Stretched but not snapped: constitutional lessons from the 2010 coalition government in Britain

Barber, Stephen

doi:10.1080/14662043.2014.959287

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The coalition government formed in 2010 between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, created pressure on the convention of collective ministerial responsibility, which was 'stretched, but not scrapped.' 8 The hung parliament which resulted from the 2010 election left the Conservatives short of an overall majority. A formal coalition agreement covering most areas of domestic and foreign policy was reached with the Liberal Democrats.…”

Section: The Challenge Of Coalition Government 2010-15mentioning

confidence: 99%

Collective Ministerial Responsibility in British Government: the Testing of a Convention, 2010–2019

Kippin¹,

Pyper²

2021

Political Quarterly

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The functioning of the convention of collective ministerial responsibility in British government during the period 2010–19 is assessed by examining, in turn: the convention's historical context, its operation during the period of the 2010–15 Conservative‐Liberal Democrat coalition government, and its application during 2015–19 in the extraordinary circumstances of the Brexit fissures. The key variables and causal factors which historically affected the implementation of the convention continued to have relevance in this period, during which it further evolved under the relative tensions of coalition politics and the more severe strains of fundamental policy differences on a matter of strong political salience. In spite of the stresses placed upon the convention's operation during this extraordinary period, it remains viable as a core feature of the constitution.

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Section: The Challenge Of Coalition Government 2010-15mentioning

confidence: 99%

Collective Ministerial Responsibility in British Government: the Testing of a Convention, 2010–2019

Kippin¹,

Pyper²

2021

Political Quarterly

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“…135-136). The meso-convention has therefore been modified, or 'stretched' (Barber, 2014) over time so ministers are now only expected to resign if they in some way directly contributed to the maladministration that occurred.…”

Section: Modification Of Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Dynamics of Constitutional Conventions in Westminster Democracies

Barry

Miragliotta

Nwokora

2018

Parliamentary Affairs

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Constitutional conventions are fundamental to the operation of Westminster democracies. However, despite their political significance, there have been few attempts to analyse and theorise their internal dynamics. This article aims to address this gap by identifying the triggers of constitutional ‘softening’, when the opportunity for convention change emerges; and examining how such moments interact with the particular properties of a convention to determine its change trajectory. We argue that the change trajectories of constitutional conventions are not entirely unpredictable but can be traced to particular kinds of change events and the particular set of features inherent to that convention.

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“…As a consequence Oppositions tend to attack unpopularity rather than attempt to improve policy. The model promotes rational choice over deliberation and exaggerates differences between parties even in coalition (Barber, 2014b;Norton, 2013). The consequence is an emphasis on vote amid an arms race of unrealistic promises made to the electorate which in economically precarious times fuels resentment.…”

Section: The Referendum Campaign and The Westminster Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Institutional reform to the Commons, Lords and regions has been on the agenda in recent years (Barber 2014b(Barber , 2014cBogdanor, 2005Bogdanor, , 2009Flinders, 2010;Shaw and Robinson, 2007) and while there have been some developments, significant change has been resisted successfully by the political establishment. The combining of theory in this article argues that what is usually termed 'constitutional reform' can be viewed as more than an issue for 'political anoraks' as is sometimes portrayed and has implications for economic success, inclusiveness and the vibrancy of regional business environments.…”

Section: Conclusion: What Are the Implications For Policy And Systemimentioning

confidence: 99%

The Brexit environment demands that deliberative democracy meets inclusive growth

Barber

2017

Local Economy

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This article proposes the convergence of two concepts both as intrinsically useful and to help explain the ‘Brexit environment’. Deliberative democracy and inclusive growth have existed separately in different disciplines and this article identifies and combines their core virtues for the first time to argue that it is difficult to conceive of a deliberative democratic system that fails to enable inclusive economic growth. It reassesses the divisions exposed in the wake of the referendum on UK membership of the EU to demonstrate the deliberative and inclusive shortcomings of Britain’s political economy and shows the weakness of the Westminster model which has myopically focussed on aggregate economic outcomes and vote at the expense of broader participation and voice. As a result many citizens have found themselves excluded and opportunities for innovation, enterprise and skill development inhibited. To achieve more sustainable business, a stronger economy and greater social justice the article concludes normatively with the case for reform in the direction of a more deliberative democracy set in local economies capable of widening participation in economic success.

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Stretched but not snapped: constitutional lessons from the 2010 coalition government in Britain

Cited by 5 publications

References 22 publications

Collective Ministerial Responsibility in British Government: the Testing of a Convention, 2010–2019

Collective Ministerial Responsibility in British Government: the Testing of a Convention, 2010–2019

The Dynamics of Constitutional Conventions in Westminster Democracies

The Brexit environment demands that deliberative democracy meets inclusive growth

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