40:31 | |
Peace in Northern Ireland is widely recognised as one of the leading achievements of politics in recent decades. The Good Friday, or Belfast Agreement, reached in 1998 by the British and Irish governments and most of the main Northern Ireland political parties brought an end to thirty years of violent conflict in which over three and a half thousand people were killed. It did so in part by establishing a system of power-sharing government. A new Northern Ireland Assembly would be elected by proportional representation, so no one group could dominate. Within the new Northern Ireland Executive, representatives of Northern Ireland’s two political traditions would have to work together. Over the years since the Agreement was reached, the power-sharing institutions have worked well some of the time. But for others they have worked badly or not at all. Since February 2022 their functioning has once again been suspended. Public anger at this situation is intense. Negotiations for restoring the institutions are ongoing. But, as yet, there has been no breakthrough. Indeed, the situation has become so grave that many think the future viability of power-sharing government is now in doubt. And there are suggestions that the settlement reached in 1998 may need to be revisited. In this episode we’re joined by two experts: Alan Whysall is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution Unit here within the UCL Department of Political Science. He was previously a senior civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office, where he worked for many years on the Northern Ireland peace process – including the talks that led to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Conor Kelly is a Research Assistant at the Constitution where he has worked on multiple projects relating to Northern Ireland, most recently examining perceptions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement among politicians and the public in Northern Ireland.
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 04 Dec 2020 | Launch event: Interim Report by the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland | 01:27:08 | |
The Working Group is independent of all political parties and governments and is funded by the British Academy and Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. The Group takes no view on whether such referendums should take place or what the outcome should be. The report concludes that referendums should not be called without a clear plan for the referendum processes that would follow, and it identifies difficult issues that need discussion and analysis. For example, what evidence would inform the decision to call a referendum on Northern Ireland’s constitutional status? Would referendums take place before or after proposals for the shape of a united Ireland had been developed? How would the referendum campaigns be regulated? These are just a few of the questions explored in the interim report. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Unit Director. Full report: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/sites/constitution-unit/files/wgurii_interim_report_nov_2020.pdf Executive summary: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/sites/constitution-unit/files/wgurii_executive_summary.pdf Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 22 Jul 2023 | Conference 2023: Panel 6 Implementing Constitutional Change | 01:12:30 | |
This final keynote session considered the practicalities of delivering constitutional change in the round, whether under the current government, or a new Conservative, Labour, or coalition administration after the next general election. What kinds of changes might be ‘quick wins’, and which might instead take longer to deliver? How is the balance to be reached between public consultation, parliamentary scrutiny and achieving desired changes? Two senior figures with huge experience at the heart of British government reflected on these challenges. Speakers Lord (Charlie) Falconer of Thoroton – Labour peer, and former Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor David Lidington – former Conservative MP for Aylesbury, and former Minister for the Cabinet Office, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Chancellor, and Leader of the House of Commons Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 12 Jul 2022 | The Role of the Courts - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 01:11:19 | |
The 2019 Conservative manifesto promised to review the relationship between government, parliament and the courts. In particular, ministers had concerns about the growth of judicial review. Since then, there have been consultations on judicial review and the Human Rights Act, the Judicial Review and Courts Act has reached the statute book, and the government has proposed a new Bill of Rights. Simultaneously, some detect a ‘chilling’ effect on the courts. So, in the third year of the Johnson premiership, how much rebalancing has taken place, and what might still lie ahead? Speakers Joanna Cherry QC MP – Scottish National Party MP for Edinburgh South West and former party spokesperson on Justice and Home Affairs Chair: Joshua Rozenberg QC (Hon) – legal commentator and journalist Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 02 Dec 2021 | Riding the Populist Wave: the UK Conservatives and the Constitution | 01:13:24 | |
Professor Tim Bale’s book, 'Riding the Populist Wave', highlights how mainstream right-wing parties across Europe – including the UK Conservatives – have faced challenges responding to electoral pressure from the populist radical right. How such parties respond may have important implications for everyday politics, and raise concerns about the robustness of constitutional protections, and even of liberal democracy itself. This seminar reflects on the international trends, with a particular interest in how they are affecting, and may continue to affect, the UK. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Read: Riding the populist wave: Europe's mainstream right crisis Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 30 Apr 2021 | Regulating public appointments | 01:12:01 | |
Peter Riddell steps down as the Commissioner for Public Appointments in September. The Commissioner’s role is to ensure fair and open competition, with the final choice made by ministers. His predecessor Sir David Normington had warned on departure that changes made by government would weaken OCPA. Peter Riddell had different criticisms in his final annual report. In this valedictory talk, he will reflect on the system of public appointments, and discuss what changes are needed to provide public confidence in the system. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 08 Dec 2023 | The Future of Democracy in the UK: Public Attitudes and Policy Options | 01:14:53 | |
Over the past two years, a Constitution Unit team has been examining public attitudes to democracy in the UK. The project’s final report draws together the findings – from two large-scale surveys and a citizens’ assembly – and reflects on implications for policy-makers. It examines what kind of democracy people in the UK want and consider what changes in policy or behaviour may be needed in response. Marking the report’s launch, this seminar gathered several leading figures from Westminster, together with an expert on public attitudes and members of the project team, to explore the findings and identify possible next steps. Speakers:
Useful Links: Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 30 Apr 2024 | Changes and challenges in regulating elections | 01:12:58 | |
Recent years have seen many changes to election regulations in the UK. These changes affect key aspects of how elections are fought and administered, including party spending, voter identification, the voting rights of citizens living abroad, and the electoral system used to elect mayors and police and crime commissioners. So what has changed, what effects might these changes have, and what challenges do they present for parties, candidates, and electoral administrators? An expert panel discussed these questions a week before the 2 May local elections. Speakers
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Read a briefing from the Hansard Society on general election rules and regulations: https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/publications/briefings/general-election-rules-and-regulations. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 03 Jun 2021 | Deciding Northern Ireland’s Future | 00:37:59 | |
The future of the Union here in the UK – that is, the union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland – is very much in the news. In Scotland, many opinion polls over the past year (though not so much over the last few months) have suggested majority support for independence, and political parties that want another referendum on the issue secured a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament elections last month. In Wales, support for independence seems to have grown, though still at a far lower level. And in Northern Ireland too, there has been a rise in talk of a referendum – a referendum, that is, on whether Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom or become part of a united Ireland. In this episode we’re going to focus on Northern Ireland. If there were a referendum on the constitutional question there, how would it best be designed and conducted? Who would get to vote? What would the question on the ballot paper be? Would there need to be a referendum in the Republic of Ireland as well? Who would work out designs for a united Ireland? Would they do so before a referendum, or only afterwards, in the event that the vote went in favour of unification? It turns out that many of these questions haven’t previously been answered. Indeed, many haven’t been thought about very much. A landmark agreement was reached in 1998 between the British and Irish governments and most of the political parties in Northern Ireland – an agreement known variously as either the Belfast Agreement or the Good Friday Agreement. That brought an end to a quarter century of violent conflict in Northern Ireland and led to the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the current arrangements for power-sharing government. It also included some provisions for a possible future referendum. But it left many questions unanswered. Well now the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland has published a major report that seeks to fill that gap. Comprising twelve academics from six universities, including Dr Alan Renwick and Professor Robert Hazell of the Constitution Unit, the group – which is impartial as to whether there should be a referendum or what the outcome should be if there is one – has looked into all the questions I just raised, and many more. It finds that referendums on this topic may be required in the coming years, but would carry significant risks. Conducting them well would be vitally important. And careful thought is needed as to what that would mean. Host: Dr Alan Renwick Professor Katy Hayward Dr David Kenny Dr Etain Tannam Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland (report) Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 04 Dec 2020 | Devolution and the Union | 01:12:00 | |
As the final part of the Constitution Unit’s 25th anniversary celebrations, we look at devolution and the Union. Devolution had a deceptively easy start in the UK, thanks to Labour-controlled governments in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the breakthrough of the Good Friday Agreement in Belfast, and lack of interest in England. But with the election of governments of different persuasions tensions have grown, and been hugely exacerbated by the rupture of Brexit. To chart this increasingly bumpy ride, and discuss whether the Union can survive, four academic experts, one from each part of the UK, joined the conversation. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Robert Hazell, former Director of the Constitution Unit. Read about 25 years of the Constitution Unit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/about-us/about-us/constitution-units-20th-anniversary/constitution-unit-25 Read the interim report by the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island (referenced by Cathy Gormley-Heenan) here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/elections-and-referendums/working-group-unification-referendums-island-ireland Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 13 Mar 2024 | Do protests affect what politicians say? | 00:32:56 | |
Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. From thousands attending pro-Palestine marches in London, to farmers driving their tractors into Paris, Berlin, and Cardiff, to Just Stop Oil spraying UCL’s famous portico orange – protests are rarely out of the spotlight. But what do protests actually achieve? Do they affect political debate and policy outcomes? A new study sheds light on that, focusing on the impact of climate protests here in the UK on what MPs talk about – both in parliament itself and online. One of the co-authors of that article is Tom Fleming, Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics, who joins us for this episode. Mentioned in this episode:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 24 Sep 2021 | Reforming elections: assessing the government’s proposals | 01:11:18 | |
Parliament is scrutinising two sets of government proposals relating to elections: the Elections Bill and the draft Online Safety Bill. Some aspects of both measures have been widely welcomed, but others are controversial. Will tighter parliamentary control over the Electoral Commission harm that body’s independence? Will voter ID requirements reduce access to the ballot? Does the Bill deal effectively with complex questions concerning notional expenditure and ‘third party’ regulation? Will the proposals on online safety – much changed since they were first put forward in 2019 – enable rather than inhibit misinformation? In this seminar, a panel of leading experts and practitioners will reflect. Speakers: Justin Fisher, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Policy Unit, Brunel University Laura Lock, Deputy Chief Executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators Baroness (Nicky) Morgan of Cotes, former Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, now Vice-Chair of the APPG on Digital Regulation and Responsibility Louise Edwards, Director of Regulation at the Electoral Commission Chair: Dr Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 18 Nov 2021 | Improving standards of conduct in public life | 00:55:27 | |
In 2020, the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) launched its Standards Matter 2 review to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the mechanisms to support high standards of conduct in public life. In June 2021, CSPL published initial findings from the review, and its final report and recommendations on 1 November 2021. CSPL’s chair, Lord (Jonathan) Evans, will talk about the review and CSPL’s main recommendations with Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 29 Apr 2023 | The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement at 25: What Should London’s Priorities Be? | 01:15:37 | |
As the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement passes its 25th anniversary, uncertainty remains over whether Northern Ireland’s power-sharing institutions will be restored any time soon. Debate has intensified over possible reforms, notably to how the Northern Ireland Executive is formed and to voting procedures within the Assembly. There are also differing views over the optimal forms of North–South and East–West engagement. The UK government has a vital role in shaping Northern Ireland’s future, but trust in it is exceptionally low across all Northern Ireland’s communities. In this seminar, a panel of leading authorities will explore the question of what London’s role and priorities should be. Speakers: • Simon Hoare, Conservative MP for North Dorset and Chair of the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee • Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan, Professor of Politics and Provost of Ulster University • Baroness (Angela) Smith of Basildon, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords, Labour Spokesperson on Devolved Issues in the Lords, and former minister in the Northern Ireland Office • Alan Whysall, Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution Unit, former civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office, and author of Northern Ireland’s Political Future Chair: Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 27 Jan 2021 | Boris Johnson and Parliament | 01:01:30 | |
In partnership with The UK in a Changing Europe two seasoned Conservative parliamentarians and the director of the Constitution Unit look back at Boris Johnson’s relationship with parliament, reflect on the highs and lows, expectations and reality, and lessons for the future. Speakers:
Chair: Jill Rutter Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 07 Jul 2023 | Conference 2023 Panel 1: Parliament | 01:09:15 | |
The last few years have seen frequent controversy about parliament’s role, and the government’s openness to parliamentary accountability. Concerns have focused on parliament's ability to scrutinise primary legislation, delegated legislation, and international treaties, and on the role of the House of Lords. What are the proper scrutiny roles of MPs and peers? Do they have the opportunities and resources to fulfil these? If not, what reforms might be needed? Speakers Thangam Debbonaire MP – Labour MP for Bristol West and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Professor the Lord (Philip) Norton of Louth – Conservative peer, and Professor of Government at the University of Hull Dr Brigid Fowler – Senior Researcher, Hansard Society Alexander Horne – barrister, and Visiting Professor at Durham University Chair: Dr Tom Fleming – Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 13 Jul 2023 | Conference 2023 Panel 2: Devolution and the Union | 01:16:24 | |
Uncertainties over the UK’s future territorial politics are great. The SNP is in turmoil, and the UK government’s block on Holyrood’s gender legislation is being challenged in the courts. Labour’s Brown Commission has recommended major changes, and further proposals are being developed in Wales. Renewed devolution within England is on the cards. Is fundamental reform of the UK’s territorial arrangements needed? If so, what might this mean in practice? Speakers Dr Anwen Elias – Reader in Politics at Aberystwyth University, and member of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales Kezia Dugdale – Director of the John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow, and former Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Professor Michael Kenny - Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 23 Mar 2023 | Integrity and Accountability in Politics: What Do the Public Want? | 01:16:11 | |
Recent years have raised fundamental questions about how the UK’s democratic system functions: about the roles and characters of different institutions, about dangers of democratic ‘backsliding’, and about options for reform. Understanding public attitudes on such questions is vital, so the Constitution Unit’s Democracy in the UK after Brexit project is examining them in depth. This seminar explores the project’s latest findings, based on a major survey conducted in August/September 2022. It marks the publication in early March of the project’s third report. Topics covered include the role of parliament, the future of the House of Lords, voting reform, the role of judges, and integrity in public life. During the seminar, key findings will be presented and discussed with leading experts. Speakers: Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Professor Joe Tomlinson, Professor of Public Law, University of York Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government Professor Paula Surridge, Professor of Political Sociology, University of Bristol, and Deputy Director of UK in a Changing Europe Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit. Useful links:Democracy in the UK after Brexit project web pages Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 30 Jun 2021 | Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland discusses the government's constitutional reform agenda | 00:43:24 | |
This episode is a recording of the Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland QC MP kicking off our two-day conference jointly organised with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Oxford University and UK in a Changing Europe with a speech outlining the government's plans for constitutional reform. The speech was delivered on 17 June 2021. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 23 Mar 2021 | Can Johnson prevent indyref2? | 01:15:13 | |
If the SNP win a majority in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, Nicola Sturgeon will declare they have a mandate for a second independence referendum. Boris Johnson has said he will refuse to allow one. But can he can really resist? Prof Aileen McHarg explains the legal issues; James Forsyth the politics, and the need for an alternative offer; and Dr Alan Renwick the referendum process, if the Scots are to make a fully informed decision.
Chair: Prof Meg Russell, the Director of the Constitution Unit and Professor of British and Comparative Politics at UCL Background reading James Forsyth, ‘A flat No to Nicola Sturgeon won’t save the Union’ Aileen McHarg, Blog on Pathways to Indyref2 Alan Renwick and the Constitution Unit's work on referendums: Improving Discourse in Elections and Referendums Independent Commission on Referendums
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 26 May 2023 | How can we fix our democracy? | 01:07:59 | |
Our democratic system is not working as well as it should: on this, both the public and most experts agree. But what exactly are the problems? What are the pros and cons of the potential solutions? And are such changes feasible? Drawing on recent Constitution Unit research into public attitudes to democracy, as well as his own work on electoral systems, referendums, citizens’ assemblies and other democratic institutions, Alan Renwick explores answers to each of these questions. Alan argues that there are no quick fixes, but that a series of changes in institutions, practices, and behaviours may lead to valuable improvements. With an introduction by Prof Meg Russell and an appreciation by Prof Anand Menon. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 07 Jul 2021 | Elections and referendums - updating campaign regulation for a digital era | 00:55:55 | |
This is a recording of a panel session from our conference looking at the government's constitutional reform agenda. The panel discussed why political campaigning regulations aren't fit for purpose in a digital era and how regulations should be updated. Speakers:
Chair: Dr Alan Renwick, Constitution Unit, UCL. The two-day conference was jointly organised with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Oxford University and UK in a Changing Europe. This episode was recorded on 17 June 2021. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 30 Jun 2022 | Constitutional Standards - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 01:14:13 | |
The Johnson premiership has sparked numerous concerns about constitutional standards – from respect for checks and balances and the rule of law, to standards of behaviour among ministers, officials, and parliamentarians. A major review by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 2021 proposed significant change. These debates take place within a wider framework of concern about ‘democratic backsliding’. How can constitutional and democratic standards best be upheld, and norms of good behaviour be maintained? Speakers Sir Jeremy Wright QC MP – Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam, and member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 25 Mar 2021 | Ideas of Democracy | 00:32:54 | |
Democracy is what one social scientist once famously called an ‘essentially contested concept’ – one that we are never likely all to agree about. And disagreements over the form that democracy should take have lately sparked major political conflicts in many democratic countries. How far were politicians in the UK obliged to follow the so-called ‘will of the people’ as expressed in the Brexit referendum of 2016? Can the strongman democracy pursued by leaders in Hungary, India, and Brazil be called ‘democracy’ at all? And what should we make of contemporary arguments in favour of bringing more public deliberation into our democratic processes? Questions such as these have prompted a new research project recently launched by the Unit called 'Democracy in the UK after Brexit'. Led by Dr Alan Renwick, working alongside Professors Meg Russell and Ben Lauderdale, the project will explore how people in the UK conceive of democracy and what kinds of democratic arrangement they prefer. Host: Professor Jennifer Hudson Guests: Dr Alan Renwick, Professor Albert Weale and Professor Meg Russell. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 28 May 2021 | Does the UK Still Have a Political Constitution? | 00:36:47 | |
Most countries have a document call the Constitution – a legal text setting out basic principles of how that country is governed. And in most of those countries there’s a constitutional court (or supreme court) that determines whether the ordinary laws passed by the legislature are compatible with the Constitution and that strikes them down if it concludes they are not. The UK, famously, has no such capital C Constitution – no codified rulebook. And the courts here in the UK can’t (at least formally) strike down laws on the basis that they contravene higher law. So what kind of constitution do we have? Well, it’s often said that, in contrast to the legal constitutions found in many other countries, the UK has a political constitution – a constitution whose norms are enforced in the realm of politics rather than in the realm of law. But many think that the UK’s political constitution is today under threat, with potentially serious consequences for the polity’s ability to serve all those who live within it. So, ‘Does the UK still have a political constitution?’ To answer this question one of the leading experts on constitutional theory, Professor Richard Bellamy, joins the podcast. Richard, who is Professor of Political Science here in the UCL Department of Political Science, is the author of ten monographs – the most relevant of which to our conversation today is Political Constitutionalism: A Republican Defence of the Constitutionality of Democracy, published by Cambridge University Press. Host: Dr Alan Renwick Guest: Professor Richard Bellamy Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2022 | Keynote Speech by Rory Stewart - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 00:58:05 | |
Rory Stewart was Conservative MP for Penrith and the Border between 2010 and 2019. He served in government under David Cameron and Theresa May, including as a Home Office minister and Secretary of State for International Development. As a former diplomat, he served on the House of Commons Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees, the latter of which he chaired from 2014 to 2015. In 2019, he contested the Conservative Party leadership against Boris Johnson, before being stripped of the party whip over Johnson’s approach to Brexit, and then stepping down from parliament. Among other things he is currently the co-host, with Alastair Campbell, of the popular podcast 'The Rest is Politics'. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 05 Mar 2024 | UK Governance Project: proposals for reform | 01:14:23 | |
On 1 February a cross-party expert commission, the UK Governance Project, chaired by former Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve, published its report. It makes various proposals for improving governance standards in the UK, aimed at restoring high standards of integrity in public office, enhancing the role of parliament, improving working between ministers and the civil service, and protecting democracy. What are the commission’s proposals? How could they be implemented? Could they improve how the UK is governed? This webinar will discuss the commission’s report with its chair, Dominic Grieve, and Helen MacNamara, another member of the commission, with opportunities for the audience to put questions to its authors. Speakers:
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit Further reading: Read a summary of the report on our blog by Dominic Grieve Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 04 May 2023 | The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit | 00:36:24 | |
This episode was first recorded for our sister podcast - UCL Uncovering Politics The last seven years in British politics have been tempestuous. The turmoil has had multiple causes: Covid, Putin’s attack on Ukraine, and Trussonomics among them. But the politics of much of the period has been dominated by Brexit: by a referendum on an ever so simple question, followed by years of wrangling over what the question meant and how the answer that voters gave to it should be interpreted and implemented. Much of that contest took place in parliament. Meaningful voters, indicative votes, the Brady amendment, the Malthouse compromise, the Cooper–Letwin Bill and the legality or otherwise of prorogation – all became the stuff of prime-time television. So what should we make of that period? And what can we learn from it – about how parliament and our constitution work, and about how they should work? Well a new book recently published by Oxford University Press explores all these questions and many more. It’s called The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit. And its authors join me now. They are Meg Russell (Director of the UCL Constitution Unit and Professor of British and Comparative Politics in the UCL Department of Political Science) and Lisa James (Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit). Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 09 Aug 2021 | The Gun, the Ship & the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern World | 01:15:03 | |
Dr Harshan Kumarasingham and Prof Robert Hazell (Constitution Unit) in discussion with Prof Linda Colley FBA about her latest book on warfare, constitutions and the making of the modern world. Speakers: Prof Linda Colley FBA, Shelby M.C. Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton University and Dr Harshan Kumarasingham, Senior Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Edinburgh Chair: Prof Robert Hazell, The Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 22 May 2023 | Ministers also have rights - balancing executive prerogatives and executive scrutiny | 01:16:34 | |
Debates over standards in public life have a long history. Their evolution is partly cyclical, reflecting reactions to extended periods of one party in office. But there is also long-term growth in a belief that ministers cannot be trusted to behave well and that more formal structures are needed to check their power. Of late, the view that the abuses and challenges to institutional checks have been greater under some recent prime ministers – particularly Boris Johnson – has produced what amounts to a culture war between, on the one hand, defenders of the elected government – often citing an almost presidential mandate dismissing unelected regulators and judges – and, on the other hand, critics who would constrain or even eliminate ministers from some decisions. This debate is in danger of becoming very polarised. So where can a new balance be achieved? In this lecture, Peter Riddell will argue that the solution must recognise the legitimate rights of ministers as the elected government while also strengthening independent scrutiny where needed. Parliamentary committees should also play a more active role in holding both ministers and watchdogs/regulators to account. Introduction by Prof Meg Russell. Response by Rt Hon Jack Straw. Professor Sir Peter Riddell Peter Riddell was appointed an Honorary Professor at UCL in March 2022. He has taken a long interest in constitutional issues, parliament and standards in public life, both as a journalist and subsequently in various other roles. He joined the Financial Times in 1970 after graduating from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, with a degree in History and Economics. He served as Political Editor for seven years before becoming the paper’s Washington Bureau Chief. He joined The Times in 1991 serving as its chief political commentator until he retired from journalism after the 2010 election. He has written ten books on politics, parliament and political careers. Towards the end of his journalistic career, he became involved in other activities, initially as a trustee and then chair of the Hansard Society from 2007 until 2012, and then as Senior Fellow and then Director/Chief Executive of the Institute for Government from 2012 until 2016. He served for 18 months as a member of the Gibson inquiry into the involvement of UK intelligence agencies into the alleged mistreatment of detainees and rendition. In spring 2016 he was appointed to the independent office holder post of Commissioner for Public Appointments where he served an extended term of five and a half years until September 2021. His other public roles have included conducting a review for the Cabinet Office into the future of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and serving on the Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee. He has had close contacts with the academic world in various forms, notably with the Constitution Unit over more than two decades. He chaired the advisory panel of the ESRC’s Constitutional Change research programme from 2001 to 2006, is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a recipient of the President’s Medal of the British Academy. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 14 Jul 2023 | Conference 2023 Panel 3: Courts and the rule of law | 01:11:52 | |
Relations between the political branches and the courts have been strained in recent years. Pushback against the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights has spilled over into determined attempts to ‘clip the wings’ of the UK’s own courts, with renewed interest in ‘ouster clauses' and attempts to repeal the Human Rights Act, against a steady drumbeat of complaint that courts have become too powerful in our constitutional arrangements. How can the damage be repaired? What should be the priorities of a future government interested in restoring the UK’s battered reputation as a rule of law-regarding nation? Speakers include Laura Farris MP – Conservative MP for Newbury and former practising barrister at Matrix Emily Thornberry MP - Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and Shadow Attorney General Fiona Rutherford – Chief Executive, Justice Chair: Murray Hunt – Director of the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 25 Jul 2022 | The ‘Brexit Freedoms’ Bill and Retained EU Law | 01:15:00 | |
The UK government has promised to introduce a new ‘Brexit Freedoms’ Bill in the current parliamentary session. The government’s aim is to make retained EU law – former EU legislation placed on the British statute book during the Brexit process – easier to amend. However, this may mean increasing ministers’ ability to make important policy changes via delegated legislation, with relatively little parliamentary scrutiny. What can we expect the ‘Brexit Freedoms’ Bill to look like? What could it mean for the relative power of parliament and ministers? What might this mean for laws and regulations that affect the everyday lives of UK citizens? This seminar will bring together an expert panel to discuss these important questions. Speakers: Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union Law and Employment Law, University of Cambridge Dr Tom West, Delegated Legislation Review Manager, Hansard Society Ruth Chambers, Senior Parliamentary Affairs Associate, Greener UK Chair: Dr Joe Tomlinson, Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of York Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 26 May 2021 | Ministerial Standards | 01:09:22 | |
Westminster and Holyrood have both been engulfed by scandals over ministerial behaviour in the past year. The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) has launched a further review, Standards Matter 2, to evaluate the institutions and processes that uphold standards of conduct in Westminster and beyond. Sir Alex Allan, former Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, discusses the standards regime in Westminster and Whitehall; discussing the standards regime in Scotland we have Susan Deacon, former Minister for Health in Scotland, and former chair of the Scottish Police Authority; and Richard Thomas CBE, Member of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, discusses recent evidence submitted to the CSPL and PACAC on this topic. Speakers: Sir Alex Allan, former Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests; Susan Deacon, former Minister for Health in Scotland, and former chair of the Scottish Police Authority; and Richard Thomas CBE, Member of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments and former Information Commissioner Chair: Professor Robert Hazell, The Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 21 Dec 2022 | A Primer on Reform of the House of Lords | 00:34:51 | |
Proposals for reform of the UK’s House of Lords are in the news. In the wake of a report by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Labour leader and – if the polls are to be believed – likely future Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that he would abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a so-called Assembly of the Nations and Regions. This week Alan Renwick is joined by Meg Russell, Director of the UCL Constitution Unit and Professor of British and Comparative Politics in the UCL Department of Political Science. Meg is the leading expert on the House of Lords and on second chambers more broadly, having conducted research on the subject for more than two decades. Meg gives us a primer on the House of Lords and helps answer the questions: does it need reform? What is the best way of doing it? Associated reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 02 Jul 2024 | Constitution Unit Conference 2024: House of Lords reform | 01:12:50 | |
The composition and role of the House of Lords are subject to frequent question. Since the last major change by a Labour government in 1999, proposals for further reform have ranged from wholesale change – e.g. creating an elected second chamber of the nations and regions – to smaller alterations to change the appointments system or to limit the chamber’s size. To what extent should a new government prioritise House of Lords reform, and what specifically should be the priorities? If the Conservatives lose office, what challenges might be posed by their still being the largest single group in the upper chamber? Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 28 Jun 2024 | Constitution Unit Conference 2024: Devolution within England | 01:14:15 | |
The last two decades have seen major changes in the structure of sub-national government within England, with the gradual devolution of powers to a range of new mayors and combined authorities. How should this patchwork of devolution be built upon? Should structures be more consistent across the country? Should further powers be devolved, and – if so – to whom? What steps are required to ensure that this devolved power faces appropriate scrutiny and accountability? Speakers:
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 11 Apr 2022 | What role should party members have in leadership elections? | 01:14:52 | |
If Boris Johnson leaves office before the next general election, Conservative Party members will have a decisive say in who replaces him as party leader and Prime Minister. This prospect raises the wider question of what role ordinary members should play in party leadership elections. The UK has seen extensive variation in the role of ordinary grassroots members, as compared to MPs, in leadership contests – both between the different parties, and over time. This has previously led to some controversies, most obviously around the election (and re-election in 2016) of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. What consequences does the role of members have for the kinds of leaders and policies that parties adopt? How should this be balanced with the role of MPs? This seminar will explore the key arguments. Speakers: Paul Goodman, Editor of Conservative Home and former Conservative MP for Wycombe Cat Smith MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Lancaster and Fleetwood Dr Tom Quinn, Senior Lecturer, Department of Government, University of Essex Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 24 Jun 2022 | The 1997 Labour government's constitutional reform programme: 25 years on | 01:17:20 | |
May 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of the election of Tony Blair's first Labour government. It entered office with an ambitious set of manifesto proposals for constitutional reform. These included devolution in Scotland, Wales and London, a new settlement for Northern Ireland, the Human Rights Act, Freedom of Information Act, Lords reform, regulation of elections and referendums, and a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons. Not all of these ambitions were reached, but further changes occurred beyond 2001, most obviously the establishment of the Supreme Court. This event will look back at the Labour reforms, asking what they sought to achieve, the extent to which those objectives were realised, whether in retrospect mistakes can be identified, and what has been the lasting legacy of these reforms. We are joined by a senior panel who were closely involved from different perspectives. Speakers:Lord (Charlie) Falconer of Thoroton is a Labour peer, who has held various frontbench positions including as Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor 2003-07 Baroness (Shami) Chakrabarti is a Labour peer and former Shadow Attorney General, who before this was Director of Liberty 2003-16 Professor Robert Hazell was founding Director of the Constitution Unit, a position he held from 1995 to 2015. Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 07 Oct 2020 | Checks and Balances in Democracy | 00:38:47 | |
The long-standing idea that democracy needs checks and balances is questioned in some quarters. So what is the case for checks and balances, and what are the arguments against? Should we look upon different kinds of checks and balances in different ways? And what are the contemporary tensions bringing these debates to the fore? This UCL Uncovering Politics podcast episode explores these questions with three leading thinkers on constitutional politics. Host: Dr Alan Renwick Guests:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 07 Jul 2022 | The Future of the Union and Devolution - The State of the Constitution: Constitution Unit Conference 2022 | 01:16:01 | |
The UK’s ‘devolution settlement’ is unsettled. Alternative visions abound for how to achieve stability: through ‘muscular unionism’; by reforming intergovernmental relations; through wholesale federalisation; or by breaking up the Union. What is the current state of each of these options? How are they likely to develop in the foreseeable future? In so far as they are implemented, what impacts are they likely to have? Speakers Lord (Andrew) Dunlop – Conservative peer, and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scotland Office and Northern Ireland Office Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 28 Mar 2023 | The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit and the Constitution | 01:14:58 | |
Since the 2016 referendum, the hotly contested issue of Brexit has raised fundamental questions about the workings of British democracy. Parliament soon became a public battleground for arguments about Brexit’s implementation, and the process frequently brought its own role into question – alongside that of the courts, the devolved institutions, the civil service and even the monarch. A new book by the Constitution Unit’s Meg Russell and Lisa James charts The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit, from the initial backbench pressures for a referendum, to the arguments over the ‘meaningful vote’, the repeated defeats of Theresa May’s Brexit deal, backbenchers ‘seizing control’ of the Commons agenda, and Boris Johnson’s unlawful prorogation, up to the ultimate approval of his Brexit deal. In this event on its publication day, the authors and three high-profile respondents discussed the book’s key arguments and conclusions, including why this period was so difficult, and what if anything might need to change in the UK’s parliament and wider constitution. Speakers
This event was chaired by Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit. For more details about Meg Russell and Lisa James’s new book The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit, and to preorder a copy with a 30% discount, see here. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 12 May 2022 | Politics in Northern Ireland | 00:36:12 | |
In this episode, Professor Alan Renwick is joined by Senior Research Associate Alan Whysall, and Professor Etain Tannam, Associate Professor of International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin to discuss the implications of the Assembly elections for the future of power-sharing and the institutional arrangements in Northern Ireland. Read further about these themes in Alan Whysall's discussion paper on the future of the institutions and blogpost on challenges after the elections, and Etain Tannam's blogpost on the existing institutions under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 29 Apr 2022 | Citizens’ Assembly on Democracy in the UK | 01:12:41 | |
Recent years have raised fundamental questions about the operation of democracy in the UK. Polarisation is high and many citizens feel detached from politics. The ethical standards of those in public life have been called into question. Governing and opposition parties throughout the UK have pledged to review the system’s operation. But how do ordinary citizens want democracy in the UK to work? This seminar follows the launch on 7 April of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Democracy in the UK – the second report of the Unit’s Democracy in the UK after Brexit research project. Following six weekends of deliberation last year, the Assembly agreed 8 resolutions and 51 recommendations, proposing many changes to how our democracy works. In the seminar, the key conclusions will be presented and discussed with leading experts and some of the Assembly’s members.
Speakers: Professor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit and Project Lead Kaela Scott, Director of Innovation and Practice at Involve and Design and Facilitation Lead for the Citizens’ Assembly on Democracy in the UK Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union and Labour Law, University of Cambridge Frances Foley, Deputy Director of Compass Members from the Citizens’ Assembly Chair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 02 Jul 2021 | Review of Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 | 01:12:05 | |
This is a recording of a panel session from our conference looking at the government's constitutional reform agenda. The focus of the discussion was the government's review of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and it's repeal bill: the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill. Speakers:
Chair: Prof Meg Russell FBA, Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL. The two-day conference was jointly organised with the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Oxford University and UK in a Changing Europe. This episode was recorded on 17 June 2021. Suggested reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 30 Nov 2022 | How should politicians’ behaviour be regulated? | 00:35:54 | |
This episode was originally recorded for recorded for our sister UCL Political Science podcast - 'Uncovering Politics'. Questions about politicians’ behaviour have been high on the political agenda here in the UK in recent months and years. Boris Johnson’s premiership was dogged – and ultimately ended – by allegations that he was serially dishonest and tolerated bullying and other misconduct from his inner circle. Liz Truss sidelined independent sources of expertise and presided over catastrophic policy failure. And Rishi Sunak – though he entered Downing Street promising integrity, professionalism, and accountability – appointed a Home Secretary who only six days previously had left government for breaching the Ministerial Code, installed two other ministers against whom there are allegations of bullying, and (at the time of recording) yet to appoint an Ethics Adviser. So how can we ensure high standards of behaviour from our politicians? Can we rely simply on political accountability, and the disciplining role of the ballot box? Or do advisers, regulators, and perhaps even judges need also to play a role? This week our host Professor Alan Renwick is joined by two real experts: Professor Robert Hazell, who founded the UCL Constitution Unit in 1995 and remained its Director until 2015. Sir Peter Riddell, Honorary Professor in the UCL Department of Political Science, ex- Political Editor of the Financial Times and Chief Political Commentator at the Times, Director and Chief Executive of the Institute for Government between 2012 and 2016, and Commissioner for Public Appointments from 2016 until 2021. Related reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 29 Oct 2024 | How to be an effective select committee chair | 01:09:36 | |
This autumn the House of Commons has elected a raft of new select committee chairs who will play an important role in holding the government to account over the coming years. But there are many ways to chair a select committee, and new chairs will need to think carefully about what they want to achieve and how to go about it. This webinar brings together three senior former MPs and select committee chairs to discuss their experiences, and their reflections on how to use the role most effectively.
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||
| 11 Apr 2024 | Should military action require parliamentary approval? | 01:13:43 | |
The UK’s recent air strikes on the Houthis in Yemen have renewed discussion about parliament’s role in approving military action. The government is not constitutionally required to consult parliament on military deployments, and can choose whether and when to seek MPs’ approval. So what is parliament’s current role? Should this be changed, as some opposition parties have suggested? If so, what are some of the possibilities and challenges? In this webinar, an expert panel discuss parliament’s current role, and whether reform is desirable or feasible. Speakers: David Lidington – Chair of the Royal United Services Institute, former Conservative MP for Aylesbury, and former Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Chancellor, and Leader of the House of Commons Dr Veronika Fikfak – Associate Professor in International Law, University College London Dr James Strong – Senior Lecturer in British Politics and Foreign Policy, Queen Mary University of London Chair: Lisa James – Research Fellow, Constitution Unit Diagram of parliamentary war convention Useful reading:
Links: Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-list Blog: constitution-unit.com | |||