Andy Burnham announced today that his constitutional responsibility for advising the Sovereign on ecclesiastical appointments has been transferred to the Lord Chancellor. This was necessary because, as a Roman Catholic, Burnham is barred from tendering this advice by s. 18 of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. S. 4 of the Jews Relief Act 1858 […]
Andy Burnham, the Premiership, and the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829
Andy Burnham, the Premiership, and the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829
12 Sep 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, economics of bureaucracy, economics of religion, Public Choice Tags: British constitutional law, British politics, Freedom of religion, religious discrimination
Saxony-Anhalt 2026
09 Sep 2026 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, Public Choice Tags: Germany
In the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a strong plurality of votes and seats in the state parliament. The outcome is not a surprise, given that polling in advance of the election had been picking up a surge for the AfD and a decline for the Christian […]
Saxony-Anhalt 2026
Audrey on Te Pati Maori’s bottom line
04 Sep 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, discrimination, law and economics, liberalism, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: 2026 general election, constitutional, law, racial discrimination
Audrey Young writes: Te Pāti Māori not only released a radical Treaty of Waitangi policy this week that would upend New Zealand’s democracy as we know it, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the whole policy was a bottom line, meaning it was non-negotiable. That means Te Pāti Māori would not sign up to a centre-left Government unless it…
Audrey on Te Pati Maori’s bottom line
Excellent constitutional ideas from ACT
03 Sep 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice Tags: 2026 general election, constitutional law
ACT have proposed a number of good constitutional ideas. They are: Add to the Constitution Act 1986: The Constitution Act is not supreme law. So putting these principles in there doesn’t impact any particular court decisions, but it is an important assertion of democratic values. ACT will add property rights to the New Zealand Bill…
Excellent constitutional ideas from ACT
‘The Logic of Political Survival,’ by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph M. Siverson & James D. Morrow
31 Aug 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, economic history, economics of bureaucracy, income redistribution, Public Choice, rentseeking
Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the political upheavals that followed, concerns have grown that many Western democracies face authoritarian pressure and are becoming less democratic. This shift has renewed interest in one of political science’s most influential frameworks for understanding democratic and nondemocratic rule: Selectorate Theory, developed by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph…
‘The Logic of Political Survival,’ by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, Alastair Smith, Randolph M. Siverson & James D. Morrow
Could Eisenkot form a minority government?
28 Aug 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, Public Choice Tags: Israel
From Tal Schneider in the Times of Israel: Gadi Eisenkot lays groundwork for a minority government, if necessary, to oust Netanyahu. The head of Yashar, that party that has been leading most polls in the run-up to Israel’s general election (27 October), is exploring the possibility of forming a government with fewer than 61 affirmative […]
Could Eisenkot form a minority government?
The 1934 German Head of State Referendum: A Pivotal Moment in Nazi Consolidation of Power
19 Aug 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, economic history, politics, Public Choice Tags: Nazi Germany
The 1934 German head-of-state referendum, held on August 19, stands as a crucial moment in the Nazi regime’s consolidation of power. Following the death of President Paul von Hindenburg on August 2, 1934, Adolf Hitler sought to solidify his grip on Germany by merging the offices of President and Chancellor, thus assuming the title of […]
The 1934 German Head of State Referendum: A Pivotal Moment in Nazi Consolidation of Power
The limits Una Jagose KC cannot name
11 Aug 2026 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, economics of bureaucracy, economics of crime, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice Tags: constitutional law
When former Solicitor-General Una Jagose KC told a Law Association breakfast on 2 July 2026 that New Zealand risks “sleepwalking” towards a collapse of the separation of powers, she framed herself as the constitution’s anxious guardian. The framing deserves scrutiny.
The limits Una Jagose KC cannot name
Italy is changing its electoral system (again)
28 Jul 2026 1 Comment
in constitutional political economy, politics, Public Choice Tags: Italy
Nicknamed the “Stabilicum” by the right-wing coalition government that introduced it, this would be the fifth major electoral reform in Italy since 1993.
Italy is changing its electoral system (again)
Inclusion of UNDRIP in India FreeTrade Agreement
03 Jun 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, economic history, economics of regulation, international economics, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: constitutional law
Oral submissions to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
Inclusion of UNDRIP in India FreeTrade Agreement
Lord Cooke’s Indictment
02 Jun 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, law and economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: constitutional law
This column was first published in LawNews on 1 June 2026. It continues a series examining the Supreme Court’s departure from the constitutional limits of judicial power. * Roger Partridge writes – The debate about New Zealand’s Supreme Court has been framed as a question about the current court – its composition, its appointments, its judicial philosophy. This column […]
Lord Cooke’s Indictment
SEZs as policy trial areas
29 May 2026 1 Comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, economic growth, economics of regulation, industrial organisation, law and economics, macroeconomics, property rights
A decade ago, I coauthored a report looking at how greater localism and subsidiarity could be achieved in a very centralised country where local councils have variable capabilities. We settled on policy trial areas. The basic gist was as follows. First, a community would pitch a policy trial area – a special economic zone – with different policy…
SEZs as policy trial areas
Thomas Poole and Elena De Nictolis: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
25 May 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy Tags: British constitutional law, British politics
After months of parliamentary debate, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (‘English Devolution Act’) received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The Act has important implications for the relationship between central and local government and the long-running ‘English question’ in UK constitutional politics. This post situates the Act within almost three decades of […]
Thomas Poole and Elena De Nictolis: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
Scotland 2026: A normal election for its MMP design
24 May 2026 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, Public Choice Tags: Scotland
The electoral system used for the Scottish Parliament is more restrictive than the Westminster parliamentary electoral system, and recognizing this characteristic is key to understanding the result of this election.
Scotland 2026: A normal election for its MMP design
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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