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UCL Constitution Unit
@conunitucl.bsky.social
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The UK's leading research centre on constitutional change, covering parliament, government, democracy, elections and more.

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This edition includes contributions from Dave Busfield-Birch, Tom Fleming, Jim Gallagher, Robert Hazell, @rowaninlondon.bsky.social, @lisajames.bsky.social, @hannahkelly.bsky.social, @alanrenwick.bsky.social, Meg Russell, @marksandford.bsky.social, @paulsilk.bsky.social and @alanwhysall.bsky.social.
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
conunitucl.bsky.social
Have you been keeping up to date with Northern Ireland politics?

The new edition of our constitutional review says that 'waters are getting choppier' and covers Irish language signage, a motion of no confidence, a Gaelic football stadium and more.

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Northern Ireland Politically, the waters are getting choppier in Northern Ireland. A DUP minister has intervened in court against a Sinn Féin minister over whether there should be Irish language signage in a railway station, leading the judge hearing the case to suggest that the Executive risks being seen as a ‘laughing stock’. Sinn Féin and Alliance Party MLAs backed a motion of no confidence against Paul Givan, a DUP minister, although he cannot be removed from office without the consent of his party, which has made clear he will remain in post. More conflict looms over funding for a Gaelic football stadium in West Belfast, a long running issue with a strong political charge. Criticism that the Executive is not delivering has intensified. The Northern Ireland think tank Pivotal recently compiled a comprehensive assessment suggesting that the Executive had failed to take action in line with its verbal commitments. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly reacted sharply, saying it was ‘nonsense to say things haven’t been delivered’; but many commentators disagreed with her. Meanwhile, the debate in London over the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; see above) has strong Northern Ireland implications: the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement required the...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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What are the political parties proposing for the European Convention on Human Rights? Do these plans stand up to scrutiny?

The new edition of our constitutional review discusses the Conservative, Reform and Labour approaches.

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The UK and the ECHR In June, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch instructed Shadow Attorney General Lord (David) Wolfson of Tredegar to provide a legal analysis of the effect of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) on UK policymaking, and how the government could withdraw from the ECHR (see Monitor 90). Right-wing think tank the Prosperity Institute published its own review in September (co-authored by former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman). It called for the UK to leave the ECHR, which it described as a ‘sword against sovereignty’. Policy Exchange produced a report specifically on the question of how the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement would be affected by any decision to withdraw. It argued that withdrawal would not breach the Agreement – a conclusion firmly rebutted by the Attorney General, Lord (Richard) Hermer, during an evidence session before the House of Lords Constitution Committee, and previously by various experts in evidence to the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. Wolfson’s report was published on 2 October. It examined the effect of the ECHR in five public policy areas: immigration, the prosecution of members of the armed forces, the allocation of housing and benefits, justice policy (including the right to protest), and infrastructure projects. It also considered...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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Why is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor no longer called His Royal Highness, a Prince or the Duke of York?

The new edition of our constitutional review explains the legal frameworks behind these changes and why they have happened.

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Prince Andrew stripped of titles Prince Andrew (as he then was) stepped down as a working royal in November 2019, due to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and allegations – which he has denied – that he had sex with the then 17-year old Virginia Giuffre, who said she had been trafficked by Epstein. In October this year, it was reported that Andrew had maintained his relationship with Epstein later than 2010, contrary to statements made during a Newsnight interview in 2019. Shortly afterwards, Buckingham Palace issued a statement in which Andrew announced that he would no longer use his ‘title or the honours which have been conferred’, such as Duke of York. Additional allegations quickly emerged, including that Andrew had encouraged his police protection officer to investigate Giuffre. Public pressure continued to build and on 30 October the King issued his own statement, in which he confirmed that he had initiated ‘a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew’. The statement also said that Andrew’s lease of the Royal Lodge at Windsor had been terminated and that he would henceforth be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. It was reported that the government and wider royal family were consulted ahead of the announcement...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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What did September’s reshuffle affect ministerial churn, gender diversity and political balance?

And did you know that a third of House of Commons ministers are from the 2024 intake?

The new edition of our constitutional review highlights what happened.

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Rayner resignation prompts government reshuffle In August, it was reported that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner may have failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty (a tax paid as a result of purchasing land or property) when buying a flat earlier this year. In response, Rayner sought fresh legal advice, which told her that she had indeed paid less duty than was required. She then referred herself to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Laurie Magnus. On 5 September, Magnus wrote to the Prime Minister to report that Rayner had breached the Ministerial Code by failing to seek appropriate tax advice after the initial legal advice that she had received before purchasing the house had advised her to do so. Rayner then resigned from the government, and as deputy leader of the Labour Party. Rayner’s resignation prompted a significant government reshuffle. David Lammy became the new Deputy Prime Minister, but was moved from the Foreign Office to become Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary. Yvette Cooper became Foreign Secretary, and was replaced by Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary. Lucy Powell was sacked as Leader of the Commons, and replaced by Alan Campbell, whose position as Chief Whip was taken by outgoing Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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Did you know that this government has been defeated over 100 times in the House of Lords?

The new edition of our constitutional review suggests that it is surprising to see the Lords challenging manifesto commitments to the extent that it has.

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The House of Lords and its treatment of legislation By the end of October 2025, Keir Starmer’s government had been subjected to 100 defeats in the House of Lords. This is a high number, but broadly consistent with the Johnson and Sunak governments (in the 2021–22 session there were 128 defeats; in 2022–23 there were 125). The ‘Salisbury convention’ indicates that the Lords will not vote down government manifesto bills in their entirety, and in practice such behaviour is very unusual on any bill (whether signalled in the manifesto or not). But a number of recent defeats have focused on key planks of government policy, as broadcast in the 2024 Labour manifesto. As reported in Monitor 90, this included defeats on the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill to block the complete removal of hereditary peers (limiting action instead to permanently ending the hereditary peer by-elections). It also applied to several key measures in the government’s Employment Rights Bill, including policies to create ‘day one’ rights to sick pay and protection against unfair dismissal, require employers to offer fixed hours to those on ‘zero hours’ contracts, and loosen restrictions on trade union balloting and political funds. All defeats on both bills were readily overturned when they returned to the House of Commons, but the Lords quite surprisingly insisted for a third time on the changes to the Employment Rights Bill. There were also defeats on key elements of the Renters’ Rights Bill, on which the Lords did not insist when the...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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What will the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill change? What else is happening to local government funding, organisation and police and crime commissioners?

The new edition of our constitutional review explains the government's plans.

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England The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which was presented to parliament just before the last issue of Monitor went to press, commenced its report stage in the Commons on 24 November. The bill includes only minimal additional powers for English metro-mayors. Its main impact will be to standardise and clarify the powers available to each type of ‘strategic authority’. Unexpectedly, it also includes provisions to bring an end to the committee system in local authorities in England (in which councillors are divided into politically balanced committees that make the decisions), and to prevent the creation of any new local authority elected mayoralties. Any areas that do not already have elected mayors will therefore be required to use the leader and cabinet system, in which the councillors elect a leader (usually the head of the largest party) and that person then appoints a cabinet in which individual councillors are given specific policy responsibilities. The November Budget will have significant impacts on the funding of local government in England. It is likely to contain initial indications of the outcome of the government’s consultation on a ‘fair funding review’, which will change the allocation of grant funding to local government, in line with a new...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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What makes the new Ethics and Integrity Commission different from the Committee on Standards in Public Life? Should it be underpinned by statute?

The new edition of our constitutional review explains why there are concerns over its non-statutory nature.

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New Ethics and Integrity Commission starts work The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) started operating on 13 October as the centrepiece of the government’s standards reforms, which also include changes to the business appointment rules (see the next story), and the Ministerial Code. The written ministerial statement by Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds set out the terms of reference and initial priorities of the EIC, which replaces the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), with CSPL chair Doug Chalmers becoming its chair. The EIC will not investigate specific complaints. It will carry on the work of CSPL in promoting the Nolan principles of public life, and undertaking inquiries into specific areas of concern. Its new functions include responsibility to report annually to the Prime Minister on the overall health of public standards, and to lead work in the public sector on developing codes of ethical conduct. This has been given greater importance by publication of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill (see below) which requires all public bodies to adopt a code of conduct to promote ethical behaviour, candour, transparency and frankness. The ministerial statement added that ‘the EIC will act as a centre of excellence on public sector codes...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM
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What five principal areas does the government’s elections policy paper actually cover?

And what five 'sins of omission' does it make?

The new edition of our constitutional review gives a digestible, expert analysis.

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Government proposals on electoral reform In July, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government published a policy paper – Restoring Trust in Our Democracy: Our Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections – setting out plans for reforms to the UK’s electoral institutions. The proposals covered five principal areas. First, the paper confirmed the government’s intention to reduce the voting age to 16 for all elections where it remains at 18: elections to the House of Commons throughout the UK; and all other elections in England and Northern Ireland. It would also apply to police and crime commissioner elections in England and Wales, but these posts are now to be abolished before the next elections. Second, it proposed steps towards more automated electoral registration. The government will seek powers to ‘actively test methods of automated registration’, and to make permanent changes without further primary legislation ‘where we are confident that they will have a positive impact on registration levels’. Third, it set out several measures to ease the voting process. The range of forms of eligible voter ID...
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 AM