Policy, power and elections — non-partisan coverage of how decisions get made.
Despite the SNP's claims that Brexit would fuel independence support, polling shows Yes stuck at 45-48%. Economic concerns, currency…
The winter of 1978-79 saw Britain paralysed by strikes as public sector workers demanded pay rises above the government's 5% limit. Rubbish…
The separation of powers divides government into three branches, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, so that no single body…
Lobbying is the practice of trying to influence the decisions of government on behalf of an interest or cause. Here is how lobbying works…
A manifesto is the public list of promises a party makes before an election. Here is what a manifesto contains, why it matters after…
The civil service is the permanent body of officials that runs the machinery of government, whoever is in power. Here is how it works, the…
A think tank is an organisation that researches policy and tries to influence public debate and government decisions. Here is what think…
Select committees are cross-party groups of MPs that scrutinise the government and hold powerful people to account. Here is how they work…
A coalition government is one formed by two or more parties that agree to govern together, usually because no single party won a majority…
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