Making coalition government work seminar series

"This is NOT business as usual". That was the message from our first seminar on Making Coalition Government Work, held just nine days after the formation of the first coalition government since the Second World War.

Further to that event, at which senior civil servants from four countries shared their experience of multi-party governance, we are aiming to explore just how much things have to change in a series of seminars through July.

The media, the coalition and the consolidation - 1 July

First we are looking at the role of the media and how it needs to change to cope with the 'new politics'. This will include learning to cope with the compromises of coalition through to asking whether the media will be the factor that breaks the coalition apart - as it tries to force through the biggest fiscal consolidation in two generations.

Panellists are:

• Kevin Marsh, former editor of the Today programme
• Jenni Russell of the Guardian
• Ben Brogan of the Daily Telegraph

The impact on Parliament - 8 July

Next we turn to the question of what coalition will mean for the way Parliament operates and for the relationship between government and Parliament. Does coalition offer a chance for Parliament to be reinvigorated?

Panellists are:

• leading academic and parliamentarian Lord Norton
• senior Parliamentary officials from Westminster and Holyrood.

The political perspective - 16 July

Third we explore the political dimension and how coalition changes the way Ministers and political parties operate, with:

• Irish coalition Ministerial veteran Noel Dempsey
• former senior special advisers to Scottish and Welsh coalition governments
• key Cameron adviser and new MP Nick Boles as discussant. 

The pundit's view - 27 July

Finally we round the series off with the view from political pundits. BBC Newsnight's political panel will be forsaking the studio and joining us to share their views on how the coalition is doing so far.

Chair:

• Newsnight’s Political Editor Michael Crick.

Image: Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hold a joint press conference in the garden of Downing Street. 12 May 2010. Courtesy of The Prime Minister's Office Flickr photostream (some rights reserved)