During his first official visit to Northern Ireland as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham declared that a referendum on Irish unity was “off the table”. His immediate priorities, he explained, were public services, the cost of living and the effective … [Read more...] about ‘Off the Table’? The New Prime Minister and Northern Ireland
Following its successful passage through the House of Commons in July, the Hillsborough Law (formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill) is due to commence its legislative journey through the House of Lords in the coming weeks. As … [Read more...] about The Hillsborough Law: Where Are We Now?
Having never been hunting, I’m not sure whether I’m meant to like the ‘whips’ or not. In his Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man, Siegfried Sassoon writes of them fondly enough, though: Soon afterwards the second whip rode through the … [Read more...] about Can the Prime Minister Really Reform the Whips?
In his 1952 book, In Place of Fear, the Labour politician Aneurin Bevan described how as a ‘young miner in a South Wales colliery, my concern was with the one practical question: Where does power lie in this particular state of Great Britain, … [Read more...] about Andy Burnham and a Written Constitution: Is the Time Arriving?
Less than two-weeks into the new Andy Burnham premiership the Cabinet Office issued a document ambitiously called “Rewiring the State”. Most people who know anything about it would agree the British state is in severe need of rewiring. Like … [Read more...] about Can Andy Burnham Really Rewire the UK State?
The Windsor Framework was adopted in 2023 in the wake of Brexit to regulate affairs in Northern Ireland. Until recently, it had been unclear what freestanding EU rights were conferred on individuals through the Framework. A recent judgment … [Read more...] about What Now For Human Rights Under the Windsor Framework?
Whereas Bishops … ought not to be intangled with secular jurisdiction the Office of the Ministerie being of such great importance that it will take up the whole man And for that it is found by long experience that theire intermedling with … [Read more...] about What is the role of the Lords Spiritual? An interview with the Bishop of Manchester
The clunkily-named English Devolution & Community Empowerment Act 2026, which received Royal Assent in April, represents one of the most significant reforms to local government in England for a generation. Much focus had been on the … [Read more...] about A New Era for Local Government? Cabinets, Committees, Elections
Ten years on from the Brexit referendum, this blog post analyses where relations stand between the UK and devolved governments on regulating the UK’s domestic market. Specifically, using Wales as a case study, it focuses on the legal and political … [Read more...] about The UK Internal Market Act: What it’s Meant for Devolution
In Wales a very different, values-led conversation on human rights has evolved over the last 15 years, one which exists in stark contrast to debates in England. Legislative initiatives such as the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) … [Read more...] about Is it Time for a Welsh Human Rights Act?
Salary: £32,000 per annum pro rata (£16,000 per annum)Location: Westminster, London (some hybrid working available)Hours: 0.5 FTEContract: PermanentForm: HERE About the Constitution Society The Constitution Society is an independent … [Read more...] about Job Opportunity: Office Manager
Keir Starmer’s decision to announce a major Defence Investment Plan while preparing to leave office exposed an awkward gap in the UK constitution. The question is not simply whether an outgoing Prime Minister has the legal power to make major … [Read more...] about Can an Outgoing Prime Minister Still Make Major Decisions?
