The new parliamentary session began last week, with a Queen’s speech that laid out a highly ambitious volume of new bills. Many of these are likely to prove controversial – including planned constitutional measures. To assess how the government … [Read more...] about The Queen’s speech, the Johnson government, and the constitution – lessons from the 2021-22 session
On Friday 22 April, The Constitution Society held a conference that looked at the power of the executive within the UK political system. Speakers at the conference considered the nature the government’s power and its relationship with the … [Read more...] about Conference: Executive power and the UK constitution
The ongoing Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales should recognise the political and constitutional realities across all four nations of the UK when exploring the nature of the Union going forward. The fact that the four … [Read more...] about A new constitutional partnership for these isles
Professor Liz David-Barrett delivered the keynote speech at The Constitution Society's conference 'Executive Power and the UK Constitution'. Is the UK sliding into state capture? This is the question that I will seek to address. I will first … [Read more...] about Is the UK sliding into state capture?
We can divide departures of prime ministers into two broad categories. The first type comes after a General Election, when a party (or group of parties) other than that of the outgoing premier becomes able to command the confidence of the House of … [Read more...] about Removing a Prime Minister
Is the political constitution a concept worth protecting? The Constitution Society has published a new report examining the idea of the political constitution in the United Kingdom, in which I answer this question with a qualified ‘yes’. It argues … [Read more...] about The political constitution: an idea worth understanding
Is there a constitutional requirement for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister? As is often the case with such questions, arriving at an answer is a complex task. The basic principles involved are set out in the Ministerial Code. Paragraph 1.3 c … [Read more...] about A constitutional requirement to resign?
Recent events in Northern Ireland – in particular the resignation of First Minister Paul Givan on 3 February 2022 – have highlighted once more the precarity of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing arrangements and the exceptional nature of the … [Read more...] about Northern Ireland’s precarious place in the molten constitution
Her Majesty has signalled Royal Assent to the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022. The Act repeals the Fixed-term Parliament Act 2011, thereby removing the constraints Fixed-term Parliaments Act (FTPA) placed on the royal prerogative power … [Read more...] about The intention behind the repeal of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act is to strengthen the executive and the Conservative Party
In our ever changing political and constitutional landscape, England has remained an often-forgotten anomaly. In the past two decades, constitutional reforms have seen Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all gain significant autonomous … [Read more...] about Ending England’s democratic deficit
Concerns about the prospects for UK democracy are widespread. Many in the past have raised similar concerns. A major deterioration or shift towards authoritarianism has not previously occurred in the UK. But we should not conclude that previous … [Read more...] about Should we be worried about democracy in the United Kingdom?
Amidst the clamour of the Commons following the publication of Sue Gray’s interim report into ‘partygate’, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he would be creating an ‘Office of the Prime Minister’ to deal with “fragmented and complicated” … [Read more...] about A Prime Minister’s department: redefining the centre of British government?
