News Archive

A list of 'What's New' items will be maintained here.

• Research update: new blog on the progress of the Wright Committee reforms (24.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell's letter to the Times Coalition Peers Plan is Undemocratic (18.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell's research cited in the Guardian Plumping up House of Lords smacks of a political fix (17.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell's appearance on the Westminster Hour (16.05.10)
• Article: Mark Bennister in the Guardian's Comment is Free Cameron should look to Australia for coalition tips (15.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Radio 4's Today programme (14.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell cited in the Guardian Backbenchers gear up for first rebellion over 55% Commons plan (14.05.10)
• Press Release: Fixed-term parliaments and the 55% threshold (14.05.10)
• Press Release: Constitutional reforms high on agenda of new coalition (12.05.10)
• Press Release: Constitution Unit advice on coalition government (12.05.10)
• General Election 2010: Stabilising minority Parliaments and minority governments (11.05.10)
• Article: How to square the electoral reform circle Meg Russell writing on Comment is Free (10.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on the World at One (10.05.10)
• Article: Robert Hazell writing in the Sunday Times Keep calm and carry on talking: Whitehall has been preparing for this for months (09.05.10)
• Article: Don't get your hopes up for electoral reform within one parliament Robert Hazell writing on Comment is Free (08.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Brown cannot just say 'I don't know Ma'am says Robert Hazell in the Financial Times (08.05.10)
• Press Release: The Constitution Unit compares the Labour and Conservatives positions on electoral reform and their appeal to the Liberal Democrats (07.05.10)
• Press Release: Conservative/Lib Dem negotiations on political reform: mission impossible? (07.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Wall Street Journal article Close election could 'hang' parliament (06.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Scotsman article Broadcasters warned over hung parliament 'winner' and Financial Times article Scotland's lessons in leadership (06.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Channel 4 News talking about a hung parliament (05.05.10)
• Press release: Confusion over constitutional position in a hung Parliament (04.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell and Peter Riddell on the Westminster Hour (02.05.10)
• Article: Mail on Sunday article by Robert Hazell Whichever way you look at it, Clegg calls the shots (02.05.10)
• Unit in the News: Mark Chalmers on The House, CBC (01.05.10)

• General Election 2010: Constitution Unit guide on votes at 16 (28.04.10)
• Unit in the News: Telegraph article City warned it will take 10 days to form a Government in the event of a hung Parliament (27.04.10)
• Comment: Multi-group letter to party leaders on a commitment to the Wright Committee reforms (27.04.10)
• Article: A memo to Nick Clegg Robert Hazell's piece in the Guardian. Also see letter in the Guardian (26.04.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell's appearances on BBC News 24 and Daily Politics (26.04.10)
• Unit in the News: Guardian Public cites Meg Russell Backbenchers lose debating power (19.04.10)
• Article: Robert Hazell writing in the Guardian Nick Clegg: the power balancer (19.04.10)
• Publication update: Constitutional Futures Revisited - now available in paperback (16.04.10)
• Comment: Party leaders should be challenged to respect the will of the House of Commons Full article on backbench reforms by Meg Russell (16.04.10)
• General Election 2010: Constitution Unit guide on how the parties' manifestos compare (15.04.10)
• General Election 2010: Constitution Unit guide on the right of recall (15.04.10)
• PhD Funding: studentships available at the Unit (14.04.10)
• SPP newsletter: latest issue of the Tavistock Times (12.04.10)
• Press release: After the Rotten Parliament comes the Reform Parliament (09.04.10)

• Recruitment: new opportunities available for a Research Associate, a Research Assistant and interns (31.03.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on the World at One at 19 min 45 sec (30.03.10)
• Research update: Unit research on pre-appointment scrutiny in Liaison Committee report (16.03.10)
• Press Release: Commons Overwhelmingly Votes for Reform: Now Government Must Act (04.03.10)
• Article: Meg Russell writing in the Guardian Parliament's Last Chance to Reform (04.03.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell's appearance on Newsnight at 19 min 18 (03.03.10)

• Unit in the News: Martin Kettle's Guardian piece on the Scottish Referendum Bill citing Robert Hazell's research (25.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Public Finance article extensively quotes Unit minority report Civil service prepares for first hung Parliament since 1974 (26.02.10)
• News: Robert Hazell appears for the Justice Committee. Read the evidence he submitted and watch the committee in full (24.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell article on ConservativeHome David Cameron could be most significant Tory constitutional reformer since Disraeli (24.02.10)
• Unit in the News: The Times citing Robert Hazell Second Referendum needed for Scottish independence (24.02.10)
• Article: Top Three Tory Banana Skins Robert Hazell writing in Prospect Magazine (24.02.10)
• Article: Meg Russell's article in House Magazine A Bigger Bite of Business (22.02.10)
• Publication: The Conservative Agenda for Constitutional Reform by Robert Hazell launched today (17.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell's research cited in the Washington Post The Politics of Nations: Great Britain (16.02.10)
• Comment: Response to IPSA MPs' Expenses: a Consultation by Meg Russell (15.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Radio 4's Westminster Hour, at 37 min (14.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Is Whitehall ready for a hung parliament Public Service exclusive (09.02.10)
• Press Release: Conservatives draft Manifesto Fixing Broken Politics including key points from Robert Hazell's new report on the Conservative Agenda for Constitutional Reform (09.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell's appearance on Newsnight at 6 min 32 (08.02.10)
• Article: Financial Times article by Robert Hazell Britain can learn 'rules' of hung parliament (08.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell cited in Sunday Times article: Queen primed for hung parliament (07.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Constitutional campaigners unite to condemn Gordon Brown. Guardian Politics blog (03.02.10)
• Unit in the News: Welsh law process 'unaccountable'. BBC report on Alan Trench at the Welsh Affairs Select Committee (03.02.10)
• Press Release: Is Gordon Brown really serious about constitutional reform? Press release and article by Meg Russell (03.02.10)
• News: Coalition of constitutional reform groups presses government on Wright Committee (03.02.10)

• Opportunities: recruitment for April interns - deadline for applications Monday 15 February (29.01.10)
• Events: video of Unit seminar with Sir Christopher Kelly on MPs' expenses and allowances (22.01.10)
• Newsletter: latest issue of the Monitor now available (21.01.10)
• Newsletter: January issue of the department newsletter the Tavistock Times (19.01.10)
• Unit in the News: Montreal Gazette quotes Robert Hazell in article Harper's prorogation is a Canadian thing (18.01.10)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell cited in Guardian piece Freedom of information: caught in the act (04.01.10)

• Unit in the News : Robert Hazell wins PSA Communication Award and Meg Russell research commended in newsletter (04.12.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Radio 4's Today programme at 47min 03 sec (03.12.09)
• Publication: Making Minority Government Work: Hung Parliaments and the Challenges for Westminster and Whitehall (03.12.09)
• Article: Robert Hazell on minority and coalition governments, writing in Guardian Public. What do we do now? (03.12.09)

• Unit in the News: Meg Russell on Westminster Hour at 28 min (29.11.09)
• Events: Video of Tony Wright's seminar at the Unit (27.11.09)
• Unit in the News: Martin Kettle in the Guardian Hung parliaments are only good for whips and scribblers (27.11.09)
• Press Release: Making Minority Government Work (26.11.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell in the Times comment piece How to Stop the Queen Picking the next PM (25.11.09)
• Press Release: UCL Constitution Unit research is key influence on Commons reform proposals (23.11.09)
• Press Release: Will a Hung Parliament mean Minority Government? (23.11.09)
• Events: Michael Russell MSP seminar video now available (18.11.09)

• Research: new devolution blog Devolution Matters (31.10.09)
• Internships: Monday 16 November application deadline for January 2010 intake (29.10.09)
• Unit in the News: Citation in Michael White's political briefing in the Guardian Constitutional reform: a mouse that may roar (22.10.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Radio 4's Law in Action (20.10.09)
• Unit in the News: Two polls needed on Scottish Independence The Times (18.10.09)
• Unit in the News: In praise of… University College London Guardian Editorial (10.10.09)
• Research: Scotland Devolution Monitoring Report published for September 2009 (09.10.09)
• Research: FOI monthly update for September now available (05.10.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell's appearance on BBC News talking about the new Supreme Court (01.10.09)

• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell's views of the workload of judges cited in the Financial Times and The Tribune (24.09.09)
• Unit in the News: Straw supports 15-year limit on peers Meg Russell cited on politics.co.uk (24.09.09)
• Newsletter: Monitor issue #43 now available online (22.09.09)

• Unit in the News: A Reformed House of Lords? Not yet (27.08.09)

• Press Release: Constitutional Reform Bill disappointing but deserves to be passed (21.07.09)
• Press Release: Strengthening Powers of Scrutiny: major report on strengthening the powers of Parliament (21.07.09)
• Press Release: Lords Reform: Today's incremental reforms welcome (20.07.09)
• Press Release: Lords report on Barnett presents challenges for all parties (17.07.09)
• New publication: An Elected Second Chamber: A Conservative View by Andrew Tyrie MP, Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP and Roger Gough, ed. (17.07.09)
• Opportunities: 15 July, 2010starting September (07.07.09)

• Event update: Recording and transcript of new Chair of Electoral Commission Jenny Watson's first public speech at Constitution Unit seminar (01.07.09)
• Unit in the News: Developers 'run plans past Prince Charles' to avoid rows later on Bob Morris quoted in The Times (19.06.09)
• Press Release: The Calman Report will put pressure on both sides in Scotland (16.06.09)
• Research update: Unit report commissioned by the Information Commissioner's Office Understanding the Formulation and Development of Government Policy in the Context of FOI (10.06.09)
• Press Release: FOI to expand? (10.06.09)
• Press Release: Small immediate changes can strengthen Lords and Commons, while parties debate the big stuff (10.06.09)
• Press Release: FOI Live 2009: Richard Thomas valedictory speech (08.06.09)
• Press Release: Book launch: Church & State: The Future of the Church Establishment (08.06.09)
• Article: A new politics? Realism above all by Robert Hazell. Also featured in The Guardian (03.06.09)
• Unit in the News: Swap MPs for a nice new quango Robert Hazell cited in Sue Cameron's Financial Times' column (03.06.09)
• Unit in the News: A virgin Parliament? Just say no Robert Hazell cited in Michael White's Guardian blog (02.06.09)

• Press Release: Forget electoral reform, focus on parliamentary reform (29.05.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell in discussion with Charles Kennedy on Radio 4's PM programme, at 39.20m (27.05.09)
• Press Release: Constitution Unit publishes detailed proposals to give more power to backbenchers (27.05.09)
• Comment: Post-MPs’ expenses do we need a new politics? And if so, what? by Meg Russell (26.05.09)
• Research update: The House Rules? by Meg Russell and Akash Paun. Proposals on House of Commons reform - might now be the time for implementation?
15 July, 2010update: Robert Hazell and Meg Russell's media appearances on MPs' expenses and constitutional reform (22.05.09)
• Newsletter: May issue of Constitution Unit newsletter The Monitor now online (22.05.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell and Meg Russell's media appearances on MPs' expenses (20.05.09)
• Unit in the News: Review of Church & State in the 21st Century, Bob Morris' new book in The Telegraph (19.05.09), also in The Tablet (22.05.09)
• Anthony Sampson Memorial Lecture: Britain’s Constitutional Reforms: Trivial or Transforming? Robert Hazell's transcript (01.05.09)

• Article: Disestablishment, the Act of Settlement and all that Bob Morris in Ekklesia
• Press Release: New publication Church and State in 21st Century Britain: The Future of Church Establishment Edited by R.M. Morris (March 2009)
• Opportunities: Part time Research Assistant to the Director 0.5 FTE (02.04.09)

• Unit in the News: Bob Morris in Times Online "Easy" to make Catholics monarchs says former Lord Chancellor (31.03.09)
• Press Release: Standards Committee must resolve MPs’ expenses problems for good (31.03.09)
• Press Release: Constitution Unit supports British Bill of Rights, but the action will be in the next Parliament (23.03.09)
• Research update: House of Lords Reform: Are We Nearly There Yet? in Political Quarterly March 2009 (available online without subscription)
• Opportunities: now recruiting for summer internships (03.03.09)

• Press Release: Ministers entitled to veto Information Tribunal decision ordering release of Cabinet minutes (24.02.09)
• Research update: Wales Devolution Monitoring report for January now available (24.02.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on Dispatches: The Problem Princes, part 2 1.37min in (23.02.09)
• Research update: English Regions Devolution Monitoring report for January now available (18.02.09)
• Opportunities: we are currently recruiting for internships starting 1 March 2009 (13.02.09)
• Research update: Scotland Devolution Monitoring report for January now available (09.02.09)
• Newsletter: January issue of the Monitor now online (06.02.09)
• Web update: January information policy monthly update now online (06.02.09)

• Unit in the News: Meg Russell quoted in Economist article Lords catch the MPs' scandal bug (29.01.09)
• Press Release: Ministers likely to veto Information Tribunal ruling to release Cabinet minutes on Iraq (28.01.09)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell quoted in Guardian article With the Lords' old tunes ringing hollow, it is surely time for reform (28.01.09)
• Unit in the News: Robert Hazell on the World Tonight discussing the Information Tribunal ruling on the Cabinet minutes on Iraq (34 minutes in, 27.01.09)
• Unit in the News: Meg Russell's interview on Newsnight - Lords 'cash for amendments' (26.01.09)
• Newsletter: Latest issue of Tavistock Times, the School of Public Policy newsletter (05.01.09)