Call lists in Parliament would stifle debate. It's good the Procedure Committee has rejected the idea, writes Declan McLean with the latest on the blog. Read it now at: hhttps://consoc.org.uk/call-lists-at-westminster/

The deadline for our Contributing Writer roles is today❗❗❗The paid roles are a great opportunity for anyone interested in writing on contemporary constitutional issues. Follow the link for application info... https://consoc.org.uk/contributing-writer-ad-2026/

On the blog today: Kate Dewsnip examines the trend of named legislation and asks what risks might be associated with this approach to legislation. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/blog-named-laws/

Just over 24hrs left to apply for our Contributing Writer roles for 2026/7. For more information on the application process follow the link here - https://consoc.org.uk/contributing-writer-ad-2026/

Are human rights becoming another battleground for governments over devolution? Stuart Wallace argues the point on the blog this week. Read it now at: hhttps://consoc.org.uk/human-rights-devolution-battle/

On the blog this week: Colin Talbot asks whether we are heading towards an increasingly presidential system of local government. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/one-mayor-to-rule-them-all/

10 days remains to apply for our Contributing Writer posts - a fantastic opportunity to write about current constitutional events and developments! ✍️🚨 https://consoc.org.uk/contributing-writer-ad-2026/

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

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...

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

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/

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/

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

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 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 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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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 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/

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/

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/

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’ 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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

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/

Should "proprotiationaly" be grounds for judicial review? Is it already? Charlotte O'Brien explores in our latest blog post. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/proportionality-and-reasoning-in-judicial-review/

The UK Government’s Bill of Rights Bill? Stuck, incoherent, and potentially harmful. From human rights in England to Brexit-era confusion, it’s time for a truly modern, British approach. ⚖️ https://consoc.org.uk/britain-needs-an-ambitious-bill-of-rights/

From Chris Mullin to Greg Clark: select committee chairs have always moved between scrutiny and ministerial office. Recent research confirms the “alternative career path” is mostly a myth. 🏛️ https://consoc.org.uk/a-revolving-door-between-the-front-bench-and-select-committees/

From Brexit to Boris, the UK’s flexible constitution has shown its cracks. Time to write down the rules: a constitution for the people, the nations, and the law. https://consoc.org.uk/why-the-uk-needs-a-written-constitution/

What were the recent outcomes of the Covid-19 Inquiry, and might the proposed Hillsborough Law prevent a reoccurrence of some of the problems? Kate Dewsnip investigates: https://consoc.org.uk/outcomes-of-the-covid-19-inquiry/

Partygate, fiscal chaos, breaches of norms: recent UK governments have tested the limits of constitutional practice. A PM’s oath and, perhaps one day, a written constitution may be needed to restore trust. https://consoc.org.uk/constitutional-combustion-continues/

Forty-four days in office. The Truss administration collapsed almost as quickly as Charles I’s final fifty-five days from trial to execution. History remembers character and consequence: one king became a martyr, the other a cautionary footnote. https://consoc.org.uk/the-trials-of-king-charles-i/

What is the significance of the government's intention to reduce the use of trial by jury? Stuart Wallace considers the proposed changes in our latest blog post. Read it now at: https://consoc.org.uk/the-end-of-trial-by-jury/

“Constitutional reform in the UK is unfinished business: a fair settlement for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England is essential to prevent fracture and maintain legitimacy.” https://consoc.org.uk/constitutional-change-is-unfinished-business/

Ideology meets reality: The Truss government’s bold fiscal plans show how party rules, executive power, and convention collide – and how the UK system can push back. https://consoc.org.uk/the-fiscal-statement-disaster/

16 December 1689: The English Bill of Rights was formally enacted. This landmark Act set out basic civil rights and the limits of royal power. Read Joanna George’s Blog post about why the proposed ‘Modern’ Bill of Rights is contradictory constitutionalism - https://loom.ly/GoEKnOI

How free are MPs to vote according to conscience? The UK’s whipping system raises questions about parliamentary independence, ethics, and the health of representative democracy. https://consoc.org.uk/inside-the-uk-whipping-system/

Who chooses the UK’s Prime Minister? When party members do questions of legitimacy, transparency, and voting security become central to our democracy. https://consoc.org.uk/party-members-and-prime-ministers/