Monthly Archives: August 2014

Should Carol Mills Be the Next Clerk of the Commons?

Posted on August 28, 2014 by jasonloch

It looks like Carol Mills, a senior official from the Australian Senate, has been chosen to be the next Clerk of the House of Commons. Mills’ appointment has raised more than a few eyebrows. The Clerk is supposed to act as … Continue reading →

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“A New Magna Carta” Part III: The Written Constitution

Posted on August 22, 2014 by jasonloch

The House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee has launched a public consultation on whether or not the United Kingdom needs a codified constitution. In order to jumpstart the debate, it has published a report that suggests three possible routes toward codification: … Continue reading →

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Guest Post: Boston College, Northern Ireland, and a Big Legal-Historical Clusterf*ck

Posted on August 14, 2014 by jasonloch

Editor’s Note: in today’s guest post, we will be taking a detour across the Irish Sea as Dr. Laura Weinstein discusses a thorny legal issue that led to the arrest of Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams. At the end of April, the … Continue reading →

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Cameron Crams More Peers into the House of Lords

Posted on August 11, 2014 by jasonloch

Last week, David Cameron announced 22 new appointments to the House of Lords. This means that the upper house will now have an astonishing 796 members (and that figure doesn’t include the 54 peers who have taken a leave of absence or are … Continue reading →

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Cracking a Nut With a Sledgehammer: The Public Worship Regulation Act 1874

Posted on August 7, 2014 by jasonloch

On August 7, 1874, one of the most ill-conceived pieces of legislation in history received Royal Assent. The Public Worship Regulation Act 1874 (37 & 38 Vict. c. 85) was a surprisingly un-Anglican attempt to stamp out liturgical pluralism, and it … Continue reading →

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Is It Worth Preserving the Queen’s Consent?

Posted on August 1, 2014 by jasonloch

A while back, the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee conducted an inquiry into the effect of Queen’s and Prince’s Consent on the legislative process. Its report displayed a marked ambivalence toward the practice of seeking Royal Consent, and it … Continue reading →

Posted in Monarchy in Britain, The Monarchy | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments