What is fascinating about the debate over whether the Chancellor can refuse Farage’s resignation is the marginalisation of Parliament on a decision affecting one of its own members. 1/4

It has been a busy week at the Constitution Unit! On Tuesday, our Deputy Director, Tom Fleming, gave oral evidence to the House of Commons Modernisation Committee on how House of Commons time is used with @louisevthompson.bsky.social, David Natzler and @courtenayilbert.bsky.social. Find out more 👇️

Tom Fleming gives evidence to the Modernisation Committee on how House of Commons time is used

The Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit gave oral evidence to MPs as part of an inquiry into Backbench Business Committee and Petitions Committee Debates.

ucl.ac.uk

Me and @ameakin.bsky.social had the best time doing this research. We spoke to some amazing MPs, saw their huge levels of commitment to constituents in the pandemic & got to write about the need to include small parties in decision making: a win win! Thank you so much @psrjournal.bsky.social

Political Studies Review@psrjournal.bsky.social · 4mo ago

🎆🎆Congratulations to our Best Research Article 2025 Award Winners!🎆🎆 @louisevthompson.bsky.social & @ameakin.bsky.social You can read this award winning article here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social

The Backbench Business Committee 15 years on: has it given backbench MPs a stronger voice in the House of Commons? from yours truly with @louisevthompson.bsky.social for the @hansardsociety.bsky.social : www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/backben...

The Backbench Business Committee 15 years on: Has it given backbench MPs a stronger voice in the House of Commons?

Fifteen years after its creation, the Backbench Business Committee has become an important mechanism through which MPs can secure debates and raise issues in the House of Commons. Drawing on new resea...

hansardsociety.org.uk

We're rounding off 2025 with a fantastic new episode of 'Uncovering Politics' in partnership with @uclspp.bsky.social. This week the podcast looks at proposals for democratic reform in the UK, featuring guests @louisevthompson.bsky.social and Iain McMenamin. uncoveringpolitics.com/episodes/who...

Who Pays and Who Speaks? Reforming Democracy in the UK | UCL Uncovering Politics

This week we’re looking at proposals for democratic reform in the UK. What are the problems that reformers want to address, and is there any chance they’ll be implemented?

uncoveringpolitics.com

🚨 New research in the @politicalquarterly.bsky.social from Dr @louisevthompson.bsky.social @uompols.bsky.social shows the House of Commons still works like it’s the 1950s — shutting smaller parties out and leaving millions of voters unheard. www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/o... @manchester.ac.uk

It's been fab to put together the 2nd Ed of Exploring Parliament with @estrangeirada.bsky.social & @ameakin.bsky.social. In this @psa-parliaments.bsky.social blog we asked some of our (73!) contributing authors to reflect on the experience of writing their chapters psaparliaments.org/2025/05/09/t...

We had the most brilliant launch of Exploring Parliament this evening at the Institute for Government! Thank you to all the panellists, all the guests, and most of all to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for hosting us, truly appreciated 🙏😊. V special also to have our own students attending 😊1/2:

NEW BLOG: Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `   The editors of Exploring Parliament, @ameakin.bsky.social, @louisevthompson.bsky.social & @estrangeirada.bsky.social explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation.

Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `  

The editors of Exploring Parliament, Cristina Leston Bandeira, Alexandra Meakin and Louise Thompson, explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation

constitution-unit.com

EVENT | Book launch: 'Exploring Parliament' 📅Thursday 15 May, 17.30 Join us for the official launch of the second edition of 'Exploring Parliament', with a panel of the book’s authors to discuss their chapters and insights. 🎫Register: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/book-l...

Nothing better than seeing your besties win awards from @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social. Well done you two!!!! So well deserved. @estrangeirada.bsky.social @ameakin.bsky.social

Join us for the launch of the 2nd ed of Exploring Parliament, a new book bridging academic insights and real life experience to bring parliament to life for readers! Register via the link below to watch the event online - 15 May 5.30pm www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/online...

Book launch: ‘Exploring Parliament’ | Institute for Government

An expert panel explore how Parliament works, who works there, and how this institution keeps evolving.

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

📢 New book! Exploring Parliament gives a fresh, evidence-based look at UK Parliament Co-edited by Dr @louisevthompson.bsky.social, Prof @estrangeirada.bsky.social & Dr @ameakin.bsky.social, this must-read explores formal & informal structures shaping Parliament today global.oup.com/ukhe/product...

Publication day! The 2nd edition of Exploring Parliament is out. Thank you to the 73 authors who brought academic and parliamentary practice expertise to the book; special thanks to my fab co-editors @ameakin.bsky.social and @louisevthompson.bsky.social 😊👇:

Are Westminster Hall debates Parliament's best kept secret (as interviewee told us)? Despite 25 years old, we know little about it - here are four key findings for the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social from pilot research @louisevthompson.bsky.social and I have done: psaparliaments.org/2025/01/05/w...

Is Westminster Hall parliament's best kept secret? Initial findings from mine and @estrangeirada.bsky.social research on Westminster Hall debates. psaparliaments.org/2025/01/05/w...

NEW BLOG: The controversial origins of centralised agenda control at Westminster The 'Balfour reforms' established a core feature of the Commons: ministerial agenda control. This post explores whether, as has been claimed, it was adopted by consensus.

The controversial origins of centralised agenda control at Westminster 

The 1902 ‘Balfour reforms’ established a core feature of the UK House of Commons: ministers’ control of its agenda. In a new article, summarised in this blogpost, Tom Fleming, Simon Hix, and Radoslaw Zubek explore how this important change came about, and question the idea that it was adopted with cross-party consensus.

constitution-unit.com

@alexprior.bsky.social (London South Bank University) and @louisevthompson.bsky.social (University of Manchester) present ongoing research on how to judge success and effectiveness of impact strategies, using the case study of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

@estrangeirada.bsky.social (University of Leeds) and @louisevthompson.bsky.social (University of Manchester) share their interview-based research on Westminster Hall debates "Parliament's best kept secret" (MP quote) or "overspill car park of debates" (Official)?

On my way to the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social annual conference in Cardiff - presenting a paper with @louisevthompson.bsky.social tomorrow about Westminster Hall debates; we've become obsessed with these... looking forward to catch up with everyone: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...

Excited for @psa-parliaments.bsky.social's Annual Conference next week, presenting w/ @louisevthompson.bsky.social on 'strategic effectiveness of parliamentary member organisations'. Can't wait to hear talks on procedure, participation, and virtual/physical spaces. psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...

Our Special Issue in Parliamentary Affairs has been published: 'Instability and Inequality in the British State' 🔗 academic.oup.com/pa/issue/77/4 SI Editors: @jacknewman.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond Journal Editors: @louisevthompson.bsky.social & Alistair Clark