Elections for the Scottish Parliament take place today. The major parties contesting the election have all published manifestos setting out their policies: they contain numerous proposals to alter the devolution settlement or seek independence, change how parliament operates, improve democratic engagement, and reform standards and operations at the centre of government. In this post, Dave Busfield-Birch explains what changes have been proposed.
Continue readingCategory Archives: Judiciary and human rights
The Senedd election in Wales and the constitution: what do the manifestos say?
Elections for the Welsh Senedd take place on 7 May, using an altered voting system and leading to an expanded membership. The major parties contesting the election have all published manifestos setting out their policies: as in Scotland, there are numerous proposals to alter the devolution settlement, change how the devolved institutions operate and reform standards and operations at the centre of government. Dave Busfield-Birch describes what changes have been proposed.
Continue readingStarmer takes small steps forward as democratic challenges mount
Monitor 92, published today, provides an analysis of constitutional events over the last four months. In this post, which replicates the issue’s lead article, Alan Renwick and Meg Russell argue that the government continues to make small strides in areas such as constitutional standards and electoral reform, where instead bold action to renew the health of democracy is badly needed.
Continue readingECHR 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 the implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments spreading throughout member states, explores key differences between the European and UK debates on the Convention, and urges the Starmer government not to seek a reinterpretation of Article 3 (which prohibits inhuman and degrading treatment), a policy that she views as undermining the very core of the human rights system.
Continue readingStarmer’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 progress on legislation to enhance devolution in England. However, in this post, which replicates the lead article from today’s new issue of Monitor, Meg Russell and Alan Renwick argue that many of the reforms fail to go far enough. They say that the government could be seeking to lead, and to set the tone on constitutional standards, but changes instead feel timid and reluctant in the face of serious threats.
Continue reading