Text of Nat le Roux’s presentation on Parliamentary Sovereignty at the McDougall Trust workshop, 9th November 2016: The governing norm of our constitution is the principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty, which means that Parliament is the supreme … [Read more...] about Is there a tension between Parliamentary Democracy and referendums?
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Nat le Roux
The EU referendum and some paradoxes of democratic legitimacy
The EU referendum and some paradoxes of democratic legitimacy, Nat le Roux In a parliamentary democracy, referendums are potentially destabilising because they generate alternative, competing, sources of democratic legitimacy. A majority of … [Read more...] about The EU referendum and some paradoxes of democratic legitimacy
Labour and the electoral system: The myth of defeat and the chimera of victory
The political commentariat comprehensively failed to predict either the Conservative victory in the May general election or the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn as the eventual victor of the Labour leadership contest. Following a perhaps inappropriately … [Read more...] about Labour and the electoral system: The myth of defeat and the chimera of victory
How not to change the constitution
Much of the media commentary on the Scottish referendum and its aftermath has focussed on the apparent poor judgement of the Westminster elite - and the prime minister in particular – in the negotiation of the Edinburgh Agreement and the subsequent … [Read more...] about How not to change the constitution
Distinguishing Constitutional Legislation: A modest proposal
In most democratic states, the mechanisms for constitutional change are clearly separated from mechanisms for enacting ‘ordinary’ legislation. They are also designed to make any significant alteration in existing constitutional arrangements a … [Read more...] about Distinguishing Constitutional Legislation: A modest proposal
Unconstitutional Democracy?
Democratic legitimacy and the concentration of power Diagnosing the problem There is a very widespread view in Britain that our political culture is dysfunctional. According to the survey carried out for the Hansard Society’s 2013 Audit of … [Read more...] about Unconstitutional Democracy?
Nat Le Roux gives evidence to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Director of The Constitution Society Nat le Roux, gives evidence to the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee on the role and powers of the judiciary in the UK and elsewhere, with particular respect to the UK constitution and … [Read more...] about Nat Le Roux gives evidence to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Is it time to codify Parliamentary privilege?
There is little understanding of the concept of Parliamentary privilege outside Westminster. The term tends to arouse suspicion: privilege is against the spirit of the times - it smacks of unfairness and elitism. It did not help when some of the MPs … [Read more...] about Is it time to codify Parliamentary privilege?
Scottish Independence: asking the wrong question?
This archive item is a window onto issues as they appeared at the time. It contains facts and opinions which may have been superseded by subsequent events. Following last month’s agreement between David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex … [Read more...] about Scottish Independence: asking the wrong question?
Crisis, what Crisis?
[First Published on Tuesday 13th April 2010] This archive item is a window onto issues as they appeared at the time. It contains facts and opinions which may have been superseded by subsequent events. At a debate of the Society of Cogers on … [Read more...] about Crisis, what Crisis?