Founded in 1944, we are a charity working in the UK and around the world to promote democracy and strengthen parliaments.
Latest
Commons’ new trade agreement debate is a start, but far from ideal
In the House of Commons’ first debate today on potential new trade deals, two things are worth watching out for: the nature of the occasion itself; and any further information it elicits from the government about the process for making new trade agreements beyond the debate itself.
Westminster Lens: Brexit Statutory Instruments Dashboard
In the run-up to the UK’s exit from the EU on 29 March 2019 we will be tracking the progress made by government and Parliament in preparing the statute book for exit day. Our analysis draws on parliamentary data and our own Statutory Instrument Tracker which we built several years ago to support our research on delegated legislation.
In the rush to prepare for Brexit, parliamentary scrutiny will suffer
The cancellation of this week’s House of Commons recess provided the government with an extra few days to hold debates on affirmative Brexit SIs. But the low number of debates makes it a wasted opportunity. The government can get its Brexit SIs into force by 29 March, but probably only at the expense of what limited scrutiny already takes place for SIs.
Can the government get all its Brexit Statutory Instruments through Parliament by exit day on 29 March?
There is much speculation that time is running out for pre-Brexit legislation, with – on the SI front – 412 Brexit SIs now laid but potentially up to 200 still to be produced. While the total could prove nearer 500 than 600, even the higher number can still be on the statute book for 29 March, but potentially at some cost to parliamentary scrutiny.
First use of the Recall of MPs Act: A tough test in North Antrim
The first use of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 proved a damp squib, with not enough local electors signing the petition to trigger a by-election. This outcome reflected a mixture of challenging local factors in North Antrim and some broader shortcomings that might generate changes for any future use of the Act.
Join our newsletter
Get the latest updates on our research and events, together with expert comment and analysis, delivered to your inbox.
Projects
Audit of Political Engagement
Now in its 15th year, each Audit measures the ‘political pulse’ of the nation, providing a unique benchmark to gauge public opinion across Great Britain about politics and the political process.
Brexit and Parliament
Brexit could strengthen Parliament or weaken it. This applies to its standing in relation to both the government and the public. Given the promise that leaving the EU means ‘taking back control’, the way in which Parliament manages the Brexit process and its post-Brexit role will be among the criteria for judging whether the UK ‘makes a success of it’.
Delegated Legislation
Most of the UK’s general public law is made not through Acts of Parliament but through delegated legislation. It is crucial to the effective operation of government and affects millions of people each day. But despite its volume and importance, remarkably little attention is paid to it.
People2Parliament Training Programme
People2Parliament is an education programme designed to strengthen the culture of democratic participation by helping to build up citizens’ knowledge of, and connections with, the UK Parliament. The initiative.
Mock Elections
Join thousands of young people across the country in one of the oldest and largest civic engagement projects anywhere in the world. Our free resources provide all the materials and guidance you need to recreate the excitement and drama of a real election.
Monitor Statutory Instruments in Parliament with our online tracker and stay on top of all Brexit legislation
Our online Statutory Instrument Tracker, available on subscription, will help you monitor, organise and plan for all statutory instruments at every step in the legislative process.
To sign up for a free demo of the Statutory Instrument Tracker, please complete the form below. A member of our Insight team will be in touch afterwards to arrange a meeting.
Blog
Commons’ new trade agreement debate is a start, but far from ideal
In the House of Commons’ first debate today on potential new trade deals, two things are worth watching out for: the nature of the occasion itself; and any further information it elicits from the government about the process for making new trade agreements beyond the debate itself.
Westminster Lens: Brexit Statutory Instruments Dashboard
In the run-up to the UK’s exit from the EU on 29 March 2019 we will be tracking the progress made by government and Parliament in preparing the statute book for exit day. Our analysis draws on parliamentary data and our own Statutory Instrument Tracker which we built several years ago to support our research on delegated legislation.
Can the government get all its Brexit Statutory Instruments through Parliament by exit day on 29 March?
There is much speculation that time is running out for pre-Brexit legislation, with – on the SI front – 412 Brexit SIs now laid but potentially up to 200 still to be produced. While the total could prove nearer 500 than 600, even the higher number can still be on the statute book for 29 March, but potentially at some cost to parliamentary scrutiny.
First use of the Recall of MPs Act: A tough test in North Antrim
The first use of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 proved a damp squib, with not enough local electors signing the petition to trigger a by-election. This outcome reflected a mixture of challenging local factors in North Antrim and some broader shortcomings that might generate changes for any future use of the Act.
Westminster Restoration and Renewal: A year on from the Commons vote to proceed
It’s a year since the House of Commons voted to proceed with the proposed multi-billion-pound refurbishment of the dangerously dilapidated Palace of Westminster. The vote was a clear step forward, and considerable progress has been made since, but the tight vote and opposition to full decant among Conservative MPs suggest the path ahead could remain rocky.
Publications
Evidence to the House of Lords Liaison Committee: Review of investigative and scrutiny committees
In November 2018 the House of Lords Liaison Committee published our evidence to its review of investigative and scrutiny committees. We made wide-ranging recommendations aimed at improving legislative scrutiny, facilitating more effective horizon-scanning and addressing post-Brexit scrutiny challenges.
Evidence to the House of Commons Procedure Committee: Motions under section 13(1) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
In our evidence on procedural arrangements for the ‘meaningful vote’ on the prospective UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, we argue that the possibly unique nature and extraordinary political circumstances of the vote justify an extraordinary and imaginative remedy.
Evidence to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee: ‘Global Britain’ inquiry
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has published our evidence to its ‘Global Britain’ inquiry. We responded to its call for submissions focusing on metrics for assessing the success of ‘Global Britain’ with a proposal setting out how the Committee could go about compiling and publishing such metrics, and suggesting indicators it might include.
Evidence to the House of Commons Procedure Committee: Establishing select committees in a new Parliament
In our evidence on the establishment of House of Commons select committees in a new Parliament, we reiterated the arguments of an earlier blogpost about the damage caused by delay, and proposed the insertion of a deadline into Standing Orders to avoid it.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: Consideration of House of Lords amendments 110, 10 and 4 concerning scrutiny of delegated powers and Statutory Instruments
As the EU (Withdrawal) Bill arrives back in the House of Commons for consideration of House of Lords amendments, this briefing paper for MPs sets out our concerns about three amendments - 110, 10 and 4 - concerning scrutiny of delegated powers and Statutory Instruments.
Events
Launch of ‘Britain Votes 2017’
On 20 March, Professor Sir John Curtice and a panel of leading commentators outlined their findings at the launch of the first major study of the 2017 general election, ‘Britain Votes 2017’.
Deepening democracy: reconciling parliaments and people through public engagement
Join us for the launch of our new Global Research Network on Parliaments and People with a keynote speech on ‘Deepening Democracy’ by Baroness Amos.
Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of Commons
In a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP proposed three key reforms for the House: the establishment of the House Business Committee approved in 2010; reform of Private Members’ Bills; and the creation of a mechanism for Members to request a recall of the House.
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill: Principles, Powers and Parliaments
On 12 September, the day after the EU (Withdrawal) Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons, this major one-day public event brought together leading parliamentarians and legal and constitutional specialists from across the UK to discuss the critical issues raised by the Bill and its prospects in the UK’s parliaments and assemblies.
Launch of the Audit of Political Engagement 14: the 2017 report
Join the authors of the 2017 Audit of Political Engagement as they present their findings alongside a panel of leading commentators, and explore how one of the most consequential acts of democratic decision-making ever seen in this country has shaped levels of political engagement across the UK.