BWS Politics Resources
The Economist is recommended reading for Politics students, especially A2 students as its American political coverage is so good. Their student subscription details are here
The Week is also a very good digest of UK and international news and comment - subscription details here
A2 students may also be interested in Time Magazine
BBC Parliament Blog: Mark D’Arcy
Guardian weekly Politics Podcast
BBC Radio Westminster Hour weekly political round-up
US Political cartoons from The Cagle Post (updated daily)
Democracy in America: The Economist's USA blog - highly recommended
NPR Politics podcast - lively regular podcast on the US election - highly recommended
Crystal Ball - on the prospects for future elections
The Monkey Cage - political science commentary and analysis of current affairs, in the USA and around the world. Also good for those interested in International Relations.
CNN State of the Union- good weekly podcast
The New Yorker political news, including good weekly podcast
Coalition and Constitution text version - ppt
AS Assessment sheet - pdf
AS Assessment sheet - word doc
Election 2017 analysis from AJE
Election 2015 Spreadsheet and Exercise Instructions
Constitution Unit on a recent problem for AMS in Scotland
BBC survey of referendums in the UK
The Constitution Society: The EU referendum and some paradoxes of democratic legitimacy
House of Commons Library report on 2015 General Election
UCL Constitution unit video - Vernon Bogdanor on referendums in the UK
LSE blog on how the EU referendum should be worded
Deliberative Democracy - could it be used more in the UK?
Democratic Audit: Is direct democracy effective? – calls for more use of initiatives
The Case Against Elected Mayors
Article on Tory factions in 2017
Conservative Home – influential blog
Lib Dem Voice - activist website
Union Chief warned Labour £3 votes would cause mayhem
Tory given 3 ballot papers in Labour leadership poll
Article: The Cost of Clean Politics
Miliband takes control of Labour candidate selection
Union gives Labour £1.5m for election
Unions race to sign up members for Labour leadership battle
Charities told to toe government line or lose funding
‘Expert’ fracking report written by activist
The Week in Parliament: BBC weekly report on events in Parliament
They Work for You – tools to follow Parliament and the work of individual MPs
BBC Parliament Blog: Mark D’Arcy
Article: a little chaterama with the chillaxed PM
Principles of the Constitution notes - Word Document
Constitution Unit: What does ‘Brexit means Brexit’ mean (if anything)?
The Constitution Society: The EU referendum and some paradoxes of democratic legitimacy
LSE article on Executive Dominance in the Scottish Parliament
"Dude Where's My Constitution?" - The Coalition and Constitutional reform - pdf
Economist article on Impact of European Courts
Article on Scotland and UK Supreme Court
Former Lord Chancellor Derry Irvine on the Human Rights Act and European Law
Media presentation with narration
UK 2015 Election analysis notes - pdf
LSE blog on the political leanings of UK newspapers
Interesting comparison of different pollsters' methodologies
Warning about misleading polling
By-Elections notes and data - pdf
Voting Behaviour data spreadsheet - xls
House of Commons Library report on 2015 General Election
Economist article on regional voting
Judiciary of England and Wales
Article: Abolition of control orders gave killer his chance
Former Lord Chancellor Derry Irvine on the Human Rights Act and European Law
Liberty on the Government's counter-terrorism proposals
EU presentation with narration
BBC Politics Europe – weekly round-up programme
2016 primaries presentation - full narrated version
2016 primaries presentation - pdf
Huffpost Presidetial Election polling
A2 Assessment sheet - pdf and Synoptic Assessment sheet - pdf
A2 Assessment sheet - word doc and Synoptic Assessment sheet - word doc
Congressional elections presentation with narration
Text version of Congressional elections, for printing - pdf
Washington Post - Comparing Trump’s performance in open and closed contests, primaries and caucuses
Washington Post: How Hillary Clinton did it the second time around
Washington Post: The Clinton-Sanders primary-caucus divide
Monkey Cage: The news media’s role in Trump’s rise
Ryan Lizza in New Yorker: What We’ve Learned About Trump’s Supporters
On Voter ID laws - intended as a partisan method to discourage voting?
Eric Holder's defence of voting rights (v good on the civil rights context of current controversies)
2012 & 2008 Elections
CNN 2012 election results pages
2012 General Election presentation - pdf
Real Clear Politics: 21 reasons for Obama's victory and Romney's defeat
2008 primaries presentation - pdf
GOP race starts in lavish haunts of rich donors
Article: Iowa's influence is now beyond a joke
G.O.P. Fears Infighting Will Take a Toll
Have Democrats Pulled Too Far Left?
West Virginia Democrat refuses to endorse Hillary Clinton
Washington Post article on divergence between Red and Blue states
MonkeyCage article: The GOP and the Fiscal Cliff Vote
Economist: Are the Republicans mad?
Economist: One of the last moderate Republicans quits
NY Times - Room for Debate: The Democrats Know This Script Well
NY Times - Republicans are more united than divided
Article arguing that the Republican party is an incoherent coalition, united only by hatred of Obama
Economist article: Political parties in decline?
Washington Post article on divergence between Red and Blue states
The Right aims big guns at RINO "traitors"
NY Times: Political endangered species
NY Times: Immigration poses threat to Republican unity
Can anything be done about Money in Politics?
Monkey Cage: Which kinds of campaign donations lead to more polarized legislatures?
GOP race starts in lavish haunts of rich donors
Article on recent e.g. of the revolving door from government to business
Another example of the revolving door - h/t Simon Grant
New Statesman article - Has the Israel Lobby lost its mojo?
The Capitol’s Spinning Door Accelerates - NYTimes
Article: The NRA's Star May Be On The Wane
NY Times: Who’s Financing the ‘Super PACs’ - Graphic
NY Times: Cancer Group Halts Financing to Planned Parenthood
The Outcome Of The Internet’s Blackout Against SOPA/PIPA | MoveOn.Org
Monkey Cage article: How Pressure Groups misrepresent the groups they purport to speak for
New York Times on the limits to campaign finance laws
NY Times: SuperPACS and lobbying
NY Times: Buying the Vote on GMOs
NY Times: American Trade Unions' effort to counter Republican groups
NY Times: Mitt Romney assures NRA of support
NY Times: GOP SuperPAC weighs hardline attack on Obama
NY Times: Political Dividends - on the finance industry as a pressure group
Economist: Corporate Lobbying - on the Chamber of Commerce
Insecure Majorities presentation with narration
Insecure Majorities as pdf for printing
Obamacare presentation with narration
Obamacare presentation text as pdf for printing
Indiana University’s Centre on Congress
GOP takes control of both houses of Congress in 2012
Parties & Partisanship in Congress
Problems of party leadership in the Senate
Pew Research: Congress and rising partisanship
Party line votes with graph to 2014
Partisanship scores for the 112th Congress
Partisanship scores for the 113th Congress
CQ Roll Call analysis of partisan voting in the 112th Congress
Role of parties in Congress - Powerpoint running as a pdf file
Is Congress Broken?
Why Congress can't get anything done
Wonkblog: Why we shouldn't worry about Gridlock
Why Congress might be more productive - and less polarized - than you think
BBC Viewpoints - different perspectives on whether American politics is broken
Ornstein and Mann article in Washington Post blaming GOP for gridlock and failure in Congress
Brookings Podcast: The Filibuster with Sarah Binder
Brookings: How to measure a dysfunctional, gridlocked Congress
West Wing turmoil over President Trump’s response to Charlottesville race clashes
Kelly and Tillerson picking up the pieces amid West Wing chaos
‘Mad Dog’ Mattis is willing to contradict his master’s voice
WaPo: Obama's Second Term Cabinet To Have Bigger Policy Role
Bloomberg: Why Doesn't Obama Use His Cabinet More?
WaPo: Why Clinton picked Kaine to be her running mate
Time: Donald Trump chooses Mike Pence as his running mate
New York Times: Many of Obama's advisers moving on
New York Times: The other power in the West Wing
Opinion Piece: Obama Isn't Finished Yet
Opinion Piece: Obama is a truly great president
Obama seeks War Power from Congress
US Escalating a secret war in Afghanistan
Inconvenient Truths in Afghanistan
Obama Urges Global United Front Against Extremist Groups
Obama Enlists 9 Allies to Help in the Battle Against ISIS
America’s hawks ride a mood swing that could send troops against Isis
Obama Ready to Authorize Airstrikes on ISIS in Syria
Airstrikes by U.S. and Allies Hit ISIS Targets in Syria
Obama loses defence chief in rift over Syria
Obama Makes His Case on Iran Nuclear Deal
Ukraine reports Russian invasion
USA and Israel fall out over "Two-state solution"
Loretta Lynch nominated for Attourney-General
DEA chief steps down amidst scandal - h/t Simon Grant
Senate fails to override Obama's Keystone veto
House Rejects Trade Measure, Rebuffing Obama's Dramatic Appeal
V.A. Chief Resigns in Face of Furor on Delayed Care
Obama Weighing Delay in Action on Immigration
After Election, Obama Vows to Work With, and Without, Congress
G.O.P. Is Divided as Budget Bills Start Piling Up
NY Times: The Limits of Executive Power
TOP READ - Times article on Obama's use of Executive power to bypass Congress
TOP READ - Ran Lizza on Obama's Executive decision making
Economist:: Can presidential appeals to the American public break Washington gridlock?
Economist on Obama's second inauguration - Coalition vs Tribe
Economist on the problems of choosing a Presidential running-mate
Vodcast: Professor Bruce Ackerman on Presidential power
Economist article on Obama’s use of executive orders
Senate delays in confirming Obama's Cabinet appointments
Supreme Court strikes down recess appointment power
Good article on the role of the Vice-President: argues that Biden has been unusually influential
NY Times on Presidents and Foreign Affairs
Constitution Center - v good for interactive text of constitution with commentary
Constitution.net - interesting articles on constitutional interpretation
Rockefeller Institute presentation - good on federalism under the Obama Administration (first few slides and the conclusions on p18 are key)
For the people who really, really want to know what Marbury vs Madison was about
Article on recent balanced budget amendment attempt
The Hill on the balanced budget amendment
Supreme Court presentation with narration
Supreme Court text version, for printing - pdf
Oyez – covering the US Supreme Court
Connell Law site providing summaries of recent Supreme Court cases
Compromise at a divided Supreme Court
Analysis of Supreme Court rulings: activism or restraint?
New York Times: Supreme Court Term, Striking Unity on Major Cases
Article on Judicial Activism and Restraint
New York Times on Chief Justice John Roberts
Jeffrey Toobin New Yorker article on how Citizens United was decided by the Roberts Court
New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin on Supreme Court nominees
Kagan Supreme Court appointment exercise - pdf
Article on the Supreme Court and business
Monkey Cage article: How much is the Supreme Court influenced by public opinion?
New Yorker article on Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The New Yorker on McCutcheon vs FEC
Possible War Powers Act lawsuit (h/t Julia Greenwood, our Canada correspondent)
ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union
NRA – National Rifle Association
Changing Culture Wars: Drug and Abortion Rights
NSA Bulk Phone Records Program Ruled Unlawful
Supreme Court Allows Use of Execution Drug
Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide
Edward Snowden write: The World Says No to Surveillance
U.S. Surveillance in Place Since 9/11 Is Sharply Limited
Limiting Rights: Imposing Religion on Workers
Supreme Court Hobby Lobby Ruling
Birth Control Order Deepens Divide Among Justices
Compromise at a divided Supreme Court
Supreme Court Says Phones Can’t Be Searched Without a Warrant
Gay Marriage Arguments Divide Justices
White House and Republicans Clash Over C.I.A. Torture Report
In Debate Over Patriot Act, Lawmakers Weigh Risks vs. Liberty
New York Times profile of Lakhdar Boumediene
New Yorker review essay on Lawrence vs Texas - v good on pressure group involvement in a key gay rights case
Article: Obama's abysmal record on civil liberties
New Yorker on Gun Laws and the Constitution
The 9/11 Trial: Justice Delayed
Drone Strikes: How a U.S. Citizen Came to Be in America’s Cross Hairs
Visions of drones swarming US skies hit bipartisan nerve
Military Tribunals: A Failed Experiment?
Forbes magazine on Affirmative Action case at the Supreme Court (h/t Patrick Ba-Tin)
NY Times: Obama speech to Planned Parenthood attacks recent attempts to curb access to abortion
NY Times: New laws ban most abortions in North Dakota
NY Times: Mississippi's only abortion clinic at risk
NY Times: Police using phone tracking as a routine tool
NY Times: article on the Supreme Court politics behind decisions to hear the gay marriage cases
NY Times: Boy Scouts Lift Ban on Gay Members
NY Times: Online Privacy and the Petraus Case
NY Times: Anti-Muslim Police Training
NY Times: Arizona's Barrier to the Right to Vote
NY Times: Supreme Court to hear Voting Rights Case
NY Times Op-Ed: Rewrite the Second Amendment
"Dude Where's My Constitution?" - The Coalition and Constitutional reform
Synoptic Constitutions 2015 - pdf file
BBC Democracy Live on a British Bill of Rights
Monkey Cage article arguing USA shouldn't move towards a Parliamentary system
Former NZ Prime Minister argues for a written constitution
Independent on Sunday article on codifying the UK constitution
Open Democracy satire on the UK constitution
Conservative Home article on codification
2011 Paper for the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
American Prospect on the weakness of a Presidential system
& Response from Economist blog
Article looking at comparing separation/ fusion of powers in a number of countries
Economist on European Constitution
Julia Greenwood's guide to Canadian Government & Politics
Synoptic Political Parties and Pressure Groups
Comparison of Anti-Austerity parties in Greece and Spain
Can Political parties be saved from extinction?
Monkey Cage comparing polarisation in different political systems
Monkey Cage on the changing Canadian party system
UCL Constitution Unit article- Synoptic Elected second chambers
Ornstein and Mann article in Washington Post blaming GOP for gridlock and failure in Congress
Synoptic Legislatures Booklet - pdf file
Vladimir Putin returns to the Presidency in Russia
Synoptic Elections Booklet - pdf
Article on how FPTP systems disenfranchise voters
Democratic Audit article looking at the most effective campaign methods
Britain's first Prime Ministerial Primary
US Gun rights compared to other countries
BBC Democracy Live on a British Bill of Rights
Gay couple in Mexican surrogacy stand-off
Charlie Hebdo, Before the Massacre