Report

The Constitutional landscape

This report from UK think tank the Constitution Unit provides a concise overview of the current situation and possible reforms in 31 areas.

The Labour government came to power in 2024 proposing constitutional reforms in a number of areas. This followed a decade which often saw debates about constitutional topics arise. Some of the government’s planned reforms are already underway, further detail is expected on others, while debates about some long-running constitutional questions remain active.

The Constitutional Landscape: Options for Reform provides a concise overview of the current situation and possible reforms in 31 areas. It is written by experts who both research and have worked with policymakers on constitutional reform, Lisa James, Dr Patrick Thomas, Professor Alan Renwick and Professor Meg Russell.

The report is split into six parts, on parliament, government, the royal prerogative, devolution and the future of the Union, elections and public participation, and law, justice and the courts. It covers topics including: the legislative process; House of Lords reform; civil service reform; ministerial standards; international agreements; structure of the Union; governance of England; the franchise; party and campaign finance; and access to justice.

We hope that this report will be useful both as a picture of the current constitutional landscape and as a guide to how it might develop in the future.