Monarchy and its constitutional role in the UK's parliamentary democracy has been the theme of a number of articles in our journal, Parliamentary Affairs, throughout the reign of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This special online collection from the archives draws together some of these articles, dating back to Her late Majesty's accession in 1952.
Sir Albert Napier (1953)
Wilfrid Harrison (1953)
Graeme C. Moodie (1956)
Vernon Bogdanor (1996)
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Sir Albert Napier (1953) | Download PDF
As Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department – now the Ministry of Justice – and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery for the decade preceding Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, Sir Albert had a unique perspective on the relationship between the Palace, Government and Parliament. Here, the former barrister navigates the intricate procedures, ceremonies and issues leading up to and surrounding Elizabeth II's inaugural parliamentary session, including Prorogation, the State Opening and the role of the Privy Council.
Wilfrid Harrison (1953) | Download PDF
The passing of the Independence of India Act in 1947 – just five years before the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II – preceded a period of significant constitutional change for Britain. In this article, Wilfrid Harrison explores how these changes developed in the years leading up to and throughout the 1953 coronation year, and the effect they had on the Coronation Service itself. Wilfrid Harrison was Professor of Politics at Warwick University and founder of the University's Politics Department.
Graeme C. Moodie (1956) | Download PDF
"[T]he monarchy does not govern, but must subordinate itself, in its public political activities, to those who do", writes Graeme Moodie in this article on the evolution of the relationship between Parliament and the Crown, published shortly after the Suez Crisis in 1956. Developments around the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Anthony Eden, Moodie explains, illustrate one of the "dangers" a monarch can face when tasked with appointing a new Prime Minister in the absence of an established alternative. Graeme Moodie was Professor and founding Head of the Politics Department at the University of York.
Vernon Bogdanor (1996) | Download PDF
Covering the cornerstones in British constitutional history – from William the Conqueror, through the signing of Magna Carta and the 1688 Revolution, up until the reported 1986 disagreements between the Palace and the Government over the latter's policy on apartheid – Professor Bogdanor analyses the development of the monarchy alongside parliamentary democracy, explaining how the relationship has shaped our modern system of government. Vernon Bogdanor is currently a Research Professor at the Centre for British Politics and Government at King's College London.
Parliamentary Affairs is the quarterly journal of the Hansard Society, published by Oxford University Press, and covers all aspects of representation and politics connected to parliaments and legislatures in the UK and around the world.
In this first "mini pod" of a series exploring one of the most controversial bills currently before Parliament — the proposed legislation to legalise assisted dying — Ruth Fox and Mark D’Arcy delve into the heated debates surrounding the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. This Private Member’s Bill has already ignited passionate discussions during its first Public Bill Committee sitting.
Stay informed with updates and analysis on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it moves through Parliament. Learn about the debates, procedures, decisions, and key milestones shaping the assisted dying legislation.
This week we highlight Professor Alexis Jay’s damning verdict on the Conservative government’s lacklustre response to child abuse inquiry recommendations and the first major test of Northern Ireland’s “Stormont Brake” under the Windsor Framework. Plus, we take a look at the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill and how it measures up to its German counterpart.
As MPs prepare to consider the detail of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - known as the assisted dying bill - this briefing highlights concerns about two clauses granting delegated powers to Ministers. These clauses address substances approved for assisted dying and its provision through the health service. It also examines the absence of a Delegated Powers Memorandum and its impact on effective scrutiny of the Bill.
With the Government still under pressure to set up an independent inquiry into child grooming gangs should Parliament have a role in setting up inquiries into state failures and national disasters? Currently, Ministers take crucial decisions about who should chair an inquiry and what its precise remit should be. But a House of Lords Committee last year proposed giving Parliament a greater say and adopting a more systematic approach to implementing inquiry recommendations.
