The revelations about the process by which Peter Mandelson was appointed to serve as Ambassador to the United States of America have once again raised questions about the suitability of the UK’s standards regime. Peter Riddell argues that ministers must be proactive, seeking to future proof the system through legislation, rather than reactively asking for reviews and tinkering with the rules when flaws in the system are exposed.
Continue readingDemocratic 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 modes of ‘autocratisation’ and their creation of a ‘shopping list’ of autocratic behaviours that offers a practical resource to recognise early warning signs of democratic recession.
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The Constitution Unit’s annual conference takes place next week, bringing together a wide range of speakers to discuss ‘Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office’. Starting with a keynote address by Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds, the conference will assess Labour’s performance so far, and its options for the future, across a range of constitutional policy areas. Ahead of the conference, Lisa James analyses the progress so far against the commitments in Labour’s manifesto.
Continue readingWith its first year in office nearly complete, Labour has been slow to act on pre-election promises to enact wide-ranging reforms of the ethics regime, including the creation of a new Ethics and Integrity Commission. Peter Riddell argues that public perception matters as much as adherence to formal codes of conduct, and that if ministers do not act on this soon, they risk adding to the impression that this is a government with no clear strategy.
Continue readingToday the Constitution Unit publishes a wide-ranging new report. The Constitutional Landscape: Options for Reform briefly summarises 31 areas of constitutional policy, describing the current state of affairs and the options for reform. In this post Lisa James, one of the report’s authors, explores its contents.
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