Robert Thomas
@robertthomas223.bsky.social
Public Law Professor, University of Manchester, administrative law scholar and administrative justice expert https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/robert.thomas/publications/
For those interested in the topic, I recently published an article in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social on the long-standing debate about whether the Lords should become a chamber of the nations and regions and the extent to which it can already be said to be such a chamber #devolution #LordsReform
The House of Lords and Devolution: Already a Chamber of the Nations and Regions?
When it published its report in 2022, one of the main recommendations of the Brown Commission, established by the Labour Party to examine the future governance of the UK, was for the replacement of t...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Dr Adam Evans@a-b-evans.bsky.social · 3w agoFor those interested in #devolution and Lords reform, an interesting suggestion here that a Burnham govt will look to appoint England’s Metro Mayors to the @houseoflords.parliament.uk as an incremental step towards making the chamber more representative of the nations & regions
For those who were unable to attend - or wish to revisit - Lord Justice Singh's recent lecture for Public Law, "Substantive Principles of Public Law: What Happened after 1987?" can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WOm...
Substantive principles of public law: what happened after 1987?
YouTube video by LSE Law School
youtube.com
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
📢 A new report led by Prof @robertthomas223.bsky.social @uomlaw.bsky.social and funded by the @nuffieldfoundation.org finds councils delivering SEND support are being “set up to fail”. www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/o...
1/2 Here’s a 1 min trailer for Advanced Issues in Public Law, a 2nd yr module I’m teaching late 2026 at @durham.ac.uk with @aileenmcharg.bsky.social and @rogermasterman.bsky.social. I just used iMovie. No AI. I&S = individual and the state; UK Con = UK constitutional law—both 1st yr modules.
I had entirely forgotten that I bought this - for 99p.
www.theguardian.com/education/vi...
How children with special educational needs are being failed in England – video
From anxious children unable to cope with school to those with more complex, profound disabilities, support for Send children in England is broken. The Guardian meets parents and children to get a sen...
theguardian.com
🎉 Happy Birthday to #WilliamShakespeare! 🎭 We're celebrating with a #BookGiveaway 📚 🔁 Repost for a chance to win a copy of Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers by @freeburian.bsky.social! You’ve got until midnight, 23/04/25 Winner picked at random + revealed tomorrow! 💫
20 years of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme #AFCS A blog post on my reflections: - 127,414 claims - 1/3 rejected - 67% of most seriously harmed get much lower award than due - 99.% of cases at appeal increased or maintained (only 55 / 11,035 reduced) veteranlawproject.org.uk/blog/post31
Veteran Law Project - blog
The Veteran Law Project aims to improve the experiences of service personnel and veterans harmed by their military service. Our work focuses on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and War Pen...
veteranlawproject.org.uk
Celebrate World IP Day with @uniofmanchester.bsky.social exclusive masterclass on intellectual property in tech. Join our expert panel to explore global IP challenges, geopolitics, AI-driven patents, and startup protection strategies. Don't miss out — register today: zoom.us/webinar/regi...
If only there were other universities in other parts of the country with lots of lab space and/or space for building lab space where housing costs were lower.
John Morgan@johnmorgan3.bsky.social · last yr.High cost of housing in Cambridge and Oxford is putting limits on the growth of UK science and technology companies, ESRC exec chair @stianwestlake.bsky.social tells Lords Science and Technology Committee. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...
1/7 Can the executive ‘safeguard’ the constitution? The UK Constitution Committee says yes, but I worry. The plural UK executive means this is unlikely. And if we want internal executive checks like the civil service to work, we need to strengthen them now. Trump 2.0 is a warning.
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · last yr.How can we ensure that executive actors view themselves as stewards and guardians of the constitution? BEN YONG (@bymyong.bsky.social) reflects on the promise and limits of institutional safeguards. verfassungsblog.de/executive-co...
The April 2025 issue of Public Law is now avail. on Westlaw feat. a themed analysis section - Race and Public Law - compiled by @vidyakumar.bsky.social. Papers are by Vidya, on "Race and the UK Constitution"; Shreya Atrey "A Common Law principle of racial equality?"; Tom Frost ...
@aileenmcharg.bsky.social are presenting a very early draft of our BA/Leverhulme funded interview-based research on the Sewel convention tomorrow at UCL. Rick Rawlings and Akash Paun will respond to the paper and ask why my footnotes are colour coded. Details here: www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/events/...
Strathclyde Law School is advertising for a readership in public law. Details here: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMI746/r... Feel free to contact me if you have any queries about this post.
...Roger Masterman, David Mead, Colin Murray, Charlotte O'Brien, Elizabeth O'Loughlin, Adam Perry, James Robottom, Jens Scherpe, Saba Shakil, Findlay Stark, Shona Wilson Stark, Gabriel Tan, Joe Tomlinson, Robert Thomas, Hélène Tyrrell, Sam Willis and Alison Young. [2/2]
In the PUBLIC LAW volume we have contributions from Ed Bates, Joanna Bell, Nicole Busby, Kenny Chng, Paul Craig, Anurag Deb, Brice Dickson, Hasan Dindjer, Mark Elliott, Eleni Frantziou, Tom Frost, Ariella Gordon, Daniella Lock, Kacper Majewski, Conall Mallory, Lee Marsons, Stevie Martin... [1/2]
Lewis Graham@lewisgrahamlaw.bsky.social · last yr.Jenny Russell and I are proud to present PUBLIC LAW AND THE UK SUPREME COURT and PRIVATE LAW AND THE UK SUPREME COURT, twin volumes of commentary on the jurisprudence of the UKSC's first fifteen years. All going well, it should be out this winter. Thanks to all contributors!
Jenny Russell and I are proud to present PUBLIC LAW AND THE UK SUPREME COURT and PRIVATE LAW AND THE UK SUPREME COURT, twin volumes of commentary on the jurisprudence of the UKSC's first fifteen years. All going well, it should be out this winter. Thanks to all contributors!
1/17 the ‘youth’ of spads 🧵 Robert Hazell at @conunitucl.bsky.social and I wrote a book on spads over a decade ago. We looked at about 600+ spads (1979-2013). www.bloomsbury.com/uk/special-a...
Special Advisers
Viewers of The Thick of It will know of special advisers as spin doctors and political careerists. Several well-known ministers have been special advisers, amon…
bloomsbury.com
Robert Saunders@robertsaunders.bsky.social · last yr.I'd love to read something on the rise & function of the very young SPAD, too. I've heard some hair-raising stories from former students - good people, bright but straight out of undergraduate study - who found themselves involved in really big decisions. I'm not sure that's conducive to good govt.
Upcoming conference on the impeachment of Warren Hastings. 3-4 July 2025. A collaboration between the University of Worcester and @histparl.bsky.social @georgianlords.bsky.social. 2 days of fantastic speakers. You can book here: www.worcester.ac.uk/about/academ...
The Impeachment of Warren Hastings: The First Governor General of India - University Of Worcester
worcester.ac.uk
Details of this year's Public Law Lecture, to be delivered by Prof Alison Young, next Wednesday (online and in person). ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/03/14/e...
Event: Public Law Lecture 2025
Professor Alison Young: ‘Parliament is not sovereign – and it’s a good thing too’ 19th March 2025, 5pm-7pm, University of Essex (in person and online) This exciting event, sponsored by …
ukconstitutionallaw.org
We've worked with the Law Society(NI), litigants in person & other stakeholders to develop a Charter to help manage what can be a difficult relationship between litigants in person and solicitors on the 'other side' of the case. Details of the Charter launch below - please register to attend ⬇️
Ulster University School of Law @ulsterunischlaw.bsky.social · last yr.Coming up next week! You're invited to: ‘A Charter for Effective Participation and Communication between Solicitors and Litigants in Person in Northern Ireland’ on Tuesday 18 March at 4.30pm at The Law Society of Northern Ireland, Law Society House, 96 Victoria St, Belfast BT1 3GN. Details below ⬇️
Dr Shiling Xiao (Manchester) presented a fascinating paper on Chinese constitutional review in the ManReg Public Law Seminar Series on Wednesday
