Talk of possible reforms to the Stormont institutions has been growing recently, spurred by concerns about repeated institutional collapses, perceived inequities between different parts of society, and criticisms of the institutions' record in governance. But what options for reform are there, and what impacts might these have if implemented? A newly published report from the Constitution Unit at University College London addresses these questions. It does not draw conclusions, but aims to promote wider, more coherent and better-informed debate.This public event, hosted in collaboration with the Democracy Unit at Queen’s University Belfast, offered an occasion for such debate. The report’s authors were joined by leading experts to explore the ideas and possible ways forward.Speakers:Professor Katy Hayward – Professor of Political Sociology, Queen’s University BelfastProfessor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution UnitAnn Watt – Director of PivotalAlan Whysall, Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution UnitChair: Professor John Garry, Director of the Democracy Unit, Queen’s University BelfastRead the report
Links:Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unitMailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-listBlog: constitution-unit.com
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1:28:15
Are the UK’s party funding regulations fit for purpose?
Political parties are central to the functioning of representative democracy in the UK, playing a crucial role during and between elections. How parties fund their activities is thus a vital question, and one that has been much discussed in recent months. New controversies have shone a light on long-standing debates about who can donate to political parties, how much they can donate, and the transparency of their donations. So what are the strengths and weaknesses of the UK’s party funding regulations? Are the current regulations sufficiently robust, fair, and transparent? And if not, how might they be improved? We discussed these questions with an expert panel.Jackie Killeen – Director of Electoral Administration and Regulation, Electoral CommissionLord (Mark) Pack – President, Liberal DemocratsProfessor Justin Fisher – Professor of Political Science, Brunel University of LondonDr Jess Garland – Director of Research and Policy, Electoral Reform SocietyChair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unitMailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-listBlog: constitution-unit.com
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1:15:47
Constitutional Reform in the UK
Politics in the UK has been in turmoil in recent years — Brexit, Covid, movements for independence in Scotland and Northern Ireland, rule-breaking Prime Ministers and now the shockwaves from Donald Trump’s return to the White House. These pressures have tested the UK’s political system, raising serious questions about whether constitutional reforms are needed.In this episode, we dive into a new report from the UCL Constitution Unit, which examines possible constitutional changes, their likelihood of passing, and whether they could truly address the challenges the UK faces. Our guests are two of the report’s authors:Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit and Professor of British and Comparative Politics at UCLLisa James – Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution UnitOur host, Alan Renwick, also a co-author of the report, leads the discussion on possible constitutional reforms, their feasibility, and what reforms could be on the horizon.Mentioned in this episode:The Constitutional Landscape: Options for Reform, by Lisa James, Patrick Thomas, Alan Renwick and Meg Russell.S7:E10 A Primer on House of Lords Reform, with Meg Russell.
Links:Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unitMailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-listBlog: constitution-unit.com
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43:02
Improving parliamentary scrutiny of legislation
Recent years have seen frequent complaints about the quality of legislative scrutiny by parliament, and particularly by the House of Commons. Various commentators and experts have argued that the scrutiny of proposed laws is too often rushed and/or inadequate, leading to worse policy outcomes for citizens. This online seminar will explore a number of important questions. What problems are there with the legislative process? Have they got worse? And what can be done to fix them?Speakers: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution UnitSir David Natzler – former Clerk of the House of CommonsDr Daniel Gover – Senior Lecturer in British Politics, Queen Mary University of LondonChair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution UnitFurther readingProf Meg Russell's research on the decline of parliamentary scrutinyProf Meg Russell and Dr Daniel Gover's book: Legislation at Westminster: Parliamentary Actors and Influence in the Making of British Law
Links:Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unitMailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-listBlog: constitution-unit.com
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1:14:15
The Politics of Parliamentary Reform
Parliament is at the heart of democracy—it’s where voters are represented, laws are debated, and key decisions are made. But who really controls what gets discussed and how time is allocated?In the UK, that power lies overwhelmingly with the government, leaving most MPs with little say over what they debate. That seems odd—after all, parliament is supposed to be sovereign. So why does it allow the government, a supposedly subordinate body, to set its agenda?To unravel this, Prof Alan Renwick is joined by Dr Tom Fleming, Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics at UCL and a member of the UCL Constitution Unit. Mentioned in this episode:Fleming, Thomas G., Simon Hix and Radoslaw Zubek. 2024. “ The Origins of Centralized Agenda Control at Westminster: Consensus or Controversy?” Legislative Studies QuarterlyThe controversial origins of centralised agenda control at Westminster. Constitution Unit Blog
Links:Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unitMailing list: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/get-involved/mailing-listBlog: constitution-unit.com
The Constitution Unit conducts timely, rigorous, independent research into constitutional change and the reform of political institutions. Our research has significant real-world impact, informing policy-makers engaged in such changes - both in the United Kingdom and around the world.
On this channel, you will find the audio recordings of the Constitution Unit's past events.
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