Alan Renwick
alanrenwick.bsky.social
Alan Renwick
@alanrenwick.bsky.social
Professor of Democratic Politics and Deputy Director of the UCL Constitution Unit. Researching democratic reform in the UK and around the world. Views my own.
Really looking forward to speaking at this event tomorrow on democracy, and hearing the perspectives of other participants.

There's an option to attend online for those who can't join in person - just follow the link below for details.
@alanrenwick.bsky.social is speaking at an in-person event at Kensington Central Library tomorrow night.

Co-organised with Operation Black Vote and @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social, the event is part of a series about how democracy works and how to shape political decisions.

Sign up 👇
Use your voice | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
www.rbkc.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The Constitution Unit's latest round-up of constitutional developments in the UK is out now!
The latest edition of our triannual constitutional review is now available!

Monitor 91 warns that 'changes feel timid and reluctant in the face of serious threats' and explains what is happening across the constitutional spectrum.

Read it 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo....

Or browse our thread 👇
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
Between 2019 and 2021, we led the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland.

This examined how any future referendum on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland would be best designed and conducted.

Find out more 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo....
November 24, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
Does the elections white paper go far enough?

At 1pm today, join @catsmithmp.bsky.social, @rosewhiff.bsky.social, Tom Hawthorn and David Howarth at our free, online event to consider if the government's plans are sufficient to ensure electoral integrity.

Sign up 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo....
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
📢 Do the Government's electoral reforms go far enough?

📺 Looking forward to this @conunitucl.bsky.social event featuring APPG member @catsmithmp.bsky.social

🎯 Ministers must go further: from a truly independent regulator, to a National Commission on Electoral Reform

🔗 ucl.ac.uk/social-histo...
October 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
NEW BLOG: How does politics work in Northern Ireland?

@lisajames.bsky.social, @conorjkelly.bsky.social and @alanrenwick.bsky.social explain Northern Ireland's politics and political structures, including power-sharing, the impact of Brexit and debates over Northern Ireland's future.
How does politics work in Northern Ireland?
Politics in Northern Ireland has long been dominated by two alternative constitutional visions: remaining part of the United Kingdom, or unifying with Ireland. In this post – part of the Unit’s new and updated briefing series on key constitutional topics – Lisa James, Conor J. Kelly and Alan Renwick discuss Northern Ireland’s distinctive politics and political structures, and explain the UK government’s role in supporting long-term stability.
constitution-unit.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:01 AM
The Constitution Unit has today published a fully updated set of briefings on aspects of politics and the constitution in the UK - with three entirely new briefings added too.

See the thread below for tasters and links.

Happy reading! We hope the briefings will be super-useful for many people.
It is briefings day!

We are releasing newly updated versions of our briefings, plus three new ones!

The series covers topics from the constitutional principles that underpin democracy to the role of citizens' assemblies.

Use this mega-thread to browse them.

And find out more 👇
Constitution Unit publishes new briefings on constitutional principles and the health of democracy
The Constitution Unit has today published new and updated briefings as part of its Constitutional Principles and the Health of Democracy project.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
ON THE BLOG: Prime Minister's Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons: Lessons in parliamentary reform

@ruxandrasrbn.bsky.social explains how Canada's experiment with a Prime Minister's Question Period procedure between 2017 and 2025 worked and how it differed from the traditional model.
Prime Minister's Question Period in the Canadian House of Commons: Lessons in parliamentary reform
Between 2017 and 2025, the Canadian House of Commons operated a Prime Minister’s Question Period procedure, introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In a new published article summarised here, Ruxandra Serban explores how this procedure worked, and how it differed from the traditional Question Period model.
constitution-unit.com
October 8, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
Does the elections white paper go far enough?

On 24 October, join @catsmithmp.bsky.social, @rosewhiff.bsky.social, Tom Hawthorn and David Howarth at our free, online event to consider if the government's plans are sufficient to ensure electoral integrity.

Sign up 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo....
October 10, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
'Democracy is not just about voting, but it is also about thinking through the issues and working out what you think.'

Our Deputy Director, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, appeared on David Runciman's Past Present Future podcast to talk about referendums.

Listen on YouTube 👇
Fixing Democracy: What’s Wrong with Referendums?
In today’s episode David talks to Alan Renwick from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros and cons of referendums. When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people? Do some…
www.youtube.com
October 8, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
'Democracy is not just about voting, but it is also about thinking through the issues and working out what you think.'

Our Deputy Director, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, is on the latest episode of David Runciman's Past Present Future podcast discussing referendums.

Listen on YouTube 👇
Fixing Democracy: What’s Wrong with Referendums?
In today’s episode David talks to Alan Renwick from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros and cons of referendums. When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people? Do some…
www.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Lovely to talk referendums with the ever-insightful David Runciman. This is part of a series on how to fix democracy's problems - definitely worth a listen if you haven't done so yet!
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In today’s episode David talks to @alanrenwick.bsky.social from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros & cons of referendums. How can they be used to open up political debate? When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
October 7, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
NEW BLOG: Government plans for electoral reform are welcome but contain one serious error of judgement

@alanrenwick.bsky.social argues much of what the government proposes is good. But the newly appointed ministers responsible for elections will need to make further progress on some crucial matters
Government plans for electoral reform are welcome but contain one serious error of judgement
Much of what the government proposes is good. But the newly appointed ministers responsible for elections will need to make further progress on some crucial matters
constitution-unit.com
September 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Thoughts from me on the UK government's elections policy paper.

In short: many good things, but several points don't go far enough, and there is one big mistake.
NEW BLOG: Government plans for electoral reform are welcome but contain one serious error of judgement

@alanrenwick.bsky.social argues much of what the government proposes is good. But the newly appointed ministers responsible for elections will need to make further progress on some crucial matters
Government plans for electoral reform are a welcome start, but contain one surprising and serious error of judgement
Much of what the government proposes is good. But the newly appointed ministers responsible for elections will need to make further progress on some crucial matters
constitution-unit.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Many congratulations to my great colleague Luis Schenoni on this wonderful, richly deserved achievement!

@uclspp.bsky.social
👏 We're excited to announce that @llschenoni.bsky.social has won our Hedley Bull Prize in #InternationalRelations!

🏆 Luis' book, 'Bringing War Back In', beautifully weaves a myriad of methods with robust analytical findings, as described by our jury #ECPRPrizes

Read more 👉 buff.ly/M7VEszk
Luis L. Schenoni is awarded our 2025 Hedley Bull Prize
European Consortium for Political Research
buff.ly
September 5, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
Listen to 'Uncovering Politics' for expert insights into both the immediate drivers of the 2024 result and the longer-term transformations reshaping UK politics.

With @martamiori.bsky.social @psurridge.bsky.social @profjanegreen.bsky.social @alanrenwick.bsky.social
UCL Uncovering Politics - Listen on Spotify - Linktree
View uclpoliticalscience’s Linktree to discover and stream music from top platforms like Spotify here. Your next favorite track is just a click away!
linktr.ee
July 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
This, by @alanrenwick.bsky.social, is spot on about the dire impact of Prime Minister's Questions - the flagship event of the parliamentary week.
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
July 17, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
'They should be the start of an ongoing process of fundamental democratic renewal. And on some of the matters requiring further change, the need for action is urgent.'

Read our Deputy Director, @alanrenwick.bsky.social's, instant analysis of the elections white paper for @uclpolicylab.bsky.social 👇
Plans for electoral reform mark a major step forward in reforming our democracy
Speaking at the civil society summit, Sir Keir Starmer outlined a range of democratic reforms, including the introduction of votes for 16-year-olds. Professor Alan Renwick provides his in-depth…
www.ucl.ac.uk
July 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Don't miss the UCL Constitution Unit's new Monitor, out today.

It's filled, as ever, with analysis of constitutional developments over the past four months or so - Lords reform electoral reform, devolution, and lots more.

@conunitucl.bsky.social
The latest edition of our regular constitutional review is now available!

Monitor 90 describes this government's constitutional reform scorecard as 'mixed'. It says that much remains to be done and progress in some areas has been disappointing.

Read it 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution....
July 15, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Fascinating discussion of the current English devolution plans, particularly exploring their effects on democracy.

Thank you to all three speakers for bringing such insight and clarity.
England's 'devolution revolution': prospects and challenges

We hosted a timely event this afternoon (held just before the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill was published) all about English devolution, with Bella Sankey, Roger Gough and @ariannagiovannini.bsky.social.

Watch it 👇
England’s ‘devolution revolution’: prospects and challenges
YouTube video by UCL Constitution Unit
www.youtube.com
July 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
The government has announced that the voting system for mayoral and PCC elections will be changed back to SV.

Our Deputy Director, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, said last year that the switch to FPTP in 2022 harmed democracy and called for it to be reversed 👉 constitution-unit.com/2024/05/24/t....
July 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Great to see that the English Devolution Bill, published today, restores the Supplementary Vote system for electing mayors and PCCs.

In a blogpost last year, I set out why the switch to FPTP in 2022 was bad for democracy, and why reversing that move is good.

constitution-unit.com/2024/05/24/t...
The new voting system for mayors and PCCs: how it affects democracy
This month’s elections for mayors and police and crime commissioners were contested under a revised voting system. In a post published yesterday, Alan Renwick found that this change had a substanti…
constitution-unit.com
July 10, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
I think, between us, there are some gems of insight here - thanks to @alanrenwick.bsky.social and colleagues @uclspp.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Alan Renwick
Today the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is set to have its second day of report stage in the Lords.

We will mainly be looking out for amendment 23, from Crossbencher Lord (Terry) Burns. This would cap the chamber's size at 650 and limit prime ministerial appointments.

A thread 👇
July 9, 2025 at 6:01 AM