Parliament and the political process

The wider political and constitutional context in which government operates is of great importance for determining the effectiveness of the executive itself. We are examining how this context is changing – in particular following the inconclusive election of May 2010 and formation of the coalition that followed – and the implications of these developments.

Projects in this theme

Accountability for public services
Changing how public services are held to account is a key objective of the coalition's approach to government. We aim to analyse how the different aspects of accountability could work, and highlight unforeseen hurdles.
Accountability in central government
The Institute for Government is launching a new strand of work on accountability in central government.
Government renewal
Background
Innovations in candidate selection
The way political parties select candidates affects the diversity and experience of parliamentarians and the government. We are looking at how innovative forms of selection might encourage broader participation.
Making coalition government work
In May 2011 we published 'One Year On: The first year of coalition government'. The report assesses the first year of the coalition, identifies lessons learnt, and identifies the major challenges on the horizon.
Managing changes of government
May 2010 was one of the most dramatic UK general elections in recent decades. How effectively was the transition to a new government handled, and what lessons should be learnt for the next change of government?
The evolving role of select committees
Select committees have been empowered to hold pre-appointment hearings with government nominees for major posts. What benefits have these reforms brought, and should parliament’s role be enhanced further?
The future of devolution
Our research addresses the key questions evolving in the devolution debate: what will the next phase look like? how should it be financed? how will the civil service and government across the UK adapt to further change?