Episodes
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This year’s UK general election saw a range of concerns about the quality of election discourse. Alongside evidence of many candidates facing abuse and intimidation, the campaign also saw the spread – particularly online – of misinformation and disinformation. Meanwhile, Labour and the Conservatives were accused of a ‘conspiracy of silence’ about the costing of party manifesto pledges, and voters faced difficulties knowing where to turn for trustworthy sources of information.
These challenges all threaten to undermine the UK’s democratic process. So how can they be tackled? This webinar will bring together experts from the Electoral Commission, Full Fact, and the Jo Cox Civility Commission to discuss options for practical solutions.
Speakers:
Michela Palese – Head of Policy, Electoral CommissionChris Morris – CEO, Full FactHannah Phillips – Manager, Jo Cox Civility CommissionChair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Opposition parties play a crucial role in parliamentary democracy, scrutinising the government and putting forward alternative policies. But what makes opposition parties effective, both inside parliament and beyond? As the Conservative Party announced its new leader, this expert panel with first-hand experience of life in opposition discussed the task facing them and the other opposition parties.
Speakers:
Baroness (Kate) Fall – former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron, and Conservative peerProfessor Marc Stears – former chief speechwriter to the Labour Party, and Director of the UCL Policy LabDr Nigel Fletcher – co-founder of the Centre for Opposition StudiesChair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Missing episodes?
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This autumn the House of Commons has elected a raft of new select committee chairs who will play an important role in holding the government to account over the coming years. But there are many ways to chair a select committee, and new chairs will need to think carefully about what they want to achieve and how to go about it.
This webinar brings together three senior former MPs and select committee chairs to discuss their experiences, and their reflections on how to use the role most effectively.
Baroness (Margaret) Hodge of Barking – former chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, Labour peer, and former Labour MPSir Charles Walker – former chair of the House of Commons Procedure Committee and Administration Committee, and former Conservative MPJoanna Cherry KC – former chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and former SNP MP
Speakers:Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The House of Commons has established a new Modernisation Committee with a remit ‘to consider reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards, and working practices’. This reflects a Labour manifesto commitment, and echoes the Modernisation Committee appointed in 1997 under the last Labour government.
As the committee gets up and running this autumn, it faces a number of important questions. How should it approach its work, what issues might it address, and what lessons can it learn from past efforts to reform the Commons? We discussed these questions with an expert panel.
Speakers:
Greg Power – former special adviser to two Leaders of the House of Commons, and Founder and Board Chair of Global Partners GovernanceDr Sue Griffiths – Clerk to the previous House of Commons Modernisation Committee 2007–08, and Managing Director of Social Development DirectDr Tom Fleming – Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics, Constitution UnitChair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Useful reading:
Commons Modernisation Committee publishes key strategic aims for reformThe House of Commons Modernisation Committee: background, opportunities, and potential pitfalls by Tom Fleming and Hannah KellyThe personal side of parliamentary reform by Greg PowerFor those interested in keeping up to date with the Modernisation Committee, you can subscribe to its email list using this link.
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The composition and role of the House of Lords are subject to frequent question. Since the last major change by a Labour government in 1999, proposals for further reform have ranged from wholesale change – e.g. creating an elected second chamber of the nations and regions – to smaller alterations to change the appointments system or to limit the chamber’s size. To what extent should a new government prioritise House of Lords reform, and what specifically should be the priorities? If the Conservatives lose office, what challenges might be posed by their still being the largest single group in the upper chamber?
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The role of courts and judges has been controversial in recent years, with criticism of both domestic judges and the European Court of Human Rights. Several government bills have raised difficult questions about the respective roles of government, parliament, and the courts. Has the rule of law been undermined by recent trends in policymaking or political discourse? If so, what should be done to bolster and protect it in the future?
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The last two decades have seen major changes in the structure of sub-national government within England, with the gradual devolution of powers to a range of new mayors and combined authorities. How should this patchwork of devolution be built upon? Should structures be more consistent across the country? Should further powers be devolved, and – if so – to whom? What steps are required to ensure that this devolved power faces appropriate scrutiny and accountability?
Speakers:
Professor Tony Travers – Director of LSE London and Visiting Professor at the LSEProfessor Joanie Willett – Associate Professor in Politics and Co-Director of the Institute of Cornish Studies, University of ExeterAkash Paun – Programme Director, Institute for GovernmentEd Cox – Executive Director for Strategy, Economy and Net Zero at the West Midlands Combined AuthorityChair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The 2019–24 parliament has been dogged by complaints of low standards of conduct by our politicians. Rishi Sunak has committed to upholding the ideals of ‘integrity, professionalism, and accountability’, while Labour has promised to overhaul how standards are regulated in government and parliament. What are the priorities in this area for a new government to address? Does this require cultural changes, institutional reforms, or both? Which changes or reforms might be most effective?
Speakers:
Dominic Grieve KC – Chair of the UK Governance Project, former Attorney General and Conservative MPPeter Riddell – former Commissioner for Public Appointments, Director of the Institute for Government and journalistTim Durrant – Programme Director, Institute for GovernmentChair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit
Episode links:
The joint statement on standardsLinks
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The podcast originally appeared on 'Uncovering Politics' from UCL's Department of Political Science.
In the run up to the UK General Election we have a special episode on opinion polls.
Opinion polling is a staple of modern elections, captivating political enthusiasts with fluctuating numbers but also sparking controversy. Polls are sometimes criticized for inaccuracies, notably in the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election. Polling methods, including sampling and voter prediction, are hotly debated. The emergence of MRP polls, which accurately estimated results in the 2017 UK election, has added to the intrigue, despite producing widely varying predictions for the outcome of the current UK election. So what should we make of the polls? And how can we best interpret all the numbers to understand what’s really going on?
Our guest is Prof Ben Lauderdale. Ben is Professor of Political Science here at UCL, a former Senior Data Science Advisor to the polling firm YouGov, the original brain behind the development of MRP methods and general polling guru.
UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Whatever the result of the upcoming general election, a large number of new MPs will enter the House of Commons. A well-designed induction programme will be crucial for helping them to find their feet and become effective parliamentarians. So what do new MPs need to know about their roles in parliament and beyond? How might this differ from in the past, and how might such induction best be delivered? We discussed these questions with experts from the Hansard Society and Institute for Government, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and a former MP.
Speakers
Dr Ruth Fox – Director of the Hansard SocietyDr Hannah White – Director of the Institute for GovernmentDaniel Greenberg – Parliamentary Commissioner for StandardsAlistair Burt – former Conservative MP and ministerChair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Recent years have seen many changes to election regulations in the UK. These changes affect key aspects of how elections are fought and administered, including party spending, voter identification, the voting rights of citizens living abroad, and the electoral system used to elect mayors and police and crime commissioners.
So what has changed, what effects might these changes have, and what challenges do they present for parties, candidates, and electoral administrators? An expert panel discussed these questions a week before the 2 May local elections.
Speakers
Laura Lock – Deputy Chief Executive of the Association of Electoral AdministratorsLord (Paul) Tyler – Liberal Democrat peer and former MP, co-author of the 2023 book Can Parliament Take Back Control?Professor Alistair Clark – Professor of Political Science, Newcastle UniversityChair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Read a briefing from the Hansard Society on general election rules and regulations: https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/publications/briefings/general-election-rules-and-regulations.
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The UK’s recent air strikes on the Houthis in Yemen have renewed discussion about parliament’s role in approving military action. The government is not constitutionally required to consult parliament on military deployments, and can choose whether and when to seek MPs’ approval. So what is parliament’s current role? Should this be changed, as some opposition parties have suggested? If so, what are some of the possibilities and challenges?
In this webinar, an expert panel discuss parliament’s current role, and whether reform is desirable or feasible.
Speakers:
David Lidington – Chair of the Royal United Services Institute, former Conservative MP for Aylesbury, and former Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Chancellor, and Leader of the House of Commons
Dr Veronika Fikfak – Associate Professor in International Law, University College London
Dr James Strong – Senior Lecturer in British Politics and Foreign Policy, Queen Mary University of London
Chair: Lisa James – Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Diagram of parliamentary war convention
Useful reading:
How might Keir Starmer codify his Prevention of Military Intervention Act? by Robert Hazell Parliament’s Secret War by Veronika Fikfak and Hayley J. Hooper The war powers of the British parliament: What has been established, and what remains unclear? by James StrongLinks
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. From thousands attending pro-Palestine marches in London, to farmers driving their tractors into Paris, Berlin, and Cardiff, to Just Stop Oil spraying UCL’s famous portico orange – protests are rarely out of the spotlight.
But what do protests actually achieve? Do they affect political debate and policy outcomes?
A new study sheds light on that, focusing on the impact of climate protests here in the UK on what MPs talk about – both in parliament itself and online.
One of the co-authors of that article is Tom Fleming, Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics, who joins us for this episode.
Mentioned in this episode:
Barrie, C., Fleming, T. G., and Rowan, S. S. (2023) ‘Does Protest Influence Political Speech? Evidence from UK Climate Protest, 2017-2019’, British Journal of Political Science.Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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On 1 February a cross-party expert commission, the UK Governance Project, chaired by former Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve, published its report. It makes various proposals for improving governance standards in the UK, aimed at restoring high standards of integrity in public office, enhancing the role of parliament, improving working between ministers and the civil service, and protecting democracy. What are the commission’s proposals? How could they be implemented? Could they improve how the UK is governed?
This webinar will discuss the commission’s report with its chair, Dominic Grieve, and Helen MacNamara, another member of the commission, with opportunities for the audience to put questions to its authors.
Speakers:
Dominic Grieve – chair of the UK Governance Project, former Attorney General for England and Wales, and former Conservative MP for BeaconsfieldHelen MacNamara – former Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Director General of the Cabinet Office Propriety and Constitution GroupChair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Further reading:
Read the commission's report
Read a summary of the report on our blog by Dominic Grieve
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales launched its final report in January 2024. Its recommendations – which assessed options for ‘entrenched devolution’, full federalism, and Welsh independence – have implications for the whole UK. How would such arrangements be viewed outside Wales? How would they function in practice? Would they affect constitutional debates in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland?
This webinar discusses these UK-wide implications with an expert panel including the Commission’s Co-chair, Professor Laura McAllister.
Speakers:
Laura McAllister - Professor of Public Policy at Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre and co-chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of WalesNicola McEwen - Professor of Public Policy in the College of Social Sciences and Director of the Centre for Public Policy at the University of GlasgowCiaran Martin - Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Government and former Constitution Director in the Cabinet OfficeChair: Alan Renwick - Professor of Democratic Politics and Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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How parliaments hold ministers (particularly prime ministers) to account is a fundamental part of parliamentary democracy. And one of those mechanisms of accountability involves asking questions.
We take a good hard look at how – and how effectively – parliaments question prime ministers.
We are joined by Dr Ruxandra Serban, Associate Lecturer in Democratic and Authoritarian Politics here in the UCL Department of Political Science. Her research focuses directly on parliamentary questioning processes.
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Peace in Northern Ireland is widely recognised as one of the leading achievements of politics in recent decades. The Good Friday, or Belfast Agreement, reached in 1998 by the British and Irish governments and most of the main Northern Ireland political parties brought an end to thirty years of violent conflict in which over three and a half thousand people were killed.
It did so in part by establishing a system of power-sharing government. A new Northern Ireland Assembly would be elected by proportional representation, so no one group could dominate. Within the new Northern Ireland Executive, representatives of Northern Ireland’s two political traditions would have to work together.
Over the years since the Agreement was reached, the power-sharing institutions have worked well some of the time. But for others they have worked badly or not at all. Since February 2022 their functioning has once again been suspended. Public anger at this situation is intense. Negotiations for restoring the institutions are ongoing. But, as yet, there has been no breakthrough.
Indeed, the situation has become so grave that many think the future viability of power-sharing government is now in doubt. And there are suggestions that the settlement reached in 1998 may need to be revisited.
In this episode we’re joined by two experts:
Alan Whysall is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution Unit here within the UCL Department of Political Science. He was previously a senior civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office, where he worked for many years on the Northern Ireland peace process – including the talks that led to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
Conor Kelly is a Research Assistant at the Constitution where he has worked on multiple projects relating to Northern Ireland, most recently examining perceptions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement among politicians and the public in Northern Ireland.
Alan Whysall’s reports: 'Report 1: Northern Ireland's Political Future' and 'Report 2: The Agreement at 25' https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/northern-irelands-political-futureConor Kelly and Alan Renwick, Perspectives on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
Mentioned in this episode:Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Over the past two years, a Constitution Unit team has been examining public attitudes to democracy in the UK. The project’s final report draws together the findings – from two large-scale surveys and a citizens’ assembly – and reflects on implications for policy-makers. It examines what kind of democracy people in the UK want and consider what changes in policy or behaviour may be needed in response.
Marking the report’s launch, this seminar gathered several leading figures from Westminster, together with an expert on public attitudes and members of the project team, to explore the findings and identify possible next steps.
Speakers:
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Shadow Cabinet Office MinisterWendy Chamberlain MP, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip in the House of CommonsDamian Green MP, former First Secretary of State and chair of the One Nation ConservativesProfessor Maria Sobolewska, Professor of Political Science, University of ManchesterProfessor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution UnitChair: Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution UnitUseful Links:
Read the report (pdf)The Future of Democracy in the UKDemocracy in the UK after BrexitLinks
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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Mark D’Arcy recently retired after spending 21 years covering events at Westminster for the BBC. During that time he built up an unparalleled knowledge of the institution, its procedures and dynamics, with insider access to innumerable key players and a ringside seat at important political moments large and small. This conversation discussed his key reflections on parliament and parliamentary journalism, and how they have changed in the last two decades.
Features:
Mark D'arcy in conversation with Professor Meg Russell
Useful linksYou can see the next Constitution Unit event here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/events/2023/nov/future-democracy-uk-public-attitudes-and-policy-options
Mark D'Arcy on the UK&EU podcast: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/podcasts/mark-darcy-on-his-career-at-the-bbc-and-how-brexit-has-changed-parliament/
The Hansard Sociey: https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/ (we will add a link to Marks new podcast with them when it becomes available)
Subscribe to our mailing list here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/subscribe
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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The recent book by journalist and author Ian Dunt provides a detailed and critical account of many aspects of the UK’s political system, including political parties and elections, parliament and the legislative process, the work of ministers and civil servants in Whitehall, and the role of the media. The book analyses various perceived problems, and proposes a range of possible solutions. In this seminar Ian presents some of his key arguments, and responds to comments and questions from a panel of experts and the online audience.
Speakers:
Ian Dunt, journalist and authorDr Ruth Fox, Director of the Hansard SocietyJill Rutter, Senior Research Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe and Senior Fellow at the Institute for GovernmentProfessor Alan Renwick, Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit, UCLChair: Dr Tom Fleming, Constitution Unit, UCL
You can buy Ian's book here.
Links
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit
Mailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved
Blog: https://constitution-unit.com/
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