Category
Topic updates
Biden's cabinet: the importance of diversity
This blog entry takes a quick look at the balanced nature of representation in the cabinet of the 46th POTUS.
Direct action activity
The student rent strikes are a good example - blog also contains a link to a short video clip
An update on a key British Politics topic
The ability of the legislature to check the executive
The 50-50 Senate
What will this mean in terms of Biden's (progressive) legislative agenda? Let's look at voting behaviour factors within Congress
Boris as PM - useful cut out and keep article
Here I am placing it in the context of Foley's thesis of spatial leadershipThis is a useful backgrounder to the troubles faced by the current government over the past year. It was published to...
Rebels, rebels? The tiers are a mess
The latest parliamentary rebellion, this time over regional covid restrictions, has hit the headlines. Why?
More devolution for the English regions?
There has been a lot of debate in recent weeks as to whether the Covid panademic would be better handled if the UK had a different, less centralised, system of government.
American third parties 2020
Who are they, and what's their role? And don't forget Kanye!
Devolution differences: success or failure? A note on a major post 1997 constitutional reform in the UK
A visit to my home nation of Scotland this summer yet again highlighted how the two countries of Scotland and England are becoming ever more different.
The battle for the heart of the Labour party
In this thirty minute video, the FT follows veteran MP Margaret Hodge as she travels around the country interviewing key Labour figures ahead of the election of Keir Starmer as the new leader.
New British Election Study Published
There are uncertain times ahead in any forthcoming General Election according to the findings of the newly published British Election Study which claims that we now have the most volatile British...
Two troubled premierships
In this new blog from the Politics department at the LSE, Ben Williams identifies key similarities between the John Major and Theresa May governments.
How to Prepare for a 2020 Presidential Run
The Wall Street Journal looks at the building blocks that need to be put in place ahead of announcing a Presidential bid! Who will emerge over the next six to twelve months?
How democratic is your country?
Here are updated details on the Democracy Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit which looks at electoral processes, political participation and culture and the quality of government.
UK Election Statistics: 1918-2018
Here is an absolute treasure-trove of electoral data for the UK over the last century in a superb document produced by the House of Commons Library. There is a spreadsheet to download and use when...
Referendums and Parliamentary Democracy
Does the more frequent use of a referendum enhance or undermine the functioning of a parliamentary democracy? This new note from the Parliament Research department provides some excellent...
Calls for reduction in the voting age to 16
Under current legislation, a person must be 18 or over to vote in elections to the UK Parliament. This note from the House of Commons Parliament Research department gives details of calls for a...
How the Irish abortion referendum unfolded
One to add to the study notes on the use of referenda to shape significant changes in public policy
How referendums break democracies
Tim Harford considers some of the flaws in the use of referendums in the month that the Dutch Parliament voted to abolish advisory referendums.
Vital Statistics on Congress
A hat tip to Amanda Sexton for flagging up this excellent source of data for US Congresses up to and including Obama.