How a Bill Becomes Law: A Plain Explainer
A bill is a proposed law that must pass through several stages before it takes effect. This explainer walks through the general legislative…
Liam Chen
392 reading now
Politics
Policy, power and elections — non-partisan coverage of how decisions get made.
189 stories
What Is Populism? A Guide to the Political Movement Reshaping Western Democracy
Populism has reshaped politics from the US to Hungary and India. Here is what political scientists mean by the term and why it keeps…
James Whittaker
435 reading now
The House of Lords Explained: What It Does and Why It Exists
The House of Lords is the UK's unelected second chamber. Here is what it actually does, how peers get there and why it has survived so long…
James Whittaker
426 reading now
What Is a Referendum?
A referendum is a direct public vote on a single question. This explainer covers how referendums work, the difference between advisory and…
Liam Chen
389 reading now
What Is Devolution in the UK?
Devolution is the transfer of certain powers from the UK Parliament to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This explainer covers how it…
Liam Chen
371 reading now
How UK General Elections Work
A UK general election fills all 650 seats in the House of Commons using first-past-the-post. This explainer covers constituencies, how…
Liam Chen
381 reading now
What Is the Civil Service and How Does It Work?
The UK civil service employs over half a million people and serves whichever party is in power. Here is how the permanent bureaucracy…
Liam Chen
388 reading now
How the US Electoral College Works — and Why It Is Controversial
The US does not directly elect its president. The Electoral College system means that winning the most votes nationally does not guarantee…
Liam Chen
438 reading now
The State of UK Housing: Why Building More Is Harder Than It Sounds
Labour has pledged 1.5 million new homes over this parliament and restored mandatory local housebuilding targets via the revised NPPF…
Liam Chen
461 reading now