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
Over the last few months, there has been much ink spilled over the Elections Bill, which is currently at the Committee Stage in the House of Commons. A number of the provisions contained in the bill are, however, relatively uncontroversial. Measures … [Read more...] about Eroding the independence of the Electoral Commission: the introduction of a government Strategy and Policy Statement
Following weeks of speculation, the Prime Minister carried out a reshuffle of his cabinet ministers last month – the second major reshuffle of the Johnson premiership and his first since February 2020. Lots has been written already about what this … [Read more...] about What does the reshuffle mean for constitutional reform?
In July, the government published its long-awaited Elections Bill which makes changes to the administration and conduct of elections with the stated aim of ensuring that ‘UK elections remain secure, fair, modern, inclusive and … [Read more...] about What is the Elections Bill? And why is it an issue?
Early in July, buried amidst the many reactions to the government’s Elections Bill, the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) published its report on regulating election finance, following a year-long inquiry to which the Electoral Reform … [Read more...] about How can we better regulate our elections?
The current Elections Bill before Parliament contains a range of measures which require careful consideration. Among the most concerning are steps which appear designed to limit the independence of the Electoral Commission. Among these are … [Read more...] about Elections Bill: a modest proposal to improve the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission
Five years ago today, the UK voted to leave the European Union. This was a significant political upset; Brexit had been officially opposed by the major parties in parliament, the Prime Minister, and a clear majority of scientific and economic … [Read more...] about Something is rotten in the state of Britain: beliefs about the fairness of elections in freefall
In the wake of last month’s elections, questions began to be asked about the prospect of an opposition electoral alliance. The Labour Party lost a number of councils and the Hartlepool by-election, suggesting it faces immense challenges in seeking to … [Read more...] about Electoral pacts and the constitution: could a pact be successful?
For better public policy, Parliament should assert itself and take control of its own business (see How Parliament would take control). But what kind of Parliament? An influential idea in political thinking is that governments need to be strong in … [Read more...] about The English delusion
Which activities are essential during a pandemic? Across England, school buildings have been closed, as have many shops, businesses and sports facilities. So what about elections? Should they go ahead? It’s an important question since local elections … [Read more...] about UK government has delayed elections longer than most countries – and England still isn’t ready to hold pandemic votes in May
