Constitutional Reform in Britain and France
Constitutional Reform in Britain and France

Author: Elizabeth Gibson-Morgan

Publisher: University of Wales Press

Published: 2017-09-15

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1786831236

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Any attempt at comparing contemporary change in the UK and France is a bold one, since it means discussing two very different countries with strong distinctive constitutional identities. This book places its emphasis on the shared historical, political and cultural background of the UK and France, before focusing on the sweeping transformation of their constitutional frameworks in the past quarter of a century at a national and regional level – with a particular emphasis on Wales and Scotland – which culminated in the June 2016 referendum on Britain’s EU membership. Instead of examining each country separately, however, as is traditional, this study breaks new ground by explaining the pattern of institutional development in Britain and France from a comparative Franco-British perspective. It explores the complexities of recent constitutional change in both countries in an original and comprehensive way, and gives both British and French readers a deeper understanding of the two countries that have some much in common even though Brexit could drive them apart.

Reinventing Britain
Reinventing Britain

Author: Andrew McDonald

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2007-10-30

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0520098625

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"First [originally] published in Great Britain in 2007 by Politico's Publishing ..."--Title page verso.

Constitutional Reform
Constitutional Reform

Author: Rodney Brazier

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 9780198765233

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The second edition of Constitutional Reform examines central government, Parliament, and the judiciary in Britain and proposes an agenda for reform. The stress remains on suggestions which might stand a fair chance of being implemented. Topics covered include the limitations on the scope forconstitutional reform; new methodology for constitutional change; parliamentary democracy and voting reform; the second chamber; the reduction of ministerial power; the transfer of certain royal powers to Parliament; and the reform of the judiciary.Also including a new chapter on the Labour Government's plans for the British constitution, this book provides the reader with comprehensive coverage of constitutional change in Britain at the new millennium.

Publics, Elites and Constitutional Change in the UK
Publics, Elites and Constitutional Change in the UK

Author: Daniel Kenealy

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-07-04

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 3319528181

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This book explores the governance of the UK, and the process of constitutional change, between Scotland’s independence referendum in September 2014 and the UK general election in May 2015. The book contrasts the attitudes of the public, captured through an original survey, with those of politicians, civil servants, and civic leaders, identified through over forty interviews. It pays particular attention to two case studies involving recent changes to the UK’s governing arrangements: the Smith Commission and the transfer of further powers to the Scottish Parliament, and Greater Manchester’s devolution deal that has become a model for devolution across England. It also considers the issue of lowering the voting age to 16, contrasting the political attitudes of younger voters in Scotland with those in the rest of the UK. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of UK politics, devolution, constitutional change, public attitudes, and territorial politics.

The New British Constitution
The New British Constitution

Author: Vernon Bogdanor

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2009-06-03

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 1847317146

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The last decade has seen radical changes in the way we are governed. Reforms such as the Human Rights Act and devolution have led to the replacement of one constitutional order by another. This book is the first to describe and analyse Britain's new constitution, asking why it was that the old system, seemingly hallowed by time, came under challenge, and why it is being replaced. The Human Rights Act and the devolution legislation have the character of fundamental law. They in practice limit the rights of Westminster as a sovereign parliament, and establish a constitution which is quasi-federal in nature. The old constitution emphasised the sovereignty of Parliament. The new constitution, by contrast, emphasises the separation of powers, both territorially and at the centre of government. The aim of constitutional reformers has been to improve the quality of government. But the main weakness of the new constitution is that it does little to secure more popular involvement in politics. We are in the process of becoming a constitutional state, but not a popular constitutional state. The next phase of constitutional reform, therefore, is likely to involve the creation of new forms of democratic engagement, so that our constitutional forms come to be more congruent with the social and political forces of the age. The end-point of this piecemeal process might well be a fully codified or written constitution which declares that power stems not from the Queen-in Parliament, but, instead, as in so many constitutions, from `We, the People'. The old British constitution was analysed by Bagehot and Dicey. In this book Vernon Bogdanor charts the significance of what is coming to replace it. The expenses scandal shows up grave defects in the British constitution. Vernon Bogdanor shows how the constitution can be reformed and the political system opened up in`The New British Constitution'.

The Coalition and the Constitution
The Coalition and the Constitution

Author: Vernon Bogdanor

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2011-03-25

Total Pages: 162

ISBN-13: 1847316409

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`England', Benjamin Disraeli famously said, `does not love coalitions'. But 2010 saw the first peace-time coalition in Britain since the 1930s. The coalition, moreover, may well not be an aberration. For there are signs that, with the rise in strength of third parties, hung parliaments are more likely to recur than in the past. Perhaps, therefore, the era of single-party majority government, to which we have become accustomed since 1945, is coming to an end. But is the British constitution equipped to deal with coalition? Are alterations in the procedures of parliament or government needed to cope with it? The inter-party agreement between the coalition partners proposes a wide ranging series of constitutional reforms, the most important of which are fixed-term parliaments and a referendum on the alternative vote electoral system, to be held in May 2011. The coalition is also proposing measures to reduce the size of the House of Commons, to directly elect the House of Lords and to strengthen localism. These reforms, if implemented, could permanently alter the way we are governed. This book analyses the significance of coalition government for Britain and of the momentous constitutional reforms which the coalition is proposing. In doing so it seeks to penetrate the cloud of polemic and partisanship to provide an objective analysis for the informed citizen.

The British Constitution: A Very Short Introduction
The British Constitution: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Martin Loughlin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2023-09-26

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 0192648365

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Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring The British constitution is regarded as unique among the constitutions of the world. What are the main characteristics of Britain's peculiar constitutional arrangements? How has the British constitution altered in response to the changing nature of its state - from England, to Britain, to the United Kingdom? What impact has the UK's developing relations with the European Union caused? These are some of the questions that Martin Loughlin addresses in this Very Short Introduction. As a constitution, it is one that has grown organically in response to changes in the economic, political, and social environment, and which is not contained in a single authoritative text. By considering the nature and authority of the current British constitution, and placing it in the context of others, Loughlin considers how the traditional idea of a constitution came to be retained, what problems have been generated as a result of adapting a traditional approach in a modern political world, looking at what the future prospects for the British constitution are. In this new edition of the Very Short Introduction, Loughlin includes a disucssion of the impact of developments over the decade since its first publication, examining Brexit, the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, and the settlement in Northern Ireland. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Constitutional Reform in the United Kingdom
Constitutional Reform in the United Kingdom

Author: Jack Beatson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 1998-03-01

Total Pages: 182

ISBN-13: 1847313418

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The Labour Government's proposals for reform of the UK's internal constitutional arrangements promise the most wide-ranging and substantial overhaul of the constitution this century. Their plans,which include devolution for Scotland and Wales, incorporation of the ECHR, a Freedom of Information Bill and reform of both houses of Parliament are already far progressed, but critical choices have still to be made. Against this background, and in view of these historical events, the Directors of the Centre for Public Law at the University of Cambridge recently organised a major conference to discuss the legal and practical implications of the proposed reforms. Speakers at the conference included leading academics, barristers, solicitors, judges and politicians. The results, which are reproduced in this volume of conference proceedings, will be essential reading for all those interested in constitutional reform and in British political history.

Constitutional History of the UK
Constitutional History of the UK

Author: Ann Lyon

Publisher: Cavendish Publishing

Published: 2003-03-13

Total Pages: 521

ISBN-13: 1843145049

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First published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The New Labour Constitution
The New Labour Constitution

Author: Michael Gordon

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2022-02-10

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13: 1509924655

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The New Labour government first elected in 1997 had a defining influence on the development of the modern UK constitution. This book combines legal and political perspectives to provide a unique assessment of the way in which this major programme of constitutional reform has changed the nature of the UK constitution. The chapters, written by leading experts in UK public law and politics, analyse the impact and legacy of the New Labour reform programme some 20 years on from the 1997 general election, and reveal the ways in which the UK constitution is now, to a significant extent, the 'New Labour constitution'. The book takes a broad approach to exploring the legacy of the New Labour years for the UK constitution. The contributors evaluate a range of specific substantive reforms (including on human rights, devolution, freedom of information, and the judicial system), changes to the process and method of constitutional reform under New Labour, the impact on key institutions (such as the judiciary and Parliament), and a number of wider constitutional themes (including national security, administrative justice, and the relationship between the Labour Party and constitutionalism). The book also reflects on the future challenges for the constitution constructed by New Labour, and the prospects for further constitutional reform. In bringing together this range of perspectives to reflect on the implications of the New Labour era of reform, this book offers a critical examination of a foundational period in the development of the contemporary UK constitution.