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Robert Hazell

Professor of British Politics and Government & Director of the Constitution Unit, UCL
Robert's research interests cover the whole of the constitutional reform agenda. He has written widely on devolution in Scotland, Wales and the English regions; freedom of information; parliamentary reform and Lords reform; a British bill of rights; referendums; electoral reform; the Crown and royal prerogative; constitutional watchdogs; and the process of constitutional reform. He is a great believer in collaborative research and likes to build research teams around projects, and to write multi-authored books rather than monographs.

He was director of the 1999-2005 Leverhulme funded research programme into the Dynamics of Devolution, which had 12 projects and 25 partners. He continued with some of the same partners to direct an ESRC and government funded project monitoring the latest developments in devolution (2006-2008). His last collaborative venture with 20 partners was forecasting the shape of the constitution in 2020, published as Constitutional Futures Revisited. Following the introduction of freedom of information in 2005, he studied the impact of Freedom of Information on Whitehall (ESRC 2007-2009), and on local government (ESRC 2009-2011), and on Parliament (Leverhulme 2009-2011).

In anticipation of the 2010 election, Robert led a project in 2009 on Multi-Party Government, and then a study of the new coalition government (2011), and of Special Advisers (2012). From 2011 to 2014 he led a big collaborative research project into the Politics of Judicial Independence. His latest research projects involve work on the Monarchy (the Accession and Coronation oaths, and a comparative study of European monarchies); on Pre-Appointment Scrutiny hearings by departmental Select Committees; and the role of Non-Executive Directors on Whitehall boards.

Coronavirus: how Europe's monarchs stepped up as their nations faced the crisis

Apr 13, 2020 15:26 pm UTC| Politics

The British Queens address to the nation on Sunday, April 5 evoked huge interest, respect and widespread appreciation. Nearly 24 million people in the UK watched her deliver the four-minute speech, which paid tribute to...

Boris Johnson in hospital: constitutional expert on what this means for governance of the UK

Apr 08, 2020 12:43 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Since Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted to an intensive care unit, the airwaves have been full of speculation about how government is being conducted in his...

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: why half in, half out just isn't an option for royals

Jan 14, 2020 00:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

Prince Harry and Meghan Markles decision to step back from royal duties has been described as a crisis for the monarchy, but they are the ones who are most likely to suffer the damage. Members of the royal family are in...

Economy

South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks

South Koreas benchmark KOSPI index suffered a steep selloff on Friday as investors dumped technology and semiconductor stocks following Apples latest price increases and reports that OpenAI may delay its highly anticipated...

Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff

Asian stock markets closed sharply lower on Friday as investors took profits from this weeks technology-driven rally after Apple Inc.s decision to raise prices on several products reignited concerns about the...

Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion

Gold prices extended their decline on Friday, falling below the key $4,000-per-ounce level as a stronger U.S. dollar and growing expectations of additional Federal Reserve interest rate hikes continued to pressure the...

SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile

SpaceX is reportedly exploring a major expansion of its Starlink business by launching a Starlink-branded mobile phone service in the United States, a move that could position Elon Musks company as a direct competitor to...

Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook

Asian currencies traded within narrow ranges on Friday as the U.S. dollar paused after a strong weekly rally, while the Japanese yen remained close to a four-decade low amid lingering concerns over potential government...

Politics

Trump Administration Rejects Claims of Rift Between JD Vance and Marco Rubio on Iran Policy

President Donald Trumps administration is pushing back against claims of internal divisions over its Iran strategy after comments from Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to reflect...

US Approves $250 Million Fighter Jet Training Sale to Australia

The United States has approved a potential $250 million military sale to Australia, reinforcing the long-standing defense partnership between the two allies. The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that it had...

Johns Hopkins University Lays Off 110 Employees as Federal Research Funding Declines

Johns Hopkins University has announced the layoff of 110 employees following significant reductions in federal research funding, highlighting the growing financial challenges facing one of the United States leading...

Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher

Global oil prices climbed on Thursday after Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, reigniting concerns over Middle East tensions and...

Republican Lawmaker Introduces AI Incident Reporting Bill to Strengthen U.S. AI Safety

The United States could soon see new artificial intelligence regulations after Republican Representative Nathaniel Moran of Texas introduced the proposed AI Incident Reporting Act, a bill designed to improve transparency...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

OpenAI IPO Delay Weighs on SoftBank Shares as AI Valuation Concerns Grow

SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) shares tumbled sharply on Friday after a report suggested that OpenAI is considering postponing its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), delaying what many investors had expected to...

Apple Supplier Stocks Slide as Samsung, SK Hynix Lead Selloff After Apple Price Hikes

Apples major Asian suppliers came under heavy selling pressure on Friday after the iPhone maker announced significant price increases for its MacBook and iPad lineup, fueling concerns that rising semiconductor costs are...

Samsung, SK Hynix to Unveil Record AI and Semiconductor Investment Plans Worth Over $646 Billion

South Korean technology giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are preparing to unveil sweeping long-term investment strategies centered on semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and next-generation technologies,...

OpenAI May Delay IPO to 2027 Amid $1 Trillion Valuation Goal

OpenAI is reportedly considering postponing its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) until 2027 as it pursues an ambitious $1 trillion valuation. According to a report by The New York Times, company executives...

Kioxia Targets U.S. Listing as AI Chip Boom Accelerates

Japan-based Kioxia Holdings Corp. (TYO:285A) is preparing to launch U.S. depositary shares in the spring of 2027, a strategic move aimed at expanding its global investor base and taking advantage of growing enthusiasm for...