The Constitution Unit

• Demystifying the UK honours system

  The UK awards hundreds of honours each year to mark notable achievements and contributions to society. These awards – such as knighthoods, damehoods, and OBEs – can be a source of pride and a cause of controversy. So how are people chosen for these honours? How does the system work behind the scenes? And could it be improved? Ahead of the New Year Honours, we’ll discuss these questions with an expert panel.Speakers:Dame Sue Owen – former member of the Arts and Media, Economy, and Sport Honours Committees and former Permanent Secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and SportSir Peter Riddell – former member of the Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee, former Commissioner for Public Appointments, and Honorary Professor at UCLDominic Grieve KC – former Attorney General for England and Wales, and Conservative MP for Beaconsfield 1997–2019Chair: Professor Meg Russell – 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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• The Future of the ECHR – In Europe and UK

  Please note that, in places, the microphones momentarily failed to record the proceedings at this event. We apologise. In the UK, calls for the withdrawal from the European Convention of Human Rights are becoming louder and more persistent. The government has promised to look into the case for reform of the Convention, but at present there are no details about what this would look like. Yet, the discussions about the future of the ECHR are not limited to the UK. Across the Council of Europe many states are considering the case for renegotiation of current obligations under the Convention, particularly in the context of migration. In Denmark, the government is reviewing the practice of its courts and drafting a proposal for a new agreement that would amend the current text of the Convention and allow the government to limit its obligations in relation to particular groups of migrants. How are these developments at European level relevant for the discussion in the UK? A panel of expert speakers familiar with the developments in Denmark, UK, and the Council of Europe speak about the pressures that human rights and especially the European Convention find themselves under and what the options are for states seeking a reform of the system. Speakers:Former Judge Robert Spano, Former President of European Court of Human Rights, Partner at Gibson DunnProfessor Jens Elo Peters Rytter, Professor of Constitutional Law, University of CopenhagenProfessor Colm O’Cinneide, Professor of Constitutional and Human Rights Law, UCLProfessor Alice Donald, Professor in Human Rights Law, Middlesex University LondonChair: Professor Veronika Fikfak, Professor of Human Rights and International Law, UCL 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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• Do the government's electoral reforms go far enough?

  The UK government published an elections policy paper in the summer, including proposals for votes at 16, automated electoral registration, and strengthened political finance rules. With an Elections Bill expected in November, this panel will assess the government’s proposals and consider whether they will be sufficient to ensure electoral integrity. For example, are tighter rules needed on political donations? Should more be done to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission? Should requirements for truthfulness in political speech be strengthened?Speakers:Cat Smith MP – Labour MP for Lancaster and WyreRose Whiffen – Senior Research Officer, Transparency International UKTom Hawthorn – Head of Policy, Electoral CommissionProfessor David Howarth – Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of Cambridge, former UK Electoral Commissioner (2010–18), and former Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge (2005–10)Chair: 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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• How should the UK's parliaments scrutinise international agreements?

  Many of the highest-profile political issues – including trade, security, and immigration – are now shaped by international treaties and agreements. These agreements are negotiated by ministers and officials, and recent years have seen complaints that the UK’s parliaments lack the scrutiny tools they need. So why does parliamentary scrutiny of international agreements matter? Does the current system allow for adequate scrutiny? And if not, what needs to change?Speakers:Lord (Peter) Goldsmith KC – Chair of the House of Lords International Agreements CommitteeArabella Lang – Head of Public Law at the Law SocietyClare Adamson MSP – SNP MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, and Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution UnitFurther reading:'Treaty scrutiny in Westminster: addressing the accountability gap' (House of Lords International Agreements Committee, 11 September 2025). 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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• England’s ‘devolution revolution’: prospects and challenges

  The UK government has promised a ‘devolution revolution’ in England, with major changes to the structure of regional and local government, and has published a detailed white paper setting out its plans. How might these changes affect the delivery of public services and quality of local democracy? How will they change the place of local government in the wider constitutional structure? What else might be needed to ensure that ministers achieve their goals? We discussed these questions with an expert panel including two current and former council leaders.Speakers:Bella Sankey – Labour Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council and Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Labour GroupRoger Gough – former Conservative Leader of Kent County Council (2019–25)Professor Arianna Giovannini – Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Urbino, Italy and former Director of IPPR North.Chair: 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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