The Speaker has announced the resignation of the Clerk of the Commons, Tom Goldsmith, with a successor to be identified by summer recess. So, it's a good time to read @marcgeddes.uk & me on the challenges of this job and the chaotic recruitment process in 2014 🙌 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
It looks a bit cold out there!!
More MPs are coming off X and I assume that means they will be posting more on here
@politicshome.bsky.social has a handy list of all the MPs on Bluesky
Please point out anyone who is missing!
I’m organizing (late) a panel on gender & political parties in Southern Europe for the upcoming @ecpr.bsky.social general conference, for the linked section. Please contact me (see profile) if you would like to be included. Deadline is Friday, so pls contact me asap. Thanks! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...
Call for Papers open! The ECPR General Conference is taking place in September in Krakow and our section (organised by @sophsuda.bsky.social and @ortuttnauer.com) is open for papers! Please submit by 5 Jan! Full details on our section are here: ecpr.eu/Events/Event... 🦉
👏 Congrats to Eliza, one of our Undergraduate Essay Prize winners from @uoe-sps.bsky.social!
Put forward for the prize by @marcgeddes.uk !
#PSAParl25
🎉 Many congratulations to @saradybesland.bsky.social for winning Best Paper Prize at the @ecpr.bsky.social General Conference 2025! Her paper is entitled "Misrepresented or Miss Represented?" focusing on gender and policy responsiveness, praised for its contribution and creativity! Well done! 🥳
I was honoured to sit alongside such an esteemed panel of experts - @conunitucl.bsky.social's Director, Meg Russell, and @stephenholdenbates.bsky.social - to give evidence to the Procedure Committee on electing chairs to select committees: committees.parliament.uk/event/25243/...
Our Director, Meg Russell, gave oral evidence to @commonsproccom.parliament.uk yesterday with @marcgeddes.uk and @stephenholdenbates.bsky.social.
She was positive about select committee chair elections, but highlighted problems with select committee member elections.
Find out more 👇
In the foreground an audience watching and listening to a discussion on a stage with three people. In the background a large image with lots of hands in different colours and the letters “esff”
Discussing 50 years of Spanish democracy featuring @edinburghpir.bsky.social’s @oliverescobar.bsky.social! Really interesting themes around change and continuity
Excellent job opportunity in the SPARK project👇
For full information about the SPARK research project, please visit our website: www.project-spark.net. You can also send me or @ewanrobo.bsky.social a message or email if you have any questions!
The fellow may focus on:
🇩🇪 Qual and quant research on the German/Bavarian parliaments
🇬🇧 Qual and quant research on the UK/Scottish parliaments
🔢 Quant research on the UK, Scottish, German and Bavarian parliaments
🌟 Research in another combination as designed by you (inc. the cases above)
🚨 Job Opportunity! 🚨 Applications are now open for a new 2.5-year postdoc at @edinburghpir.bsky.social to examine how parliaments gather, analyse and use different types of knowledge - see the full job listing here: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
It was fascinating to listen to this lecture in the Scottish Parliament yesterday evening and grateful for the @studyofparl.bsky.social hosting the annual lecture in Scotland! Link to recording below - well worth listening for anybody interested in British politics
The White Tower - a circular tower with the Greek flag at the top, trees to the left and right with grass in the foreground
Dawn at the shore - blue sky in the top half, water in the bottom half, shoreline in the middle
Made it to #ecprgc25! Beautiful location amongst great discussions in the @sgparliaments.bsky.social panels! Looking forward to catching up with the SG on Knowledge and Governance later too!
👋🏻 Welcome to those attending the ECPR General Conference #ecprgr25! Our section this year is action-packed with panels every day of the conference - here is an outline of what to expect:
This moment never ceases to excite. Out in shops on 9 Sept...
Most parliaments have committees that work like this. Yes it would allow specialisation but it will create new problems. The magic of sel coms is their independence without limelight or interest from parties leaders. My fear is this would be destroyed if they were tasked with legislative scrutiny
Breaking news from the BBC: voting age to be lowered to 16 across UK by next general election
With @eichhornjan.bsky.social at an event with young campaigners
The UK government proposes to lower the voting age to 16 #vote16 This is a landmark moment for all the young people (+ some older ones) who campaigned for this for years. It's been a privilege to work & do research with young people on #VotesAt16 in Scotland and Wales www.jrrt.org.uk/evidence-and...
Having researched #Vote16 for 13 years, knowing the evidence and, crucially, meeting so many fantastic young people, I am very happy that #VotesAt16 will become reality across the UK! I hope that our research (@chuebner.bsky.social) has been useful to some.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
For folks newly interested in 16 year olds voting can I recommend years of scholarship by @eichhornjan.bsky.social in Scottish setting
Also, in 2014 indyref the risk survey showed youngest members of electorate were our ideal deliberative citizens, most open minded in their info sources
I was interviewed on Today in Parliament on Radio 4 on Friday, discussing how the assisted dying bill might fare in the House of Lords.
Listen here (around 7 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Congratulations to all our Politics and International Relations (and dual Honours) graduates! It was great to celebrate with you!
Conference presentation with rows in the foreground with people listening to a presenter towards the back of the picture
A group of political scientists are standing under the cover of trees at a wine reception on a concrete concourse
A presenter is pointing at slides while giving an overview of her research, with lots of people in the audience sitting in rows to listen and make notes
An auditorium with lots of people in the audience listening to a panel at the front of the room talking
Thank you to everybody that attended our #sgop25 conference last week - here are some of the highlights:
Do you know who the statue is depicting? I took a pic of it too but then realised I have no idea who it is or what it represents!
Man (me) on left in dark green shirt taking ridiculous selfie in front of bushes, a white fountain, trees and the Catalan Parliament building.
Parliament building - arches at the bottom, balcony and tall windows in the middle, and two round windows towards the top. Building is reddish/sandstone in colour. Blue sky.
Bronze statue of someone that looks a bit like Peter Pan, in a robe holding a shield
Plenary chamber of the Catalan parliament, with lots of red/wooden rows in the foreground, marble pillars and arches to the side, and a podium in the centre. Catalan and Spanish flags at the back of the hall. Two massive chandeliers provide lighting in the middle.
It’s been a while since I visited a new one… #lovinglegislatures
Conference panel description
Conference panel description
Our 2pm panels will focus on accountability, youth representation, the role of the opposition and moral/religious issues in parliaments #sgop25
Months of planning finally coming to fruition and so excited for all the discussions from tomorrow onwards about all things parliaments 🥰 #sgop25
This was only 9 months ago:
