Louise Thompson
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louisevthompson.bsky.social
Louise Thompson
@louisevthompson.bsky.social
1.2K followers 820 following 17 posts
Senior Lecturer in Politics @ Manchester uni, Co-editor of Parliamentary Affairs. Researching small parties and all things parliament.
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Reposted by Louise Thompson
uomsoss.bsky.social
🚨 New research in the @politicalquarterly.bsky.social from Dr @louisevthompson.bsky.social @uompols.bsky.social shows the House of Commons still works like it’s the 1950s — shutting smaller parties out and leaving millions of voters unheard.

www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/o...

@manchester.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
louisevthompson.bsky.social
It's been fab to put together the 2nd Ed of Exploring Parliament with @estrangeirada.bsky.social & @ameakin.bsky.social. In this @psa-parliaments.bsky.social blog we asked some of our (73!) contributing authors to reflect on the experience of writing their chapters psaparliaments.org/2025/05/09/t...
The benefits of bringing academics and practitioners together: Writing the second edition of Exploring Parliament – PSA Parliaments
psaparliaments.org
May 16, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
estrangeirada.bsky.social
We had the most brilliant launch of Exploring Parliament this evening at the Institute for Government! Thank you to all the panellists, all the guests, and most of all to @instituteforgovernment.org.uk for hosting us, truly appreciated 🙏😊. V special also to have our own students attending 😊1/2:
Panel at the launch of the book Exploring Parliament, hosted by the Institute for Government - from left to right: Chloe Mawson (House of Lords, Clerk Assistant), Dr Sean Haughey (Liverpool University), Dr Hannah White (Institute for Government) and Professor Meg Russell (Constitution Unit, UCL). Panel at the launch of the book Exploring Parliament, hosted by the Institute for Government - from left to right: Margaret McKinnon (House of Commons, Director, People and Culture Team), Professor Nick Allen (Royal Holloway University), Dr Hannah White (Institute for Government) and Dr Rebecca McKee (Institute for Government). Students attending the launch of the book Exploring Parliament, hosted by the Institute for Government - from left to right: Emily Carter, Isabella Elie, Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira, Lewis Rantell, Soleen Ali and Dr Alexandra Meakin. Guests enjoying the launch of the book Exploring Parliament, hosted by the Institute for Government.
May 15, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
conunitucl.bsky.social
NEW BLOG: Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `  

The editors of Exploring Parliament, @ameakin.bsky.social, @louisevthompson.bsky.social & @estrangeirada.bsky.social explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation.
Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `  
The editors of Exploring Parliament, Cristina Leston Bandeira, Alexandra Meakin and Louise Thompson, explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation
constitution-unit.com
May 1, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
EVENT | Book launch: 'Exploring Parliament'

📅Thursday 15 May, 17.30

Join us for the official launch of the second edition of 'Exploring Parliament', with a panel of the book’s authors to discuss their chapters and insights.

🎫Register:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/book-l...
IfG event banner for an event titled 'Book launch: 'Exploring Parliament'. The event is on Thursday 15 May from 17.30 to 18.30. Speakers include: Professor Nicholas Allen, Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway, University of London Dr Sean Haughey, Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool Chloe Mawson, Clerk Assistant at the House of Lords Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Margaret McKinnon, Director Member and Members’ Staff Services Team at the House of Commons Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London (UCL) The event will be chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.
April 22, 2025 at 10:28 AM
louisevthompson.bsky.social
Nothing better than seeing your besties win awards from @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social. Well done you two!!!! So well deserved. @estrangeirada.bsky.social @ameakin.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
rebeccamckee.bsky.social
Join us for the launch of the 2nd ed of Exploring Parliament, a new book bridging academic insights and real life experience to bring parliament to life for readers!

Register via the link below to watch the event online - 15 May 5.30pm
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/online...
Book launch: ‘Exploring Parliament’ | Institute for Government
An expert panel explore how Parliament works, who works there, and how this institution keeps evolving.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
April 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
uomsoss.bsky.social
📢 New book! Exploring Parliament gives a fresh, evidence-based look at UK Parliament

Co-edited by Dr @louisevthompson.bsky.social, Prof @estrangeirada.bsky.social & Dr @ameakin.bsky.social, this must-read explores formal & informal structures shaping Parliament today

global.oup.com/ukhe/product...
March 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
estrangeirada.bsky.social
Publication day! The 2nd edition of Exploring Parliament is out. Thank you to the 73 authors who brought academic and parliamentary practice expertise to the book; special thanks to my fab co-editors @ameakin.bsky.social and @louisevthompson.bsky.social 😊👇:
March 25, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
estrangeirada.bsky.social
Are Westminster Hall debates Parliament's best kept secret (as interviewee told us)? Despite 25 years old, we know little about it - here are four key findings for the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social from pilot research @louisevthompson.bsky.social and I have done: psaparliaments.org/2025/01/05/w...
Perspective of the room where Westminster Hall debates take place. Photo from: https://ukparliament.shorthandstories.com/cet-westminster-hall-debates/index.html
January 7, 2025 at 5:11 PM
louisevthompson.bsky.social
Is Westminster Hall parliament's best kept secret? Initial findings from mine and @estrangeirada.bsky.social research on Westminster Hall debates. psaparliaments.org/2025/01/05/w...
Westminster Hall: Parliament’s Best Kept Secret? – PSA Parliaments
psaparliaments.org
January 7, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
conunitucl.bsky.social
NEW BLOG: The controversial origins of centralised agenda control at Westminster

The 'Balfour reforms' established a core feature of the Commons: ministerial agenda control. This post explores whether, as has been claimed, it was adopted by consensus.
The controversial origins of centralised agenda control at Westminster 
The 1902 ‘Balfour reforms’ established a core feature of the UK House of Commons: ministers’ control of its agenda. In a new article, summarised in this blogpost, Tom Fleming, Simon Hix, and Radoslaw Zubek explore how this important change came about, and question the idea that it was adopted with cross-party consensus.
constitution-unit.com
December 13, 2024 at 6:05 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
psa-parliaments.bsky.social
@alexprior.bsky.social (London South Bank University) and @louisevthompson.bsky.social (University of Manchester) present ongoing research on how to judge success and effectiveness of impact strategies, using the case study of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
November 22, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
psa-parliaments.bsky.social
@estrangeirada.bsky.social (University of Leeds) and @louisevthompson.bsky.social (University of Manchester) share their interview-based research on Westminster Hall debates

"Parliament's best kept secret" (MP quote) or "overspill car park of debates" (Official)?
November 22, 2024 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
estrangeirada.bsky.social
On my way to the @psa-parliaments.bsky.social annual conference in Cardiff - presenting a paper with @louisevthompson.bsky.social tomorrow about Westminster Hall debates; we've become obsessed with these... looking forward to catch up with everyone: psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
psaparliaments.org
November 21, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
alexprior.bsky.social
Excited for @psa-parliaments.bsky.social's Annual Conference next week, presenting w/ @louisevthompson.bsky.social on 'strategic effectiveness of parliamentary member organisations'. Can't wait to hear talks on procedure, participation, and virtual/physical spaces. psaparliaments.org/annual-confe...
Annual Conference – PSA Parliaments
psaparliaments.org
November 17, 2024 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Louise Thompson
jacknewman.bsky.social
Our Special Issue in Parliamentary Affairs has been published:

'Instability and Inequality in the British State'
🔗 academic.oup.com/pa/issue/77/4

SI Editors: @jacknewman.bsky.social & Patrick Diamond
Journal Editors: @louisevthompson.bsky.social & Alistair Clark
Editorial: Instability and Inequality in the British State (Patrick Diamond and Jack Newman) The Asymmetric Power Model Twenty-Years On (Dave Marsh, Dave Richards, Martin Smith) Weaponising women and gender: Party appeals to women voters ahead of the 2024 General Election (Anna Sanders and Francesca Gains) Enduring Inequalities in British Politics: Muslim Women in the Labour Party (Farah Hussain) The Challenge of Devolved English Governance and the Rise of Political Spatial Inequality (Sam Warner, Jack Newman, Patrick Diamond, Dave Richards) The British Political Tradition and Constitutional Policy: The Offer of Deliberative Mini Publics (Steph Coulter, Rebecca McKee, Jack Pannell, and Jess Sargeant) An Unstable Union? The Conservative Party, the British Political Tradition and Devolution (Paul Anderson and Coree Brown Swan) Instability, Crisis, and Statecraft in Conservative Britain, 2010-2024 (Richard Hayton) The state of British policymaking: How can UK government become more effective? (Paul Cairney, John Boswell, Sarah Ayres, Catherine Durose, Ian C. Elliott, Matt Flinders, Steve Martin, Liz Richardson)
October 22, 2024 at 1:01 PM