The government’s long-awaited proposals for electoral reforms, published last month, will receive their first scrutiny in the House of Commons next Monday. Ahead of that debate, Alan Renwick analyses which of the bill’s proposals – and omissions – are likely
The Constitution Unit Blog
The Constitution Unit Blog is published by The Constitution Unit, a research center focused on constitutional change and democratic governance. The blog provides analysis and commentary on constitutional issues, democratic backsliding, electoral reforms, human rights law, and parliamentary procedures. It covers topics such as autocratic behaviors, reforms to the European Convention on Human Rights, government electoral policies, and the functioning of parliamentary committees. The content is aimed at informing public debate and policy discussions related to constitutional and democratic developments, primarily within the UK context but also addressing broader international concerns.
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Mandelson’s peerage: how to strip peers of their titles
The government has publicly committed to removing Lord (Peter) Mandelson’s peerage following additional revelations about his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Robert Hazell considers potential mechanisms for achieving this, and argues that if it is to be done by legislation,…
The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: is this a crisis for the monarchy?
It was reported yesterday that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly known as Prince Andrew) had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest has provoked much comment and many questions, such as will he get special treatment, what constitutes misconduct…
Why we need to strengthen and codify small party rights in the House of Commons
Following the Unit’s January seminar, Can the House of Commons handle multi-party politics?, panellist Louise Thompson explains the procedural and logistical obstacles facing small parties in the House of Commons. She calls for parliamentary institutions to adapt their processes, and…
The Constitution Unit blog in 2025: a review of the last 12 months of constitutional analysis
As the year comes to an end, blog editor Dave Busfield-Birch examines the blog’s content in 2025, and offers some insight into the reach of the blog through the lens of its readership statistics. The posts below cover a wide range of…
A ‘shopping list of autocratic actions’: what would-be autocrats do to recede democracy
Democratic backsliding remains a threat to democracy across the globe, with elected political leaders in many countries using their political mandate to dilute constitutional protections and weaken democratic institutions. Joep van Lit and Carolien van Ham explain the seven key…
ECHR reform: a danger of contagion in relation to Article 3
Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting on reform of the European Convention of Human Rights, Veronika Fikfak argues that a tipping point for future significant change to the Convention has been reached. She also warns of the danger of negative approaches to…
Do the government’s electoral reforms go far enough?
On 24 October, the Constitution Unit hosted an event asking whether the government’s electoral reforms go far enough. A common theme that emerged was that the government should go further than its current plans. Rowan Hall summarises the contributions, which are available in full on YouTube and as an episode of our podcast. In…
Starmer’s constitutional timidity
Monitor 91, published today, provides an analysis of constitutional events over the last four months, a period in which the government has announced numerous electoral reforms, created a new standards body, introduced a bill to increase public accountability, and continued…
Assessing the House of Commons Backbench Business Committee 15 years on
The House of Commons Backbench Business Committee was established in 2010, following recommendations from the ‘Wright Committee’ on reform of the Commons. At this 15-year point the committee is reviewing its operation, and in this post Meg Russell and Hannah Kelly summarise their submission…