How Washminster is developing

Washminster will be developing further - it has since March 2007 concentrated mainly on Washington and Westminster matters. It has also provided course and revision materials for students of Law and Politics - again with the emphasis on UK & US Constitutional Law plus British and American Politics.

Washminster will continue to highlight developments in, and the background to these important areas. In fact it will extend its coverage. But, in addition, it will take on two further areas - The European Union and France. Next year will be a particularly interesting one for France - there will be both Presidential and Legislative elections. The additional coverage will particularly complement studies of EU Law; EU Politics and French Politics and Constitutional Law. I have taught EU Law on undergraduate Law for the last 21 years; European Institutions and Politics on politics courses - and myself studied Droit constitutionnel through the Universite de Poitiers.

This blog is aimed at readers interested in the workings of the democratic institutions of the USA, UK, France and the EU. An appreciation of history really helps understanding of where we are today - so I include many posts about historical matters.

It is also designed to provide an extra resource for students of Law and Politics. I currently teach on three of the Open University courses - Y166 Starting with Law (a taster course); W200 - Understanding Law (first of the LL.B. Law Degree courses - covering English Legal System; EU Law; Legal research and tasters of Constitutional Law; Tort and Contract) and W201 - The Individual & the State (UK Constitutional Law, Administrative Law; Human Rights Law and Criminal Law). I have also taught politics at Leicester University (undergraduate and Masters courses) and to American students on Educational Programmes Abroad courses.

If you are a student, I hope you will find this blog useful. Please don't hesitate to sent me any comments or questions.

If you know of someone who might find this blog complementary to their studies - please share with them the details of the blog.

In addition I operate a news retweeting service - WM_Alert.

Recall of Parliament

The House of Commons meets today for its second recall this recess. The Commons were recalled on the first day of the recess to discuss the Phonehacking scandal. The Lords hadn't broken for their recess. Both Houses will return for the day.

The recall of the House of Commons is covered by Standing Order 13 (Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business) - available here.

13.—(1) Whenever the House stands adjourned and it is represented to the Speaker by Her Majesty’s Ministers that the public interest requires that the House should meet at a time earlier than that to which the House stands adjourned, the Speaker, if he is satisfied that the public interest does so require, may give notice that, being so satisfied, he appoints a time for the House to meet, and the House shall accordingly meet at the time stated in such notice.
 
(2) The government business to be transacted on the day on which the House shall so meet shall, subject to the publication of notice thereof in the order paper to be circulated on the day on which the House shall so meet, be such as the government may appoint, but subject as aforesaid the House shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to the day on which it shall so meet, and any government order of the day and government notices of motions that may stand on the order book for any day shall be appointed for the day on which the House shall so meet.

(3) In the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Chairman of Ways and Means, or either Deputy Chairman, shall act in his stead for the purposes of this order.

The recall of the House of Lords is covered by Standing Order 17 (Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business) - available here.

(1) If, during any adjournment of the House, the Lord Speaker, after consultation with Her Majesty’s Government, is satisfied that the public interest requires that the House should meet at a time earlier than that appointed, he may signify that he is so satisfied and notice shall be given and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in the notice, as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.

(2) If the Lord Speaker is unable to act for the purposes of this Standing Order, the Chairman of Committees, after consultation with Her Majesty’s Government, may act in his stead.

In the past Parliament has been recalled to discuss the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA (2001); Iraq and weapons of mass destruction (2002) and the Falklands War (1982).

The House of Commons will meet at 11.30 for a statement from the Prime Minister on the riots and a second statement on the economy. The Lords will meet at 12.00.

Britain and the American Civil War

I subscribe to C-SPAN's "After Words" podcasts. There are some excellent in- depth interviews with authors about the books they have written. At the moment I am listening to Amanda Foreman talking to Eric Foner about her book "A World on Fire: An Epic History of Two Nations Divided". The book looks at British volunteers in the civil war. It can be watched on http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Forem

As Foreman says at one point in the discussion - "there are layers upon layers here". It looks at different attitudes within Britain to the two sides of the war. There was much support in England for the confederacy (a fact that wasn't highlighted in the English histories I read as a youngster!). There is also a mirror of the divisions which have affected Ireland.

A fascinating problem - which ever side of the Atlantic you live on!

An Amazing Lawyer

John Farrell, the author of the excellent "Tip O'Neill and the Democratic Century" has a new book aout. In it he recounts the life and career of attorney Clarence Darrow (1857-1938).

Darrow was one of the greatest defence attorney's in history. He is particularly celebrated for his representation of Tennessee teacher John Scopes, who taught evolution in a public school and was tried for his curriculum in the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Over the last year I read Donald McRae's book about Darrow and watched the film "Darrow" starring Kevin Spacey. I'm a great admirer of Farrell (his book on Tip O'Neill was an excellent background read - with some real gems which has provoked further research - for my own studies) - and will be adding it to my wishlist.



The book is available as an e-book. This can be used on a Kindle - or on an iPad using the free Kindle app







(E-book)

The Young Guns

Washington Post video discussing the "Young Guns" (House Majority Leader Eric Cantor; House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan



Their book of the same title gives an invaluable insight to their thinking and strategies.