Achieving accountable government
Disappointed? That’s a sign you’re doing democracy
There has been surge in party membership in the weeks following Brexit and Will Brett welcomes the renewed engagement as a possible first step towards rebuilding the consent required for a functioning representative democracy. However, he warns that party politics requires patience and a willingness to compromise, and makes a plea to new members not […]
Jeremy Corbyn cannot fulfil his constitutional role as Leader of the Opposition
The UK’s system of parliamentary government requires both a functioning government and a functioning opposition. Since the attempted “coup” against his leadership, Jeremy Corbyn seems to be unable to provide the latter. So, as Peter Harris argues here, he should resign so as to ensure that the UK’s political system can function once more. Similar […]
A contested Brexit would be disruptive for Ireland, both North and South
Ireland’s exposure to Brexit has been widely anticipated in political, policy and academic commentary and analysis. The resulting vulnerability – and the challenges and opportunities arising from it – have been confirmed by the dramatic events of the days following the vote to Leave. Paul Gillespie explains. Similar PostsNorthern Ireland and the Withdrawal AgreementBrexit has blown open […]
Why there should be a general election before Article 50 is triggered
The Conservative Party is currently selecting a new leader who is expected to trigger Article 50 and begin the process of the UK leaving the European Union. Kenneth Armstrong writes that as the UK will need to set out what sort of new relationship it wants with the EU, there is a clear case for an […]
The spread of communications technology may facilitate increases in levels of anti-government violence
Communications technology has developed at an almost bewildering pace since the development of the internet, with first mobiles and then smartphones ensuring that we are in near constant contact with our peers. But what impact has this had on violence, and more specifically anti-government violence. Blake E. Garcia and Cameron Wimpy argue that there is […]
When parties engage voters on the ground, they intensify public interest in elections and improve turnout
Local campaigns play a key role in Britain in mobilising the electorate. Here, Siim Trumm and Laura Sudulich compare the effects of different campaign activities on voter turnout at general and devolved elections. They find positive mobilisation effects for money spent on the distribution of unsolicited material and paid staffers. Similar PostsCampaign spending and voter turnout: […]
Between the system and lifeworld: Despite adopting social media tools, public administrators remain in a legitimacy dilemma
Social media platforms theoretically align with many aspects of Habermas’ ideal of “authentic communication”. However, Claire Knox writes that this does not make them automatically applicable to public participation in governance structures. For example, while we see evidence of “cautious experimentation” among public administrators, there remains a lack of “institutional imagination” to maximise the democratic […]
Elected Chairs do not seem to have brought a new kind of parliamentarian to Select Committees
The Wright reforms have been widely credited with revitalising Parliamentary Select Committees. However, drawing on their research, Mark Goodwin, Stephen Bates and Steve McKay question whether the reforms have improved rates of turnover, attendance or gender balance. They write that commentators and MPs should avoid complacency in assuming that the reforms are a sufficiently powerful […]
Why would anyone want to be Prime Minister?
The challenges are awesome, if not terrifying, for whoever wins the Conservative leadership. Following the vote in favour of Brexit, Cameron’s successor will take control of a divided party, a divided country and significant forces pulling the UK apart. In this light, Ben Worthy considers what motivates those who aspire to be Prime Minister. Similar […]
Detoxifying the UK’s exit from the EU: a multi-national compromise is possible
Public discussions about how the UK is to exit from the European Union have been too simplified, and have failed to come up with any solution that recognizes that only England and Wales in fact voted to leave. Brendan O’Leary outlines a way forward where those nations wanting to remain in the EU might be […]
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