Constitutional Futures: A History of the Next Ten Years

Tony Blair has described the government's programme of constitutional reform as `the most extensive package of constitutional change ever proposed'. It will transform the political landscape, in ways which are not yet fully understood; and some of which the government does not intend. This book is a guide to the new political and legal system that will result.

The changes will include

greater checks and balances and greater separation of powers

a new territorial politics, with greater competition between the nations and regions of the UK

fragmentation of the party system, and the emergence of more regional political parties

a shift of power from Parliament to the courts, with more litigation against government, and between the new levels of government within the UK

changing concepts of citizenship and democracy

a more pluralist, consensus-building style of politics with more coalition governments and more minority parties in place of the adversarial two-party system.

These are just some of the themes explored in the Constitution Unit's new book, Constitutional Futures: A History of the Next Ten Years. It is a seminal piece of work, which should interest teachers and students of law and politics, opinion formers and policy makers, and all those involved in this period of unprecedented constitutional change.