Parliamentary Affairs: special issue on 'Twenty years after the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement' (vol 71, issue 2, 2018)

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Parliamentary Affairs: special issue on 'Twenty years after the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement' (vol 71, issue 2, 2018)

1 May 2018

To mark 20 years since the signing of the Belfast Agreement, this special issue of Parliamentary Affairs explores a range of critical topics surrounding the event, including the sustainability of peace, why politicians should question the utility of one-sided assetions of the past, and the impact of the Agreement on women's rights.

Articles

Are Discretionary Referendums on EU Integration Becoming ‘Politically Obligatory’? The Cases of France and the UKAude Bicquelet, Helen Addison
Participation in Local Elections: ‘Why Don’t Immigrants Vote More?’Didier Ruedin
The Conservative Party Leadership Election of 2016: An Analysis of the Voting Motivations of Conservative Parliamentarians (editors' choice)David Jeffery, Tim Heppell, Richard Hayton, Andrew Crines
Committee Hearings of the UK Parliament: Who gives Evidence and does this Matter?Marc Geddes
The Politics of Welshness: A Response to Bradbury and AndrewsSophie Williams
The Development of the Treasury Select Committee 1995–2015Saskia Maureen Rombach
Advice Giving and Party Loyalty: an Informational Model for the Socialisation Process of New British MPsNicholas Dickinson
Votes At 16: New Insights from Scotland on EnfranchisementJan Eichhorn

Special collection: Twenty years after the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement

Guest editor: Peter Shirlow

Twenty Years after the Belfast AgreementPeter Shirlow
Between Conflict and Peace: An Analysis of the Complex Consequences of the Good Friday AgreementJohn Nagle
Truth Friction in Northern Ireland: Caught between Apologia and HumiliationPeter Shirlow
Contested Space, Peacebuilding and the Post-conflict CityBrendan Murtagh
One Step Forwards, Two Steps Back: Women’s Rights 20 Years after the Good Friday AgreementClaire Pierson

Latest / Highlights

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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – the bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales – fell at the close of the 2024-2026 parliamentary session, after running out of time in the House of Lords. Attention has now shifted to whether the bill could return in the next session and, if so, whether it could be enacted using the procedures set out in the Parliament Act. This briefing explains the Parliament Act procedure, examines previous uses of the Act and the procedural lessons that may be drawn from them, and looks at the constitutional issues involved.

News / What now? The local election fallout hits Westminster - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 141

Labour’s disastrous local election results have intensified speculation about Keir Starmer’s future. But if pressure on the leadership continues to grow, how exactly do Labour’s leadership rules work – and what would it take to mount a serious challenge? Now that the Scottish and Welsh elections are over, attention will turn to governing. How do the devolved parliaments return to business? And in Wales, where the Senedd will install a non-Labour First Minister and government for the first time in its history, how will the process work? Could a new administration trigger fresh tensions with Westminster and Whitehall? Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

News / Dynamic alignment and Henry VIII powers: What will the Government’s EU reset mean for Parliament? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 139

A major “EU reset” bill could allow Ministers to dynamically align UK law with EU rules using so-called Henry VIII powers, raising fresh questions about Parliament’s role and scrutiny. We are joined by Professor Catherine Barnard to explore the trade-offs and implications. We also examine Parliament’s surprise block on Church of England governance reforms and ask whether shutting down Parliament for a two-week prorogation – when it cannot be recalled – is wise in an increasingly unstable world. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

Submissions / Written Parliamentary Questions - Our evidence to the House of Commons Procedure Committee

The use of Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) is rising sharply. Since July 2024, MPs have tabled questions at unprecedented levels. By late 2025 MPs were tabling over 600 per sitting day, more than double the long-term average. WPQs are a cornerstone of parliamentary scrutiny, helping MPs obtain information, challenge government policy and put issues on the public record. But this surge raises important questions about how Parliament balances transparency and accountability with the practical limits of the system. The House of Commons Procedure Committee is now examining the issue and has just published our submission containing our latest data and analysis.

News / Who really decides Immigration Rules: Parliament or the Home Secretary? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 137

Who really controls immigration law when Ministers can rewrite key rules with minimal parliamentary scrutiny? Jonathan Featonby of the Refugee Council explains the Home Secretary’s far-reaching powers over Immigration Rules. We also discuss the Crime and Policing Bill, where amendments on AI and abortion highlight the challenges posed by rushed law-making and executive overreach. And we look ahead to the next phase of the assisted dying debate, as supporters in the House of Commons prepare for a renewed legislative push in the next parliamentary Session. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS