Tag: Colin Talbot
The Great Brexit Crisis: we are in for an unprecedented shake up of the UK constitution, laws, conventions and politics
The UK seems to be rapidly heading for one of the most tangled and tumultuous political periods in modern history as Brexit nears its apogee, writes Colin Talbot. Whether you think we’re headed to Valhalla or Ragnarok, the constitution, law, conventions and politics are all set to be tested in ways rarely seen. In this blog, he presents a quick guide to some of the institutions that will be severely tested over the next days and weeks.
An invitation to adventurism: the Fixed-term Parliaments Act can and will crucify a minority government
A spirited argument has broken out on Democratic Audit UK and on other blogs regarding the implications of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act for what kind of Government may emerge from the General Election. In a previous blog, Colin Talbot argued that a minority government could govern relatively comfortably given the Act, which makes bringing […]
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, a minority Government doesn’t need a “confidence and supply” arrangement to be able to govern
During the election campaign, much attention has been focussed on the prospect of some kind of accommodation, or deal between the Labour and Scottish National Parties. However the discourse on the nature of such an arrangement rests on outdated notions which do not take into account the Fixed Term Parliament Act (FTPA) which changes the […]
A northern powerhouse, or an unwelcome imposition? Experts respond to George Osborne’s Greater Manchester Mayor proposals
The Chancellor recently announced that in order to help make his “Northern Powerhouse” idea reality that the Greater Manchester City Region would see itself gain an elected, “London-style” Mayor, despite residents of Manchester City Council narrowly rejecting proposals for an Directly Elected Mayor for their local authority in 2011. Democratic Audit asked experts to respond to the […]
All public services are local: why we need smaller, and bigger, local government (in England)
It is well known that the UK is an over-centralised country, with Westminster and Whitehall continuing to hold the vast majority of British decision-making power. Colin Talbot argues that this state of affairs is stifling good policy-making and competent service management at all levels, with institutions like HMRC and the Prisons Service – despite being […]
Democratic Audit's core funding is provided by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Additional funding is provided by the London School of Economics.