The Changing House of Lords, the Policy Impact of Parliament, and the Psychology of Political Elites
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Political Science
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Meg Russell (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Benton M
(2012)
Assessing the Impact of Parliamentary Oversight Committees: The Select Committees in the British House of Commons
in Parliamentary Affairs
Hazell R
(2012)
Pre-Appointment Scrutiny Hearings in the British House of Commons: All Bark, or Some Bite?
in The Journal of Legislative Studies
Meg Russell (Author)
Political legitimacy for an appointed senate? A qualified 'Yes'
in Senate Reform: Options and Comparative Perspectives
Meg Russell (Author)
'A parliament that bows and scrapes'?: The Westminster parliament's impact on government legislation 2005-2010
in Political Studies Association Conference
Meg Russell (Author)
The House of Lords and lessons for bicameralism
in Comparative Bicameralism and Lessons for Japanese Bicameral Reform
Meg Russell (Author)
Can parliament protect our liberties against the executive?
in The Convention on Modern Liberty
Meg Russell (Author)
A measurable difference: assessing the Westminster parliament's impact on government legislation, 2005-2010
in European Consortium of Political Research parliaments and legislatures conference
Meg Russell (Author)
Explaining parliamentary party cohesion: can social psychology help?
in British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Annual Conference
Meg Russell (Author)
Assessing the policy impact of parliament: methodological challenges and possible future approaches
in Political Studies Association Specialist Group Conference on Parliaments and Legislatures
Russel Meg
(2015)
Enough is Enough: Regulating Prime Ministerial Appointments to the Lords
| Description | A bigger bite of business |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | This week and next the Commons debates the proposals of the Wright committee - the select committee on reform of the House of Commons, chaired by Tony Wright. One of its central recommendations is that decisions about use of time in the chamber are opened up, with greater responsibility being handed to MPs. This would be exercised through two new committees representative of the chamber as a whole - a backbench business committee and a House business committee - in place of the 'usual channels'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.epolitix.com/house-magazine/housemag-article/newsarticle/a-bigger-bite-of-business/ |
| Description | A touch of ermine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview for BBC Radio Four |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Challenging fashionable cynicism and looking for the good in politics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on episode 1 of 'In Defence of Politics' series on BBC Radio 4 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Constitutional reform and parliament |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Two with Michael Crick in Tavistock Square |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Constitutional reform aspects of the 2012 Queen's speech |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Discussion of the constitutional reform aspects of the 2012 Queen's speech, as part of the BBC's coverage of the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Dr Meg Russell : written evidence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Written evidence to Great Britain Parliament Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill, Chair Lord Richard |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201012/jtselect/jtdraftref/284/284ii.pdf |
| Description | Electoral reform, parliament and the House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio Five Live |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | House of Lords and crossbenchers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio Four |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | House of Lords and standards |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC World Service |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | House of Lords and standards |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Two |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | House of Lords, bicameralism and life peers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC World Service |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | House of Lords, reform and the steel bill |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio Four |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | Lords reform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Letter to The Times The Times |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article3503114.ece |
| Description | Lords reform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on Radio 4 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Lords reform : the Joint Committee's report and its implications for wider debate |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | A presentation given at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Constitution, held on 16 May 2012 in the House of Commons. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Lords reform and rhetoric |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | A letter from Meg Russell printed in The Times insists on the usage of accurate information when dealing with delicate constitutional questions such as House of Lords reform. The Times |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article3077536.ece |
| Description | Mapping committees and the impact on government policy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Seminar for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. How has the Westminster committee system been reformed in recent decades? What was the role of the Wright Committee and what were its key recommendations? What is the impact of committees on government policy? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Memorandum by Dr Meg Russell, reader in British and comparative politics, Constitution Unit, Department of Political Science, University College London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Written evidence to Great Britain Parliament House of Lords Information Committee, Chair Lord Renton of Mount Harry |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldinformation/138/138ii.pdf |
| Description | Memorandum from Dr Meg Russell, reader in British and comparative politics, Constitution Unit, School of Public Policy, University College London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Written evidence to Great Britain Parliament House of Lords Leader's Group on Members Leaving the House, Chair Lord Hunt of Wirral |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldselect/ldleader/83/83.pdf |
| Description | New labour and the distribution of power |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to a Political Quarterly colloquium. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Oral evidence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Oral evidence was given by Dr Meg Russell on Thursday 23 February 2012 to Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons, Liaison Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmliaisn/uc1844-i/uc184401.htm |
| Description | Oral evidence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Oral evidence was given by Dr Meg Russell on 31 October 2011 to the Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill, Chair, Lord Richard. Dr Russell answered questions on the coalition's Lords reform proposals, drawing from her research into other countries' parliamentary systems and her analysis of the functioning of the House of Lords itself. Issues covered included how an elected House of Lords might compare to other elected second chambers in terms of its powers and strength relative to the Commons. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201012/jtselect/jtdraftref/284/284ii.pdf |
| Description | Parliament, speaker and the House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on LBC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Parliamentary reform, speaker and the House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Parliament |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Peer pressure : a century of Lords reform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Contributed to a television programme on BBC Parliament. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Peers deal on AV vote |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Two |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Referendum on House of Lords reform 'politically inevitable' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An internet video interview with The Telegraph |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9350524/Referendum-on-House-of-Lords-reform-politically-ine... |
| Description | Role and powers of the House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | An invited seminar for the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, discussing the prospects for Lords reform in the current political climate. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | |
| Description | Strengthening the British House of Commons : the unexpected reforms of 2010 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | On 10 June last year, the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the establishment of a new committee to look at reform of the House of Commons. The committee was to be chaired by the highly regarded backbench Labour MP Dr Tony Wright, who was a well-known advocate of reform. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/pubs/pops/pop55/c07.htm |
| Description | The House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on ABC Radio National |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | The House of Lords Appointments Commission, crossbenchers and parliament |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio Four |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | The Westminster Hour |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio Four |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | The difficulty of Lords reform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on Newsnight, BBC Two |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | The perils of Lords reform |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview - Expert analysis of the state of play and how realistic the minister's aspirations are is provided by Dr Meg Russell who as deputy director of UCL's Constitution Unit is widely regarded as the leading academic expert on Lords reform. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.politics.co.uk/podcast/2012/01/26/politics-co-uk-podcast-the-perils-of-lords-reform |
| Description | The reform that must be first on the table |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | This is in many ways a new parliament: we have a new state opening, a new and very different kind of government, and an unprecedented number of new MPs. But importantly, new parliamentary rules also kick in immediately, thanks to the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons (the 'Wright committee') in the last parliament. Already clear are key reforms regarding the choice of members and chairs of select committees. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.parliamentarybrief.com/2010/05/the-reform-that-must-be-first-on-the-table |
| Description | The role of bishops in the House of Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on Beyond belief, BBC Radio 4 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | They can't get a Lord in edgewise |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview on Canadian radio |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Trouble in store for coalition over NHS and Lords |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Time is running out for the government if it is to find time in the legislative programme for what is sure to be a hotly contested bill to reform the House of Lords. But having failed to change the voting system in the Commons last year, the Liberal Democrats are growing restless for a reforming constitutional policy change they can call their own. In the studio this week: Meg Russell, an expert on the House of Lords and deputy director of the Constitution Unit in the department of political science at University College London. Joining her is Dr Evan Harris, a former MP and now a Liberal Democrat activist and agitator on constitutional reform and health policy. The Guardian's Michael White completes the line-up. Also this week: as Lib Dem peer Shirley Williams consents to the NHS bill, we look ahead to next week's spring conference, where trouble is brewing over a health policy many feel goes way beyond the coalition agreement. And finally, our Washington editor Ewen MacAskill explains why he's heading to Ohio for next week's "Super Tuesday" primaries in the Republican nomination race to take on Barack Obama in November's election. He says the Mitt Romney is likely to cement his position as the front runner. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/audio/2012/mar/02/politics-weekly-podcast-nhs-lords-republicans |
| Description | What can we learn from other second chambers internationally? : do the reform proposals avoid the obvious pitfalls? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Primary Audience | |
| Results and Impact | Meg Russell assesses the Coalition Government's Lords reform plans in terms of both composition and powers, comparing the proposals to second chambers overseas. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/constitution-unit/research/parliament/house-of-lords/tabs/ERS_Pres_June_... |
| Description | Written evidence by Dr Ruth Fox, Hansard Society, Rt. Hon. Peter Riddell, Institute for Government, Dr Meg Russell and Prof Robert Hazell, The Constitution Unit (UCL) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Written evidence was given to Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Liaison Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmliaisn/writev/scp/scp1.pdf |
| Description | Written evidence submitted by Dr Meg Russell, deputy director, and reader in British and comparative politics, The Constitution Unit, University College London (P 250, 2010-12) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Written evidence was given by Dr Meg Russell to Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons, Procedure Committee |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmproced/writev/review/m3.htm |