The story of parliamentary reform is about the nature of the British political system, about how the government seeks to expand its control over parliament, and about how parliament discharges its duty to scrutinize the executive and hold it to account. This book charts and analyzes the course of Westminster reform since 1997, placing it in the historical context of previous parliamentary reform.  Significantly, the book examines parliamentary reform through the lens of institutional theory, in order not only to describe reform, but also to interpret and explain it. It also draws on extensive interviews conducted with MPs and peers involved in the reform of parliament since 1997, thus offering a unique insight into how these political actors perceived the reform process in which they played a part. Written by an emerging authority in the field, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the trajectory and outcome of the reform of parliament, along with an incisive and original interpretation of that reform and its implications for our understanding of British politics.

The story of parliamentary reform is about the nature of the British political system, about how the government seeks to expand its control over parliament, and about how parliament discharges its duty to scrutinize the executive and hold it to account. This book charts and analyzes the course of Westminster reform since 1997, placing it in the historical context of previous parliamentary reform.  Significantly, the book examines parliamentary reform through the lens of institutional theory, in order not only to describe reform, but also to interpret and explain it. It also draws on extensive interviews conducted with MPs and peers involved in the reform of parliament since 1997, thus offering a unique insight into how these political actors perceived the reform process in which they played a part. Written by an emerging authority in the field, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the trajectory and outcome of the reform of parliament, along with an incisive and original interpretation of that reform and its implications for our understanding of British politics.