Close
The Constitution Unit has published the report of the Independent Commission on Referendums, reviewing the role of referendums in UK democracy and making recommendations about how their conduct could be improved.
Find out more >
Monitor is the Constitution Unit's newsletter. It contains analysis of constitutional developments across the UK, information about the the Unit’s research and publications, and details of relevant events held by the Unit and other organisations.
Find out more >
Two years on from the Brexit vote, the benefits of a second referendum are being hotly debated. The Unit’s latest report examines the mechanics of holding such a vote, including how it might be triggered, when it could be held, and what the question might be.
The Unit's Research
Upcoming Events
The Burns report on Shrinking the Lords: Where are we, One Year on?
In recent years the size of the House of Lords has become increasingly controversial, with the number of members standing at around 800 – up from fewer than 700 in 1999. In December 2016, following a motion in the House of Lords itself demanding action, the Lord Speaker's Committee on the Size of the House was established, chaired by the Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. It reported at the end of October 2017, proposing a system of phased retirements, crucially combined with a more regulated and sustainable system for new appointments. At this event Lord Burns will reflect upon progress (or lack thereof) since his report was published, alongside Labour's Baroness (Ann) Taylor of Bolton, who served on his committee and chairs the House of Lords Constitution Committee, and Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC).
Starts: Nov 28, 2018 5:30:00 PM
Connect with us
Tweets by @ConUnit_UCL
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unit News
The Mechanics of a Further Referendum on Brexit
Published: Oct 8, 2018 11:20:51 PM
PACAC adopts Robert Hazell's recommendations on Pre-Appointment Scrutiny
Published: Sep 17, 2018 12:26:26 PM
Unit invites applicants for British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships
Published: Aug 24, 2018 10:40:20 AM
Meg Russell and Alan Renwick give evidence to PACAC on the Independent Commission on Referendums
Published: Jul 25, 2018 11:48:13 AM
Latest edition of the Unit's newsletter: Monitor 69 - Rethinking Referendums
Published: Jul 16, 2018 11:04:39 AM
Final report of the Constitution Unit’s Independent Commission on Referendums launched
Published: Jul 10, 2018 10:32:59 AM
The Unit's Blog
Choosing a voting method for British Columbia: the case for a Mixed Member Proportional system
Friday, 19 October 2018
In the second of two posts on the voting reform referendum in British Columbia, Jameson Quinn argues that the province’s electorate should support a move to some form of proportional representation. Specifically, he argues that the version known as Mixed Member Proportional is best for both the province itself and representative democracy as a whole. This is […]
Choosing a new voting method for British Columbia: the 2018 referendum and the choices on offer
Thursday, 18 October 2018
As British Columbia prepares for a referendum on the voting method for provincial elections, Jameson Quinn (in the first of two posts on the subject) discusses the historical background to the vote, analyses the options on the ballot, and sets out the rules the campaigns will have to follow. From October 22nd to November 30th, British […]
Article 50 and a Brexit general election: the problem of political time
Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Given the political divisions over the government’s Brexit strategy and the state of the Article 50 negotiations, speculation about a general election has increased in recent weeks. Alan Wager analyses the scenarios that could lead to a fourth parliament in as many years, and how the current timeframe imposed by Article 50 and the Withdrawal Act might […]
More direct democracy or a more directed democracy in populist-run Italy?
Friday, 12 October 2018
For the first time since its inception, the Five Star Movement finds itself in government, with the stated intention of increasing the use of direct democracy by increasing the circumstances in which a national referendum can be held. Carlo Fusaro examines the proposals and their potential impact on Italian democracy. This post intends to report on the […]