The ease with which Theresa May was able to secure an early dissolution last week has led to suggestions that the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 serves no useful purpose and should be scrapped. In a blog posted originally on the Constitution Unit blog, and drawing on wider evidence of how fixed-term parliaments legislations works in other countries, Robert Hazell, Professor of Government and the Constitution at the Constitution Unit, argues that there is a danger that it is being judged prematurely, on the basis of a single episode. Future circumstances in which a Prime Minister seeks a dissolution may be different, and in these cases the Fixed-term Parliaments Act may serve as more of a constraint.
Month: April 2017
To catch up on our events from the Political Studies Association Annual Conference, take a look at our Storify recap: https://storify.com/psaparliaments/psa-parliaments-at-psa17
Marc Geddes discusses the reports of conflicts within the House of Commons Brexit Select Committee and how different committee members may interpret their roles.