I am a specialist in British and Commonwealth comparative politics, working primarily in the areas of parliamentary studies and public policy. My doctoral research focused on remuneration for political work, with an emphasis on the regulation of salaries and expenses of MPs in ‘Westminster’-style democracies. The project spanned themes of the economics of politics, the theory of independent regulation, as well as democratic accountability and the constitutional question of control of parliaments over their internal arrangements.
My current research programme as Bingham Fellow aims to produce an interdisciplinary approach to constitutional studies. This will respond to the need for a more polyarchic understanding of the constitution, in particular analysing the constitution from a parliamentary studies and policy and governance perspective.
Publications
Media
"What will a COVID-19 public inquiry look like and what might it conclude?". LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, May 6th, 2020.
“Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar: (mis)connecting Brexit and the Expenses Scandal”. PSA Parliaments Blog, 3rd April, 2019.
“Why Do We Care What Our Politicians Get Paid?”. Democratic Audit Blog. Democratic Audit UK, 13th November, 2018.
“Harassment and Bullying at Westminster: the Independent Complaints and Grievance Policy, Parliamentary Standards Investigations, and the MPs’ Expenses Scandal”. PSA Parliaments Blog, 23rd July, 2018.
“http://www.democraticaudit.com/2018/06/14/reproducing-the-political-class-how-socialisation-makes-mps-more-loyal-to-their-parties/”. Democratic Audit Blog. Democratic Audit UK, 14th June 2018.
“Socialising new British MPs: the role of good advice in cultivating legislators’ loyalty norms”. PSA Parliaments Blog, 15th November, 2017.
with Felix-Christopher von Nostitz, “Surveys from 38 years apart reveal changing face of student vote”. The Conversation. July 4th, 2017.
Journal articles
“Advice Giving and Party Loyalty: an Informational Model for the Socialisation Process of New British MPs”. Parliamentary Affairs, Volume 71, Issue 2, 1 April 2018, Pages 343 -364
Book Chapters
“The United Kingdom” in Europa Publications. Europa Regional Surveys of the World 2021. Vol 7: Western Europe. Routledge, December 18, 2020.
with Nicole Bolleyer, “[Compensation for Political Work in Ireland: favorable conditions, but dependent on economic context]” in Le Saout, Rémy (ed.), La rémunération du travail politique en Europe. Berger-Levrault. May, 2019.
with Nicole Bolleyer and James Mitchell, “[Compensation for Political Work in the UK: from self-regulation to stricter control]” in Le Saout, Rémy (ed.), La rémunération du travail politique en Europe. Berger-Levrault. May, 2019.
Conference/working papers
“Tocquevillian Restraint or Millian Profiteering?: parliamentary remuneration in long term comparative perspective”, 14th Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians, 27-28 July 2019.
“The Economy of Elite Politics: What determines how much Politicians get paid?”. UCL Public Policy Research Network, Graduate Workshop. 14 June 2019.
“From Representation to Meritocracy: conceptions of parliamentary work and the political class in the Boyle Committee reports, 1971-1979”. 69th PSA International Conference, Nottingham, 15-17 April 2019.
“Accountability in the Regulation of Elite Politics: parliamentary expenses regulators in the UK and Australia”, ECPR Joint Sessions, Nicosia 10-14 April 2018.
“Parliamentarians and their Regulators: dilemmas of accountability and credibility inside ‘the regulatory state within Westminster”. 68th PSA International Conference, Cardiff, 26-28 March 2018.
“Advice-Giving and Party Loyalty: An Informational Model for the Socialisation Process of New British MPs” Association Française de Science Politique Congress, Montpellier, 10th-12th July 2017.
“Independent Regulation of Political Actors: symptom or solution to the problem of public distrust in the ‘political class?”. University of Exeter Doctoral Conference. 12 June 2017.
“Advice-Giving and Party Loyalty: The Role of Information Acquisition in the Socialisation Experiences of New British MPs”. ECPR Joint Sessions, Nottingham, 25-30 April 2017.
Book Reviews
“Checkbook Elections?: Political Finance in Comparative Perspective”, Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, 57:1, Dec 2018.
“Party rules? Dilemmas of Political Party Regulation in Australia”, Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, 56:2, Feb 2018.
