The European Parliament: An Environmental Champion Now and in the Future?
The European Parliament has been often been heralded as a champion of environmental policy within the European Union. Viviane Gravey and Jonas Schoenefeld consider how green the EU parties are, their prospects for electoral success, and the power that they will have in Parliament after the elections. If you care about…
From UEA’s walkways to Westminster’s corridors of power
Students from the University of East Anglia recently visited the Houses of Parliament as part of a Careers in Westminster and Whitehall event. They were able to hear from the experiences of current UEA alumnus working in and around Parliament. Maja Simunjak reflects on what she learnt from the day.…
Low voter turnout at Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in England and Wales: how it can be addressed
Elections for the Police and Crime Commissioners were first held in 2012 in England and Wales. The elections were undermined, critics argued, by low voter turnout. UEA student Sophie Hill looks at how turnout could be improved in the future. The voter turnout in the first Police and Crime Commissioner…
Britain and Euro-scepticism: understanding the fit
The British population’s views of Europe are shaped by wider attitudes towards Britain’s status and values. Unfortunately for the pro-Europe camp large numbers remain pessimistic and see disengagement as the answer, argues Dr. Michael Skey. Britain and Euro-scepticism seem to go together like fish and chips. Polling data consistently show that…
Tony Benn and the Living Art of Rhetoric
Tony Benn, the veteran Labour politician and campaigner, was widely praised for his oratory skills. Professor Alan Finlayson explains why Tony Benn was such a successful rhetorician. Tony Benn is dead. The tributes to him - quite rightly - are plentiful and generous. Significantly, despite the wide variation in assessments of his…
How to Win If You Are 1 Against 27: Can the UK Still Influence the Rest of the EU?
Dr. Adam Steinhouse argues that Britain has been able to achieve many policy goals and exert much influence in the EU. He will speak as part of the European Form Lecture Series at UEA, 5pm on 14th March 2014. In the United Kingdom the talk is still of a referendum on continued membership…
Postal voting and electoral fraud: a reply to Mawrey
Postal voting on demand has been in place in the UK for over a decade. It has often been suggested, however, that it facilitates electoral fraud. This claim was repeated yesterday by Richard Marrey QC. But while recent allegations of electoral fraud should be taken seriously, there is no evidence…
Molly Smitten-Downes, Eurovision and the launch of pop-stars: Ordinary people versus media people
Michael Skey is currently involved in a research project examining the Eurovision Song Contest, a music competition that attracts a global audience of around 170 million. As well as having an interest in how European and national identities are performed and discussed in relation to this media event, the research…
European Elections 2014: Question Time with the Eastern region candidates
[caption id="attachment_812" align="alignright" width="300"] UEA Broadcast Journalism students were among those to record the event[/caption] The University of East Anglia hosted a debate with some of the candidates (and sitting MEPs) for the European Elections 2014 in the Eastern region, UK. The debate was recorded at EPIC Studios in Norwich by…
Western Hubris and Events in Ukraine
Professor Lee Marsden questions whether the West can really lecture Russia for breaching Ukrainian sovereignty, given that the West has also breached the sovereignty of many states since the end of the Cold War. The peaceful invasion of Crimea by Russian forces has been roundly condemned by western leaders in a…