UCL Constitution Unit
- Episodes
- 114
- Released
- daily
- Latest episode
- Oct 20, 2026
About the podcast
The UK’s leading research centre on constitutional change. Informing policy-making and public debate about the constitution and democracy.
Episodes 114
How should we assess different options for the voting system?
Andy Burnham has announced the creation of a national commission on electoral reform, and said that he wants Labour’s next manifesto to include a commitment to changing the system. We can expect much debate …
Show notes
Andy Burnham has announced the creation of a national commission on electoral reform, and said that he wants Labour’s next manifesto to include a commitment to changing the system. We can expect much debate over the coming months about whether reform is wise and, if so, what the best alternative would be.
So what are the options, and how should they be evaluated? What are the issues that matter when choosing an electoral system, and what evidence do we have on them?
This event will include leading proponents of First Past the Post and of Proportional Representation. It won’t just be a normal back-and-forth debate. As the Constitution Unit launches a new project examining what we know about the effects of different electoral systems, we will seek to dig into what the key points of agreement and disagreement are, and where we need more evidence to get clear answers.
Speakers:
Sir Robert Buckland – Former Conservative MP for Swindon South; Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, 2019–21
Jess Garland – Director of Research and Policy, Electoral Reform Society
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
The health of democracy in 2026
Recent years have seen widespread concern about the erosion of democratic norms and institutions around the world. This webinar will explore the latest evidence about the health of democracy in 2026. Have …
Show notes
Recent years have seen widespread concern about the erosion of democratic norms and institutions around the world. This webinar will explore the latest evidence about the health of democracy in 2026. Have global levels of democracy declined? If so, how widespread or severe is that decline? How satisfied are citizens with the way democracy works? Do disillusioned citizens want less democracy or just a different kind of democracy? And have any countries succeeded in stemming or reversing democratic ‘backsliding’? We’ll discuss these questions with three leading experts.
Speakers
Professor Claudia Landwehr – Professor of Political Theory and Public Policy at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Dr Seema Shah – Head of Democracy Assessment at International IDEA
Professor Jan Teorell – Professor of Political Science at Stockholm University and co-leader of the ‘Varieties of Democracy’ project
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
What next for constitutional reform in the UK?
Andy Burnham’s campaign to return to Westminster has pushed reform of the UK’s constitution up the political agenda. This expert panel steps back from the fast-moving political fallout of the Makerfield …
Show notes
Andy Burnham’s campaign to return to Westminster has pushed reform of the UK’s constitution up the political agenda. This expert panel steps back from the fast-moving political fallout of the Makerfield by-election to ask what comes next for constitutional reform. What do we know so far about Burnham’s agenda in this area? What does past experience tell us about the practical challenges for delivering such an agenda? And – ahead of a forthcoming Constitution Unit report – what broader constitutional issues deserve renewed attention from any new or continuing Prime Minister?
Speakers: Frances Foley – Our Common Home, formerly Deputy Director of Compass
Dr Catherine Haddon – Senior Fellow, Institute for Government
Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, UCL Constitution Unit
Chair: Dr Tom Fleming – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Six Prime Ministers and a Brexit: Meg Russell Reflects on British Democracy
Six prime ministers, a Brexit referendum, and an (unlawful) prorogation of parliament — it has been an extraordinary decade to lead the UCL Constitution Unit. Meg Russell steps back from that role and joins …
Show notes
Six prime ministers, a Brexit referendum, and an (unlawful) prorogation of parliament — it has been an extraordinary decade to lead the UCL Constitution Unit. Meg Russell steps back from that role and joins host Emily McTernan to reflect on a career spanning nearly three decades, from advising Robin Cook as Leader of the House of Commons to shaping parliamentary reform from the outside. Along the way, they discuss what this turbulent period reveals about the fragility of British democracy, the erosion of constitutional norms, and who is ultimately responsible for protecting our political system.
Mentioned in this episode:
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: The Representation of the People Bill
Parliament is currently considering the Representation of the People Bill. As well as lowering the voting age for UK elections to 16, this legislation contains a host of changes in other areas, including voter …
Show notes
Parliament is currently considering the Representation of the People Bill. As well as lowering the voting age for UK elections to 16, this legislation contains a host of changes in other areas, including voter registration, voter ID, political finance, and the role of the Electoral Commission. Will these changes be sufficient to deliver fair, safe, and secure elections? If not, what more needs to be done? And does safeguarding our elections require changes of culture and behaviour, as well as new legislation?
Speakers:
- Phoebe Arnold – Policy Lead at Full Fact
- John Pullinger – Chair of the Electoral Commission
- Philip Rycroft – former senior civil servant, and author of the 2026 review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: What next for standards in public life?
Improving standards in public life was a key plank of Labour’s promise to be different from its predecessors in government. In opposition, the party promised better behaviour and stronger systems of regulation …
Show notes
Improving standards in public life was a key plank of Labour’s promise to be different from its predecessors in government. In opposition, the party promised better behaviour and stronger systems of regulation. In office, it has introduced a number of changes, such as the creation of the promised Ethics and Integrity Commission. However, the government has faced multiple standards-related scandals, particularly in the fallout from Lord Mandelson’s appointment – and subsequent dismissal – as Ambassador to the United States. So has the government taken sufficient steps to strengthen standards in public life? How have recent events affected its plans? And what more remains to be done?
Speakers:
- Baroness (Ruth) Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent – Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office, Baroness-in-Waiting (Government Whip), and Labour peer
- Doug Chalmers – Chair of the Ethics and Integrity Commission
- Dr Susan Hawley – Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption
- Lord (Mark) Pack – Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Cabinet Office
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: Making policy on difficult issues
The last year has seen much discussion of how policymakers should approach changing the law in unusually difficult policy areas. In particular, failed attempts to legalise ‘assisted dying’ at Westminster and …
Show notes
The last year has seen much discussion of how policymakers should approach changing the law in unusually difficult policy areas. In particular, failed attempts to legalise ‘assisted dying’ at Westminster and Holyrood have highlighted the challenges of legislating in areas that involve ethical debates as well as more practical questions of policy design. Meanwhile, the UK government has announced a ‘Peoples’ Panel’ on Digital ID, which adds to questions of whether innovative processes could help. This panel discusses how the policymaking process can best be designed to handle particularly controversial issues. Might it require reforms to how legislation is prepared, drafted, and debated? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using backbench bills, and of more direct public involvement?
Speakers:
- Lord (Charlie) Falconer of Thoroton – Labour peer, former minister, and Lords sponsor of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
- Dr Ruth Fox – Director of the Hansard Society
- Professor Jane Suiter – Director of Dublin City University’s Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society
Chair: Dr Tom Fleming – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: How should political parties choose their leaders?
Uncertainty over Keir Starmer’s future has revived interest in the question – familiar from previous Conservative governments – of how political parties should select and remove their leaders. This raises …
Show notes
Uncertainty over Keir Starmer’s future has revived interest in the question – familiar from previous Conservative governments – of how political parties should select and remove their leaders. This raises various important issues, including the process by which MPs can remove incumbent leaders, the respective roles of MPs and party members in choosing a replacement, and – in an era of greater devolution – whether politicians beyond Westminster should be able to throw their hat into the ring. This panel will therefore ask: are UK political parties’ leadership selection rules fit for purpose?
Speakers:
- Lord (Graham) Brady of Altrincham – Conservative peer and former Chair of the Conservative Party’s 1922 Committee
- Sienna Rodgers – Deputy Editor of The House magazine and former editor of LabourList
- Dr Robert Saunders – Reader in Modern British History at Queen Mary University of London
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit to May 2026
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: How can public confidence in UK democracy be restored?
The British public’s faith in the political system is in serious need of repair. This is particularly urgent given international fears about a wider turn away from democracy in many countries including the …
Show notes
The British public’s faith in the political system is in serious need of repair. This is particularly urgent given international fears about a wider turn away from democracy in many countries including the United States. Labour’s 2024 manifesto promised to ‘deepen’, ‘strengthen’ and ‘protect’ democracy in the UK. But what can be done to restore public confidence in the health of British democracy? To what extent does it depend on politicians delivering tangible improvements in citizens’ everyday lives? And to what extent does it require wider institutional and cultural changes in our political institutions? With respect to the latter, how could such changes be delivered?
Speakers:
- Polly Curtis – Chief Executive of Demos
- Anneliese Dodds MP – Labour MP for Oxford East and former Minister for Women and Equalities and for International Development
- Professor Marc Stears – Director of the UCL Policy Lab
- Sue Tibballs – Chief Executive of Involve
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Constitution Unit Conference 2026: UK–EU relations ten years after the referendum
This opening panel is held 10 years to the day since the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum result was announced. As was predicted at the time, neither the referendum nor the UK’s eventual departure from the EU in 2020 …
Show notes
This opening panel is held 10 years to the day since the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum result was announced. As was predicted at the time, neither the referendum nor the UK’s eventual departure from the EU in 2020 definitively settled the UK–EU relationship, which has continued to evolve. Recent discussions have focused particularly on the Labour government’s efforts to achieve closer cooperation with the EU, and its plans for more ongoing alignment with EU rules. Particular challenges also remain in Northern Ireland. So, ten years after the referendum, what is the current state of UK–EU relations? What has changed since Labour took office? And what further changes might be coming?
Speakers:
- Professor Katy Hayward – Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast
- Professor Anand Menon – Director of the UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London
- Lord (Jock) Stirrup – Crossbench peer and chair of the House of Lords European Affairs Committee
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Professor Meg Russell's valedictory lecture as Director of the Constitution Unit
On 12 May 2026, Professor Meg Russell FBA's time as Director of the UCL Constitution Unit culminated in her delivering a valedictory lecture at the Institute for Government. Professor Jennifer Hudson, Vice …
Show notes
On 12 May 2026, Professor Meg Russell FBA's time as Director of the UCL Constitution Unit culminated in her delivering a valedictory lecture at the Institute for Government. Professor Jennifer Hudson, Vice Provost (Faculties) at University College London, introduced the lecture, while Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government, concluded it. Audience questions have been removed from this recording.
Professor Russell had led the Unit since 1 October 2015. She arrived at UCL in 1998, becoming Professor of British and Comparative Politics in 2014 and a Fellow of the British Academy in 2020. She is a leading authority on parliaments comparatively and the UK parliament, including a particular interest in the House of Lords.
Professor Russell will continue to be based at UCL, and from September will drop to a 50% contract, continuing to teach, write and contribute to policy debates. She is succeeded as Director by Professor Alan Renwick, with Dr Tom Fleming serving as Deputy Director.
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
The future of BBC governance
The government has begun the process of reviewing the BBC’s royal charter for its renewal beyond 2027. This process raises fundamental questions about the future of the organisation. How should public service …
Show notes
The government has begun the process of reviewing the BBC’s royal charter for its renewal beyond 2027. This process raises fundamental questions about the future of the organisation. How should public service broadcasting be governed in an era of widespread polarisation and distrust? How can any future governance arrangements ensure both independence and accountability? And what role should there be there for the public? We discuss these questions and others with an expert panel.
Speakers:
Professor Dame Diane Coyle – Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge and former Vice Chair of the BBC Trust
Professor Georgina Born – Professor of Anthropology and Music at UCL
Sameer Padania – Fellow at Demos
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Useful reading:
Georgina Born and Justin Lewis (eds.) (2025) Public service media: funding and governance options. The British Academy.
Diane Coyle (2024) ‘The Governance of the BBC’, The Political Quarterly, 95(1), pp. 20–24.
Sameer Padania, Hannah Perry, and Polly Curtis (2026) Our BBC: A blueprint for a more independent and future-proofed BBC. Demos.
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
How will the 2026 Senedd election change Welsh politics?
The 2026 Senedd (Welsh Parliament) election may be one of the most significant since the start of devolution. Much attention is rightly being given to the possibility of Plaid Cymru and Reform UK ending …
Show notes
The 2026 Senedd (Welsh Parliament) election may be one of the most significant since the start of devolution. Much attention is rightly being given to the possibility of Plaid Cymru and Reform UK ending Labour’s long dominance of Welsh politics. But this is also the first election since major reforms introduced a new electoral system, new constituencies, shorter electoral terms, and a move from 60 to 96 Senedd members. So what should we expect from the elections? How will these reforms affect the election result, the work of the Senedd, and the wider shape of Welsh politics? And are further reforms needed to safeguard and strengthen Welsh democracy? We discuss these questions with an expert panel.
Speakers:
Jess Blair – Director of Electoral Reform Society Cymru
Professor Laura McAllister – Professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at Cardiff University and former Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Sir Paul Silk – former Clerk to the National Assembly for Wales and Chair of the Commission on Devolution in Wales
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Can the House of Commons handle multi-party politics?
The 2024 election delivered an unusually fragmented opposition; almost half the non-government seats in the House of Commons were won by parties other than the Conservative 'Official Opposition'. Given current …
Show notes
The 2024 election delivered an unusually fragmented opposition; almost half the non-government seats in the House of Commons were won by parties other than the Conservative 'Official Opposition'. Given current polling, the next general election is unlikely to see a return to simple 'two-party' politics.
In that context, does the Commons need to change its culture, practices, or procedures to better reflect an era of more fragmented politics? What particular challenges face smaller parties in the Commons? How can they maximise their impact? We discussed these questions with the Green Party's Westminster leader, a former senior Commons official, and an academic expert.
Speakers:
Dr Ellie Chowns MP – Green Party Westminster Leader and MP for North Herefordshire
Paul Evans – former House of Commons clerk
Dr Louise Thompson – Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Manchester
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/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 …
Show notes
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 Sport
Sir Peter Riddell – former member of the Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee, former Commissioner for Public Appointments, and Honorary Professor at UCL
Dominic Grieve KC – former Attorney General for England and Wales, and Conservative MP for Beaconsfield 1997–2019
Chair: Professor Meg Russell – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Dunn
Professor Jens Elo Peters Rytter, Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Copenhagen
Professor Colm O’Cinneide, Professor of Constitutional and Human Rights Law, UCL
Professor Alice Donald, Professor in Human Rights Law, Middlesex University London
Chair: Professor Veronika Fikfak, Professor of Human Rights and International Law, UCL
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Wyre
Rose Whiffen – Senior Research Officer, Transparency International UK
Tom Hawthorn – Head of Policy, Electoral Commission
Professor 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: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Committee
Arabella Lang – Head of Public Law at the Law Society
Clare 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 Unit
Further reading:
- 'Treaty scrutiny in Westminster: addressing the accountability gap' (House of Lords International Agreements Committee, 11 September 2025).
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Group
- Roger 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: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - Reflections on Labour’s constitutional agenda
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and looked ahead, with a range of senior speakers including parliamentarians, academics, and commentators.
This closing session brought together a cross-party senior panel to offer reflections on the Labour government’s constitutional agenda, and possible alternative priorities.
Speakers:
- Alex Burghart MP – Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Sarah Olney MP – Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office
- Baroness (Dianne) Hayter of Kentish Town – Labour peer, and former Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - Reforming the House of Commons
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and looked ahead, with a range of senior speakers including parliamentarians, academics, and commentators.
The newly established Modernisation Committee has set out broad objectives of reforming standards, working practices, and procedure in the House of Commons. The Commons Procedure Committee has also announced a large number of inquiries. What are the priority areas for Commons reform? What should any reforms aim to achieve, and how can they balance competing priorities, for example of strengthening scrutiny and easing MPs’ working lives? How can reforms successfully attract broad support and allow the Commons to work more effectively?
Speakers:
- Cat Smith MP – Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre, and chair of the House of Commons Procedure Committee
- Wendy Chamberlain MP – Liberal Democrat MP for North East Fife, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, and member of the House of Commons Modernisation Committee
- Dr Hannah White – Director of the Institute for Government
Chair: Dr Tom Fleming – Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics, UCL
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - The rule of law
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
The rule of law
The Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General have both placed great emphasis on this new government upholding the rule of law. What does this mean in practice? Has the government delivered on this aspiration, and what more is needed to do so? What challenges has it faced?
Speakers:
- Andy Slaughter MP – Labour MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick, and chair of the House of Commons Justice Committee
- Baroness (Victoria) Prentis of Banbury KC – Conservative peer, former Attorney General and former Conservative MP
- Dr Joelle Grogan – legal academic and presenter of The Law Show on BBC Radio 4
Chair: Professor Veronika Fikfak – Professor of Human Rights and International Law, UCL
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - The electoral system in a multiparty era
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
The electoral system in a multiparty era
The growth of multiparty politics raises questions about whether the First Past the Post electoral system can still be justified. What are the arguments for and against reform? What alternative systems might be considered? And, with ministers saying they will maintain the status quo, is there any way reform could actually come about?
Speakers:
- Peter Lamb MP – Labour MP for Crawley
- Frances Foley – Deputy Director of Compass
- Professor Robert Ford – Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick - Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - Standards in public life
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
Standards in public life
The Labour Party put standards and ethics at the heart of its attacks on the previous Conservative government, promising to bring in a ‘politics of service’. Has the party's conduct in office lived up to this rhetoric? How has it changed the regulation of standards in government and parliament? What further changes are needed in this area, and what is the best means to ensure that these are delivered?
Speakers:
- Sir Jeremy Wright KC MP – Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam, former Attorney General and former member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
- Phil Brickell MP – Labour MP for Bolton West
- Professor Gillian Peele – member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Emeritus Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Oxford
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office: Constitution Unit Conference 2025 - Opening keynote from Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how …
Show notes
This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?
This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and looked ahead, with a range of senior speakers including parliamentarians, academics, and commentators.
Opening keynote from Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office
In this opening keynote address, Nick Thomas-Symonds summarised the government’s approach to the constitution, and priorities for constitutional reform. What has been achieved so far, and what are the most important priorities for the future? Which key principles underpin the government’s plans?
Speaker:
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP is Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with responsibility for the constitution and EU relations. He has been the Labour MP for Torfaen since 2015 and his previous posts include Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Solicitor General. He is a former barrister and academic.
Chair: Professor Meg Russell FBA – Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
AI and democracy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to transform many aspects of our lives in the coming years. One of these is the functioning of the democratic system. AI could shift how election campaigns are …
Show notes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to transform many aspects of our lives in the coming years. One of these is the functioning of the democratic system. AI could shift how election campaigns are conducted and how citizens receive and process information. It could also fundamentally alter patterns of power across society. So what potential effects of AI on democracy should we be particularly aware of? To what degree are there opportunities as well as dangers? And how should policy-makers respond? We discussed these questions with an expert panel.
Speakers:
- Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, specialising in political philosophy, public policy, and ethics, and Founder and Chairperson of Partners In Democracy.
- Helen Margetts, Professor of Society and the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford, and Director of the Public Policy programme at the Alan Turing Institute.
- Ciaran Martin, Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and formerly Chief Executive of the UK government’s National Cyber Security Centre.
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Additional reading:
'The Real Dangers of Generative AI' by Danielle Allen and E. Glen Weyl
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
Reform of Stormont: Options for Discussion
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 …
Show notes
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 Belfast
- Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
- Ann Watt – Director of Pivotal
- Alan Whysall, Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Constitution Unit
Chair: Professor John Garry, Director of the Democracy Unit, Queen’s University Belfast
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Commission
- Lord (Mark) Pack – President, Liberal Democrats
- Professor Justin Fisher – Professor of Political Science, Brunel University of London
- Dr Jess Garland – Director of Research and Policy, Electoral Reform Society
Chair: Professor Alan Renwick – Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit
Links:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 UCL
- Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow at the Constitution Unit
Our 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: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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 …
Show notes
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 Unit
- Sir David Natzler – former Clerk of the House of Commons
- Dr Daniel Gover – Senior Lecturer in British Politics, Queen Mary University of London
Chair: Lisa James – Senior Research Fellow, Constitution Unit
Further reading
Prof Meg Russell's research on the decline of parliamentary scrutiny
Prof Meg Russell and Dr Daniel Gover's book: Legislation at Westminster: Parliamentary Actors and Influence in the Making of British LawLinks:
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/constitution-unit
Mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/ucl/constitution-unit
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