The Constitution Society

Who Appoints Our Judges? Inside the Judicial Appointments Commission - The Constitution Society Peter Heaton-Jones examines the Judicial Appointments Commission and asks whether it could be a model for other public bodies.

What is the Judicial Appointments Commission, and might it be a model for other public bodies? Peter Heaton-Jones investigates: https://loom.ly/PCDwZPg

The Complex Implications of Reshuffles - The Constitution Society Laura Gherman considers what effect the increasing frequency of Cabinet reshuffles has had on the UK constitution.

Laura Gherman explores how the “reshuffle culture” undermines ministerial expertise, weakens scrutiny, and destabilises policy-making across Whitehall. https://consoc.org.uk/the-complex-implications-of-reshuffles/

Brexit and Immigration: the Arc of the Pendulum

My report out today for @consoc.bsky.social trying to make sense of the last 25 years of the UK's immigration politics and policy. And where next?

consoc.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Contributing Writer Opportunities: Write for the Constitution Society - The Constitution Society The Constitution Society is seeking contributing writers to author blogs and content on a range of political and legal topics.

There's still time to apply for our paid Contributing Writer roles. Follow the link for further application info ✍️ ⬇️

https://consoc.org.uk/contributing-writer-ad-2026/#:~:text=Job%20details&text=The%20Society%20is%20looking%20to,and%20the%20rule%20of%20law

Inter-institutional partnership: the Senedd and the Welsh Government - The Constitution Society Alys Thomas assesses the inter-institutional agreement between the Senedd and the Welsh Government for the Constitution Society.

Alys Thomas traces the evolution of inter-institutional relations in Wales — from the early days of devolution to today’s challenges under Brexit-era pressures and a strained Sewel Convention. https://consoc.org.uk/inter-institutional-partnership-the-senedd-and-the-welsh-government/

Our Elections are in a Chokehold: The Burnham Example - The Constitution Society Darryn Nyatanga on what Labour's decision to stop Andy Burnham running for Parliament tells us about political parties in the constitution.

What does Labour's decision to prevent Andy Burnham standing for Parliament tell us about the role political parties play in our constitution? Darryn Nyatanga explores the issue in our latest. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/elections-in-a-chokehold/

Revisited: Is Britain ‘Politically Corrupt’? - The Constitution Society Professor Robert Barrington reassesses whether the Johnson government was politically corrupt based on evidence released since 2021.

Was the Johnson government corrupt — or merely surrounded by corruption risk?https://consoc.org.uk/revisited-is-britain-politically-corrupt/

Constitutional Provisions Limiting Delegated Legislation  - The Constitution Society Tasneem Ghazi reviews and compares a range of different constitutional methods for limiting delegated legislation.

Delegated legislation isn’t limitless elsewhere. Tthis blog explores how five constitutions set boundaries on delegating law-making power. https://consoc.org.uk/constitutional-provisions-limiting-delegated-legilsation/

How to Measure Judicial Overreach Systemically - The Constitution Society Cassandra Somers-Joce examines how we should assess whether there is judicial overreach in the United Kingdom.

How do we go about measuring, in a systematic fashion, if judicial overreach is a problem in the UK? Cassandra Somers-Joce considers the question in our latest piece: https://consoc.org.uk/how-to-measure-judicial-overreach-2/

What is a statutory inquiry — and how did the UK come to rely on them for accountability? Kate Dewsnip considers https://consoc.org.uk/covid-19-and-the-inquiries-act/

The Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Act: a slippery slope for scrutiny  - The Constitution Society Saba Shakil examines the Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Act and what it means for parliamentary scrutiny.

The Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Act 2023 reveals deep flaws in how Parliament scrutinises trade treaties and delegated legislation. Without reform, MPs risk losing what little say they have over future trade deals. https://consoc.org.uk/tanza-a-slippery-slope/

Death by a Thousand Cuts: The Human Rights Act - The Constitution Society Stuart Wallace analyses the legislation which continues to threaten the Human Rights Act for the Constitution Society.

The government may have dropped its Bill of Rights Bill, but human rights protections in the UK remain under pressure. In this blog, Stuart Wallace warns that the Human Rights Act risks “death by a thousand cuts.” https://consoc.org.uk/death-by-a-thousand-cuts/

Cracking the whip: the UK's party control system - The Constitution Society Tabitha Troughton writers about her newly published report on the UK whipping system for the Constitution Society.

MPs “whipped” into obedience — or bullied into silence? Tabitha Troughton's @Con_Soc report Cracking the Whip uncovers the hidden power of party whips and what it means for democracy. https://consoc.org.uk/cracking-the-whip-blog/

Can the Constitution Really Restrain a Prime Minister? - The Constitution Society Dr Darryn Nyatanga asks how well the UK system would deal with a Prime Minister acting in bad faith internationally.

What could stop a UK Prime Minister if they tried to behave as Donald Trump has done on the international stage? Darryn Nyatanga considers the options in our latest blog post: hhttps://consoc.org.uk/constitutionally-restraining-a-pm/

Westminster can’t keep ignoring devolved governments. 🏛️ A new approach is needed — confederal-federalism could give Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland real say while keeping the UK united. https://consoc.org.uk/renewing-intergovernmental-relations/

UK elections law: complex, fragmented and in need of reform? - The Constitution Society Elijah Granet examines UK elections law and its intricacies after weeks of cancerous debate in this blog for the Constitution Society.

Misleading ads during elections aren’t just bad politics — they can break the law. ⚖️
UK election rules protect candidates’ reputations, but the system is messy, outdated, and in need of reform. https://consoc.org.uk/uk-elections-law/

Contributing Writer Opportunities: Write for the Constitution Society - The Constitution Society The Constitution Society is seeking contributing writers to author blogs and content on a range of political and legal topics.

We're advertising for our 2026/7 Contributing Writer posts - a great opportunity to write on contemporary constitutional issues. Follow the link below for more information ⬇️

https://consoc.org.uk/contributing-writer-ad-2026/

The purpose of legislative scrutiny - The Constitution Society Kate Dewsnip explains the purpose and benefits of legislative scrutiny in this blog for the Constitution Society.

Why does parliamentary scrutiny matter? Kate Dewsnip argues that effective scrutiny produces better laws, holds the Executive to account, and opens the door to wider policy influence. https://consoc.org.uk/the-purpose-of-legislative-scrutiny/

25 years on is Westminster backtracking on human rights in Northern Ireland? - The Constitution Society Stuart Wallace examines the relationship between the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the ECHR for the Constitution Society.

When the Good Friday Agreement was signed, incorporating the ECHR into Northern Ireland law was a symbol of hope and justice. A generation later, that promise risks being eroded. https://consoc.org.uk/is-westminster-backtracking-on-human-rights-in-northern-ireland/

Devolution and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: a stuttering failure? - The Constitution Society Kelly Shuttleworth considers the legacy of devolution and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement for the Constitution Society.

Devolution in Northern Ireland: over 25 years, countless challenges — and somehow, it still works (mostly). https://consoc.org.uk/devolution-and-the-belfast-good-friday-agreement/

Dirty Money and the Need for Disinfectant  - The Constitution Society Mark Bennister reflects on the Government's decision to launch an independent review into foreign interference in UK elections

With the announcement of a review of foreign interference in our elections, is this a matter of democracy or party politics? Mark Bennister investigates: https://consoc.org.uk/dirty-money-international-interference/

What could proposals to reform SI procedure in Parliament mean for the courts? - The Constitution Society Saba Shakil argues that improved parliamentary procedure should be an asset to judicial review in helping hold the executive to account

If Parliament starts taking delegated legislation seriously, will the courts stop? Shaba Shakil argues they shouldn’t. https://consoc.org.uk/what-could-si-procedures-in-parliament-mean-for-the-courts/

The Budget – getting and spending - The Constitution Society The constitutional and conventional context of the UK Budget remains poorly understood. Professor Colin Talbot explains.

Every March, all eyes turn to the Chancellor’s red box. But the real story lies in the centuries of convention that govern who gets to open it. The Budget is not just an economic event. It’s a constitutional one. http://consoc.org.uk/the-budget-getting-and-spending/

MPs' offices are at capacity - The Constitution Society We need to provide MPs and their staff with the resources and time they need to do the job, argues Laura Gherman

MPs’ staff are the unseen backbone of Parliament. Their workloads have surged since the pandemic, but resources haven’t kept pace. If we want better MPs — and better lawmaking — we need better-resourced offices. https://consoc.org.uk/mps-offices-are-at-capacity/

Delaying Local Government Elections: Electoral Advantage or Genuine Reform?  - The Constitution Society Tasneem Ghazi considers the circumstances around the delay to dozens of local government elections and asks if these are appropriate.

As the Government has announced plans to delay local elections, Tasneem Ghazi investigates how appropriate such delays are in our latest blog post. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/delaying-local-government-elections/

Sue Gray and the Labour Party - The Constitution Society Colin Talbot analyses the constitutional implications of the efforts to a appoint Sue Gray as Kier Starmer's Chief of Staff.

Civil servants serve the Government of the day — Sue Gray didn’t break the constitution. But the row over her move shows how fragile constitutional trust can be when convention meets politics. Colin Talbot discusses https://consoc.org.uk/sue-gray-and-the-labour-party/

A fair comparison? Israel's reforms and the UK - The Constitution Society Elijah Granet assesses proposed Israeli reforms and examines whether they're really comparable to the United Kingdom.

Parliamentary sovereignty works in Britain because it’s caged by convention.
In Israel, the cage is missing. Elijah Granet discusses https://consoc.org.uk/israel-reforms-and-the-uk/

A tale of two paradoxes: Sturgeon's legacy to the constitution - The Constitution Society After her resignation as First Minister last week, what is Nicola Sturgeon’s legacy to the UK constitution?

Two years on from Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, her constitutional legacy still divides opinion.
She pushed the limits of devolution, but independence looks further away than ever.
What’s the path now for Scotland’s future? https://consoc.org.uk/sturgeons-legacy-to-the-constitution/

On orthodoxy and unanswered questions: the Allister ruling and why it matters - The Constitution Society The specific orthodoxy of Allister could be said to belie the importance of this decision for the constitution and understandings of it.

The UKSC's ruling in Allister confirmed the Northern Ireland Protocol is lawful — but it also raised big constitutional questions. Parliamentary sovereignty may have won the day, but debates about constitutional change are far from over. https://consoc.org.uk/the-allister-ruling-and-why-it-matters/

Democracy isn’t optional. ⏳ With turnout falling and elections skewed towards the old and wealthy, compulsory voting could be the wake-up call UK politics desperately needs. https://consoc.org.uk/compulsory-voting-uk/