The Constitution Society is an independent, non-aligned educational trust. We promote public understanding of the British Constitution and work to encourage informed debate between legislators, academics and the public about proposals for constitutional change. We do not take any position on the merits of specific reform proposals, and we neither support nor oppose the introduction of a written constitution.
Although we are neutral about substantive constitutional issues, we strongly support due process and good government. We believe that constitutional changes should only be introduced to address genuine deficiencies, and only after careful analysis and broad consultation. Legislation should be properly prepared and clearly drafted, and Parliament given adequate time for scrutiny and debate. New laws which affect the structure of our constitution should be designed to meet the requirements of future decades, not the political interests of the government of the day.
The coalition government has an ambitious programme for constitutional change, including the introduction of fixed-term parliaments, a referendum on the AV voting system, the equalisation of constituency sizes and a move to a wholly or partly elected House of Lords. Our work over the next year will focus on encouraging thoughtful and informed debate about these proposals, all of which have major implications for our constitutional and political landscape.
The Constitution Society is a registered charity (number 1130843) established in 2009. We have no connection with any political party and we do not take any money from government. We rely for our funding on individual donations and grants from educational trusts and foundations.
Projects
The Reconstitution website is our main educational resource. It provides an impartial commentary on current constitutional debates, video interviews with politicians, lawyers and academics and forums for public discussion and comment. The site contains detailed background information about major aspects of the British Constitution, accessible to users without existing knowledge, and links to source material and the sites of other groups active in the constitutional area. Membership of Reconstitution is free. To register, simply set up a username and password.
- Deliberative polling on government proposals
Over the next few months we will be working with YouGov to conduct a series of deliberative polls which will explore public understanding of the main elements of the government’s constitutional reform proposals. Publication of the results will be a key element in our educational programme for 2010.
- Better Government Initiative
We provide The Better Government Initiative (BGI) with administrative and financial support. BGI is an independent and politically non-aligned organisation seeking to improve legislative standards and the conduct of government. The members of BGI’s organising committee, chaired by Sir Christopher Foster, are distinguished former civil servants, including Lord Butler, the former Cabinet Secretary, Sir John Chilcot, Sir Richard Mottram and Sir David Omand. Alongside many politicians and organisations, we support the recommendations of the BGI’s 2010 report on Good Government .
- All-Party Parliamentary Group on the British Constitution
We provide organisational and secretarial support for the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the British Constitution, chaired by Lord Norton of Louth. Most MPs and peers are not experts on constitutional issues or electoral systems; the APPG will work to broaden legislators’ knowledge base and improve the quality of debate on the government’s reform programme.
- Cambridge University Masters degree in Government
In the long term, the quality of government in Britain can be improved by better education of those planning a career in politics, public administration or political journalism. We have provided Cambridge University with start-up funding to develop a Masters programme in Government, which, if successful, will eventually lead to the foundation of a new School of Government. The first students will be admitted in the 2012 academic year.