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
Constitutional standards
The prime minister can strengthen the system for upholding standards in government without giving up his role as the ultimate arbiter
The furore around Matt Hancock’s resignation. The questions about who first paid for the Downing Street flat refurbishment. The outrage that followed lobbying by former prime minister David Cameron. A series of recent events have raised questions … [Read more...] about The prime minister can strengthen the system for upholding standards in government without giving up his role as the ultimate arbiter
The faces of political integrity
Despite the deeply concerning details, the questions raised by the Greensill saga and the renovation of the Downing Street Flat are nothing new; concerns about the integrity of politicians and public officials flare up with depressing regularity. … [Read more...] about The faces of political integrity
Greensill: a bridge too far?
The relationship between the public, private and voluntary sectors is vitally important for both economic success and social cohesion. Anything that undermines mutual co-operation and constructive dialogue, and deters well-regulated movement between … [Read more...] about Greensill: a bridge too far?
Tackling the algorithm in the public sector
Lord Clement-Jones CBE is the House of Lords Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital and former Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (2017-2018). Algorithms in the public sector have certainly been much in the … [Read more...] about Tackling the algorithm in the public sector
De-coding the constitution?
The Priti Patel affair highlights some general peculiarities of the UK constitution. At the centre of this episode lies a document, the Ministerial Code. This text, which formed the basis of the investigation into the Home Secretary, is regarded as … [Read more...] about De-coding the constitution?