News and opinion

For the first time, a populist radical right force has swept away all the other political actors in England, shattering the traditional Conservative-Labour duopoly that has long characterised the UK political system. The implications of this shift, underpinned by unprecedented levels of voter’s choice fragmentation, cannot be underestimated. Read Arianna Giovannini on the causes behind the surge in support for Reform, and what could be done to address them.

A team of academics from the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh has received the 2025 Jacqui Briggs Prize from the Political Studies Association for outstanding contributions to advancing teaching and learning in political studies, for a course developed in collaboration with the Centre on Constitutional Change.

Davide Vampa analyses the shifting dynamics of Scottish politics in the wake of Reform UK’s rise and its unprecedented success in the 2025 English local elections. He argues that the SNP’s attempt to revive political polarisation – this time by targeting Nigel Farage’s party – may yield short-term gains but carries significant long-term risks. As traditional divides centred on constitutional issues weaken, new forms of populism are beginning to unsettle Scotland’s once-distinct political trajectory.

Prompted by a Constitutional Court decision to suspend the application of a recently adopted law, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska – one of the two Entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – initiated the drafting of a new constitution. The move has sparked considerable debate, particularly due to concerns over the constitutionality of several controversial provisions. The draft has emerged amidst escalating tensions between the RS leadership and BiH’s state institutions, a dynamic that increasingly challenges state-level authority as well as the Office of the High Representative.

Following today's release of the report ‘The Shameful Conquest of England’, read Ailsa Henderson's accompanying blog piece exploring the attitudes of the English to their neighbours in the UK, the mechanics of the Union, the UK’s relationship to the EU, and the governance of their own nation.

The majority of voters in England describe themselves as ‘angry’ or ‘fearful’ about British politics, according to new research co-published by the Centre on Constitutional Change. The research is published in the report ‘The Shameful Conquest of England’, co-authored by Professor Ailsa Henderson from the University of Edinburgh and Professor Richard Wyn Jones from Cardiff University.

At the heart of the debate over the relationship between age and support for Scotland seceding from the United Kingdom is a key question: do Scots become less likely to support secession as they age, or is the relationship due to differences between birth cohorts that persist over time?

Read Michael Keating as he explores shifting national identities, the inadequacies of traditional constitutional concepts, and the interplay of nationalism with social identities in Britain and Ireland. These topics are explored in greater detail in the new book, ‘Political Change across Britain and Ireland’, edited by Paul Gillespie, Michael Keating, and Nicola McEwen.

On 18th March, Liz Kendall outlined new reforms to UK social security policies. The UK social security system is generally considered to be highly centralised; however, through the Scotland Act 2016, the Scottish Government has developed various social security powers and responsibilities. Read Hayley Bennett and Kay Wiggan on what the UK Government reforms might mean for Scotland.