Trump + Freedom of expression / Media Independence / Example of influence of a single Senator www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Presidential Power / Congress' Power to Declare War / US Foreign policy (from WaPo's 5 minute fix):

Constitutional expert on ECHR and Human Rights in British Constitution / Elective dictatorship: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Cabinet Reshuffle: www.ft.com/content/9cc3...

Summer 2025 - UK Update 9. Farage in the USA www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Summer 2025 - UK Update 7. New Leader of the Green Party www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - UK Politics 6. Homelessness Minister quits (IMR) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - UK Update Asylum seekers housed in hotels - protests and court cases (Epping + others) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - UK Politics Update 5. Trump and Vance visit observer.co.uk/news/the-sen...

Summer 2025 - UK Politics Update A new party: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - UK Politics update 3. Police to reveal suspect's ethnicity www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Summer 2025 - UK Update 2. Keir Starmer and possible recognition of a Palestinian State www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - UK Update (1) The proscription of Palestine Action and protests against this (update in second post) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - US Update 8. Firing the Chair of the Federal Reserve www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - US Update 7. Court challenges to Trump - thread - all tbc (a) Withhold foreign aid - temporary win www.npr.org/sections/goa...

Summer 2025 - US Update 6. Alaska Summit with Putin www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - US Update 5. Trump sends the National Guard to Washington DC www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 - US Update 4. Trump's Tariffs www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025- US Update 3. Epstein files - a more recent update www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Summer 2025 US Update 2 - the Epstein files - an issue that ran for most of the summer (and is ongoing). Explainer here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Summer 2025 updates - in chronological order - starting with the US: 1. Recissions - $9billion spending cut passed late July cutting funding to various organisations including international aid and public service broadcasting (that Trump sees as unfavourable) www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Congress - Executive - Legislative powers: wapo.st/4kqs4c9

UK Politics - PM power / Parliament news.sky.com/video/share-...

And an important British story - Backbenchers / PM power (Executive & Parliament); www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Another SCOTUS update: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Another important SCOTUS decision: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

President / Congress - constitution / checks and balances - foreign policy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today is Juneteenth - read about it here (note article is from 2021, and if you're interested in Opal Lee, the linked post is well worth a listen). www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-u...

Another important SCOTUS decision is in: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Federalism / Executive power: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

6 decisions yesterday inc 3 on key cases list (see linked posts): 1. Ames v. Ohio Dept. of Youth Services (9-0) 2. Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission (6-3, ideological) 3. Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos (6-3 ideological) wapo.st/440XMaK

Parties / Legislative process The 7 ways are: - Medicaid - Making tax breaks permanent - State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction - Clean energy tax breaks - Deeper spending cuts - Byrd rule (using the Senate reconciliation process to evade a filibuster) - Child care / other tax ideas wapo.st/43HAKV0

Interesting take on the Trumpian presidency - its effectiveness and its appeal ‘TACO’ Is the Secret to Trump’s Resilience www.nytimes.com/2025/05/31/o...

TACO: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Interesting on Trump / Presidential Power (written by a member of the Clinton cabinet) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Tax and Immigration Bill update (Source: WaPo) (i) Will the Bill become law? What to look for in the Senate vote (possible GOP amendments / no votes) (ii) On the campaign. How the parties and pressure groups are using the vote to kickstart the midterm campaign.

Decision season is approaching. Unusually, a 4-4* which means the lower court ruling is upheld (*ACB recused - not entirely clear why) and we don't have votes (although likely to be 3 Liberals + Roberts.) Interesting on separation of church & state (1st amendment) apnews.com/article/supr...

House passes the 'big beautiful bill' - officially called the 'Tax and Immigration Bill' - Headlines here - see the attached posts (x2) as well - useful for policy, parties, legislature, executive www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Typically the year's biggest Supreme Court decisions are handed down in early June - this is a regularly updated summary of the biggest decisions so far this year and the ones to look out for: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...

This is very useful on party divisions (and the legislative process, and presidential power even with a trifecta) - timely for Y13 given the likely questions in Paper 3 this year! www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

WaPo 5-Minute Fix on Executive orders - useful for Y12s following the Trump Presidency (Executive topic will be covered in Y13) and revision for Y13s (who should know all of this!)

ULK Supreme Court - a very significant decision and example for UK politics, interaction of the branches of government and constitution (three articles - see linked posts) www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

US update - week 2: Immigration, the boundaries of presidential power and the Supreme Court

US politics update (1 of 2 to cover the 2 week break): (i) SCOTUS gave Trump temporary wins & 1 big check on his power (ii) gop move forward on a politically risky tax bill (iii) Trump orders the govt to investigate his opponents (iv) Trump is finding legally questionable ways to target migrants

Is the US facing a constitutional crisis?

Cory Booker - 17 hours (that's 17 hours, not a typo) into a Senate speech - watch live: www.youtube.com/live/rCUK2Vb...

Another useful insight into Congress - also caucuses within parties and in Congress. Note: all the signatories are Republicans, and the key point of the letter is to defend Medicaid. gonzales.house.gov/2025/2/rep-t...

Great example of grandstanding / proposing a constitutional amendment (remember this would need 2/3 of the House and 2/3 of the Senate to propose, and then 28/50 states to pass, & also note, this was just 3 days after the inauguration): ogles.house.gov/media/press-...

Not entirely clear it could be used as an example in US politics ... but this is a great story: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Presidential power and the constitution - a good summary