Parliamentary Affairs (vol 71, issue 1, 2018)

Journal

Parliamentary Affairs (vol 71, issue 1, 2018)

1 Jan 2018

Articles on topics including divisions within the Parliamentary Conservative Party following the Brexit referendum, a new analysis of representatation and majoritarianism in the UK House of Commons, Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster, and the affect of parenthood and gender on political leadership.

Articles

Policy, Office and Votes: Conservative MPs and the Brexit ReferendumLuke Moore
Incitement to Hatred and Countering Terrorism: Policy Confusion in the UK and AustraliaKatharine Gelber
Majoritarianism Reinterpreted: Effective Representation and the Quality of Westminster DemocracyFelicity Matthews
Representing the Region on the Floor: Socioeconomic Characteristics of Electoral Districts and Legislative SpeechmakingHanna Bäck, Marc Debus
Digital Communication and Representational Interactivity: an Analysis of www.WriteToThem.com in ScotlandHartwig Pautz
Parliament and the Representation of Indigenous Issues: The Canadian CaseMichael D Morden
The Politics of Parliamentary Restoration and Renewal: Decisions, Discretion, DemocracyMatthew Flinders, Leanne-Marie Cotter, Alix Kelso, Alex Meakin
The Politics of Symbols: Reflections on the French Government’s Framing of the 2015 Terrorist AttacksFlorence Faucher, Laurie Boussaguet
Politics and Parenthood: An Examination of UK Party Leadership Elections (editors' choice)Jessica C Smith

Latest / Highlights

Publications / Budget 2025: Letter to Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds MP calling for an ‘Amendment of the Law’ motion

The form of the first Ways and Means motion tabled after the Budget – either an Amendment of the Law motion or an Income Tax (Charge) motion – determines how much scope MPs have to propose amendments when the Budget is translated into the Finance Bill. An Amendment of the Law motion provides broader scope for amendment and was standard practice until it was unilaterally dropped by the then Government in 2017. We have written to the Chief Whip urging the restoration of this procedural practice so that MPs can properly fulfil their constitutional responsibility to scrutinise the nation’s finances and ensure that consideration of the Finance Bill is a genuinely political debate, not merely a technical exercise.

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 24-27 November 2025

Chancellor Rachel Reeves presents the Budget. MPs conclude their consideration of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. The Lords is set to finish Committee Stage of the Chagos Islands legislation. Peers will also consider the Sentencing Bill, the Crime and Policing Bill and the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. Michael Prescott, author of the report on BBC bias, appears with BBC chair Samir Shah and board member Sir Robbie Gibb at the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. And MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee hold a special joint meeting with their counterparts from Ukraine, Poland, Finland and the Czech Republic.

News / Is the House of Lords going slow on the assisted dying bill? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 116

In this episode we look at the latest Covid Inquiry report addressing the lack of parliamentary scrutiny during the pandemic and the need for a better system for emergency law-making. With the Budget approaching, we explore how the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, might discipline ministers who announce policies outside Parliament and why a little-known motion could restrict debate on the Finance Bill. Sir David Beamish assesses whether the flood of amendments to the assisted dying bill risks a filibuster and raises constitutional questions. Finally, we hear from Marsha de Cordova MP and Sandro Gozi MEP on their work to reset UK–EU relations through the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

Blog / The assisted dying bill: Is the number of Lords amendments a parliamentary record?

The assisted dying bill has attracted an extraordinary number of amendments in the House of Lords, prompting questions about whether the volume is unprecedented. This blog examines how its amendment count compares with other bills in the current Session, and what the historical data shows about previous amendment-heavy legislation.

Blog / The assisted dying bill: Will it run out of time? The parliamentary options explained

Over 1,000 amendments have been tabled to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the House of Lords. This blog examines the progress of the Bill at Committee Stage in the House of Lords so far, explores the likelihood of a procedural impasse and what options exist if more parliamentary time is needed.