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PODCAST

The Constitution Unit

The Constitution Unit

The Constitution Unit conducts timely, rigorous, independent research into constitutional change and the reform of political institutions. Our research has significant real-world impact, informing policy-makers engaged in such changes - both in the United Kingdom and around the world. On this channel, you will find the audio recordings of the Constitution Unit"s past events.

government

All Episodes

01:23:41

The Future of the ECHR – In Europe and UK

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/11/10

Please note that, in places, the microphones momentarily failed to record the proceedings at this event. We apologise. In the UK, calls for the withdrawal from the European Convention of Human Rights are becoming louder and more persistent. The government has promised to look into the case for reform of the Convention, but at present there are no details about what this would look like. Yet, the discussions about the future of the ECHR are not limited to the UK. Across the Council of Europe many

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01:00:03

Do the government's electoral reforms go far enough?

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/10/24

The UK government published an elections policy paper in the summer, including proposals for votes at 16, automated electoral registration, and strengthened political finance rules. With an Elections Bill expected in November, this panel will assess the government’s proposals and consider whether they will be sufficient to ensure electoral integrity. For example, are tighter rules needed on political donations? Should more be done to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission? Should

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00:59:14

How should the UK's parliaments scrutinise...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/09/24

Many of the highest-profile political issues – including trade, security, and immigration – are now shaped by international treaties and agreements. These agreements are negotiated by ministers and officials, and recent years have seen complaints that the UK’s parliaments lack the scrutiny tools they need. So why does parliamentary scrutiny of international agreements matter? Does the current system allow for adequate scrutiny? And if not, what needs to change?Speakers:Lord (Peter) Goldsmith KC –

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01:14:24

England’s ‘devolution revolution’: prospects and...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/20

The UK government has promised a ‘devolution revolution’ in England, with major changes to the structure of regional and local government, and has published a detailed white paper setting out its plans. How might these changes affect the delivery of public services and quality of local democracy? How will they change the place of local government in the wider constitutional structure? What else might be needed to ensure that ministers achieve their goals? We discussed these questions with an expert

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01:16:55

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/19

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and

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01:13:46

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/18

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and

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01:09:20

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/17

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?The rule of law The Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General have both placed great

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01:15:08

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/16

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?The electoral system in a multiparty eraThe growth of multiparty politics raises

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01:12:14

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/15

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?Standards in public lifeThe Labour Party put standards and ethics at the heart of its

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00:49:37

Labour’s Constitutional Agenda in Office:...

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/07/14

This summer marks a year since Labour’s landslide victory at the 2024 general election. The party’s manifesto contained a number of pledges for reforming the UK’s constitution and political institutions. So how have those pledges fared since Labour took office? Which promises have been delivered? What unexpected changes have been introduced? And what further reforms will – or should – be on the government’s agenda?This online conference took stock of constitutional developments in the last year, and

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01:13:58

AI and democracy

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/05/19

Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to transform many aspects of our lives in the coming years. One of these is the functioning of the democratic system. AI could shift how election campaigns are conducted and how citizens receive and process information. It could also fundamentally alter patterns of power across society. So what potential effects of AI on democracy should we be particularly aware of? To what degree are there opportunities as well as dangers? And how should policy-makers

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01:28:15

Reform of Stormont: Options for Discussion

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/05/09

Talk of possible reforms to the Stormont institutions has been growing recently, spurred by concerns about repeated institutional collapses, perceived inequities between different parts of society, and criticisms of the institutions' record in governance. But what options for reform are there, and what impacts might these have if implemented? A newly published report from the Constitution Unit at University College London addresses these questions. It does not draw conclusions, but aims to promote

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01:15:47

Are the UK’s party funding regulations fit for purpose?

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/04/25

Political parties are central to the functioning of representative democracy in the UK, playing a crucial role during and between elections. How parties fund their activities is thus a vital question, and one that has been much discussed in recent months. New controversies have shone a light on long-standing debates about who can donate to political parties, how much they can donate, and the transparency of their donations. So what are the strengths and weaknesses of the UK’s party funding

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00:43:02

Constitutional Reform in the UK

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/03/20

Politics in the UK has been in turmoil in recent years — Brexit, Covid, movements for independence in Scotland and Northern Ireland, rule-breaking Prime Ministers and now the shockwaves from Donald Trump’s return to the White House. These pressures have tested the UK’s political system, raising serious questions about whether constitutional reforms are needed.In this episode, we dive into a new report from the UCL Constitution Unit, which examines possible constitutional changes, their likelihood of

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01:14:15

Improving parliamentary scrutiny of legislation

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/03/13

Recent years have seen frequent complaints about the quality of legislative scrutiny by parliament, and particularly by the House of Commons. Various commentators and experts have argued that the scrutiny of proposed laws is too often rushed and/or inadequate, leading to worse policy outcomes for citizens. This online seminar will explore a number of important questions. What problems are there with the legislative process? Have they got worse? And what can be done to fix them?Speakers: Professor

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00:34:32

The Politics of Parliamentary Reform

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/02/06

Parliament is at the heart of democracy—it’s where voters are represented, laws are debated, and key decisions are made. But who really controls what gets discussed and how time is allocated?In the UK, that power lies overwhelmingly with the government, leaving most MPs with little say over what they debate. That seems odd—after all, parliament is supposed to be sovereign. So why does it allow the government, a supposedly subordinate body, to set its agenda?To unravel this, Prof Alan Renwick is

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01:16:24

Making a success of votes at 16

The Constitution Unit ·

2025/01/31

The Labour government has committed to lowering the voting age for Westminster elections from 18 to 16. This proposal raises a number of questions for policymakers to consider. What might be the consequences of widening the franchise in this way? What practical steps will be required to implement this change and – just as importantly – to ensure it works well? In particular, how might teaching about politics in schools need to change? And what can be learned from other elections, in the UK and

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01:14:53

Improving election discourse in the UK

The Constitution Unit ·

2024/12/16

This year’s UK general election saw a range of concerns about the quality of election discourse. Alongside evidence of many candidates facing abuse and intimidation, the campaign also saw the spread – particularly online – of misinformation and disinformation. Meanwhile, Labour and the Conservatives were accused of a ‘conspiracy of silence’ about the costing of party manifesto pledges, and voters faced difficulties knowing where to turn for trustworthy sources of information.These challenges all

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01:13:58

How to be an effective opposition

The Constitution Unit ·

2024/11/06

Opposition parties play a crucial role in parliamentary democracy, scrutinising the government and putting forward alternative policies. But what makes opposition parties effective, both inside parliament and beyond? As the Conservative Party announced its new leader, this expert panel with first-hand experience of life in opposition discussed the task facing them and the other opposition parties.Speakers:Baroness (Kate) Fall – former Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron, and Conservative

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01:09:36

How to be an effective select committee chair

The Constitution Unit ·

2024/10/29

This autumn the House of Commons has elected a raft of new select committee chairs who will play an important role in holding the government to account over the coming years. But there are many ways to chair a select committee, and new chairs will need to think carefully about what they want to achieve and how to go about it.This webinar brings together three senior former MPs and select committee chairs to discuss their experiences, and their reflections on how to use the role most

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