Author: psaparliaments

Argentina’s National Congress: Structure, Powers and Proceedings

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date February 27, 2019

In a new blog for our Parliament Overviews series, Florencia Corbelle introduces the Argentinian National Congress.

Tags Argentina, National Congress, Parliament overview

Blog

What will life be like in the Commons for the Independent Group?

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date February 20, 2019

On 18 February, seven Labour MPs resigned from the Party to sit as an independent group. Operating without the formal support of a parliamentary party they will face several institutional barriers to working effectively in the House of Commons, writes our Co-Convener, Louise Thompson.

Tags House of Commons, Independent MPs, Labour, Labour split, Opposition, Procedure, Small parties

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The House of Commons’ influence over military action: What can we learn from history?

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date February 13, 2019

Dr James Strong looks to history to understand the influence of the House of Commons over the UK’s use of military force abroad, in a blog from our recent Making Sense of Parliaments conference.

Tags House of Commons, Making Sense of Parliaments, military intervention, UK Parliament, War powers

Blog

Why organisational structures matter for digital public engagement

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date February 6, 2019

In a new blog from our Making Sense of Parliaments conference Nicole Nisbett and Cristina Leston-Bandeira discuss how digital public engagement is organised across different departments within the UK Parliament.

Tags Digital public engagement, Making Sense of Parliaments, Parliamentary Digital Service, public engagement, UK Parliament

Blog

Governing under pressure?

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date January 30, 2019

Is the psychological strain on MPs not only damaging to their health, but also threatening the health of our democracy? Dr James Weinberg discusses new research, with colleagues from political science and psychology, into the pressures on mental health and wellbeing that accompany political office

Tags mental health, MPs, parliament, Parliamentarians, Political psychology

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Why can’t some select committees get a female witness?

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date January 24, 2019

In their nearly-eponymous 1995 hit, Reverend Black Grape, I’m a Celebrity runners-up and Bargain Hunt cheats, Black Grape, asked ‘Can I get a witness?’ In 2019, why is it that some select committees seemingly find it difficult to get female witnesses to give evidence at their sessions? Some of the answer may well be found in the gendered make-up of the committees themselves.

Tags gender, gender balance, House of Commons, Liaison Committee, select committees

Blog

Constitutional Scrutiny by Parliamentary Committee

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date January 23, 2019

At a time of significant structural change, the UK’s constitutional and political arrangements face unprecedented challenges. There are strong arguments to be made for increasing the level of scrutiny of constitutional reform by accountable bodies, particularly through the vehicle of the Parliamentary Select Committee. Yet, the number of Committees tasked with examining constitutional matters has decreased; in particular, the Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee was not re-appointed following the 2015 General Election. Drawing on a detailed case study of the work of this unique committee, Dr Eloise Ellis examines the implications of its dissolution for the parliamentary scrutiny of constitutional reform more broadly.

Tags brexit, constitutional reform, House of Commons, PACAC, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, scrutiny, select committees

Blog

Explaining the e-petitions process to the public

Post author By psaparliaments
Post date January 16, 2019

How can we judge success or failure in relation to e-petitions to Parliament? Dr Catherine Bochel discusses a framework for assessing e-petitions, drawn from research in the National Assembly for Wales and Scottish Parliament.

Tags Academic fellows, e-petitions, House of Commons, National Assembly for Wales, petitions, Petitions Committee, Scottish Parliament