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The UK political system has long exemplified 'majoritarian' or 'Westminster' government, a type subsequently exported to many Commonwealth countries. The primary advantage of this system, proponents since Bagehot have argued, lie in its ability to combine accountability with effective governance. Yet under the Blair administration, this system has undergone a series of major constitutional reforms, perhaps producing the twilight of the pure Westminster model. After conceptualizing the process of constitutional reform, this paper discusses two important claims made by those who favor retaining the current electoral system for Westminster, namely that single-member districts promote strong voter-member linkages and generate greater satisfaction with the political system. Evidence testing these claims is examined from comparative data covering 19 nations, drawing on the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems. The study finds that member-voter linkages are stronger in single member than in pure multimember districts, but that combined districts such as MMP preserve these virtues. Concerning claims of greater public satisfaction under majoritarian systems, the study establishes some support for this contention, although the evidence remains limited. The conclusion considers the implications of the findings for debates about electoral reform and for the future of the Westminster political system.

The UK political system has long exemplified "majoritarian" or "Westminster" government, a type subsequently exported to many Commonwealth countries. The primary advantage of this system, proponents since Bagehot have argued, lie in its ability to combine accountability with effective governance. Yet under the Blair administration, this system has undergone a series of major constitutional reforms, perhaps producing the twilight of the pure Westminster model. After conceptualizing the process of constitutional reform, this paper discusses two important claims made by those who favor retaining the current electoral system for Westminster, namely, that single-member districts promote strong voter-member linkages & generate greater satisfaction with the political system. Evidence testing these claims is examined from comparative data covering 19 nations, drawing on the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems. The study finds that member-voter linkages are stronger in single-member than in pure multimember districts, but that combined districts such as MMP preserve these virtues. Concerning claims of greater public satisfaction under majoritarian systems, the study establishes some support for this contention, although the evidence remains limited. The conclusion considers the implications of the findings for debates about electoral reform & for the future of the Westminster political system. 7 Tables, 51 References. Adapted from the source document.

AbstractTwelfth-century Westminster Abbey was a centre of forgery production: its scriptorium not only produced charters claiming rights and privileges for its own house but also contributed to the production of spurious documents for other English monasteries. Among these forgeries, the distinctive draftsmanship of one monk—Osbert of Clare—has been traced in some of Westminster's longer and more elaborate creations. But Osbert was more than a forger, he also wrote hagiographical Lives of saints, including that of Edward the Confessor, whose cult he fiercely championed. Osbert's different identities have long been recognised, but never reconciled. This essay investigates both Osbert's forgeries and hagiography, and in doing so reveals that it is only by considering these different genres of writing together that Osbert's (and his abbey's) ambitions can be fully recognised. In particular, it appears that Osbert's forgeries sought to claim prestige for Westminster not only through their contents, but also through the memories they invoked and invented.

Some volumes contain music. ; Description based on: Jan. 1777; title from caption. ; Issue for May 1777 contains Samuel Johnson's "Prologue to The word to the wise." ; "Containing a view of the history, politics, literature, manners, gallantry & fashions of the year ." ; Mode of access: Internet. ; Wanting: v. 1, 2 plates in July issues (1773); v. 8, plate bet. p. 730-1 (1780); v. 10, p. 171-2, 225-8 (1782); v. 12, no. 8, p. 441-end (1784) ; v.4, 6-7 are Ford Collection.

"January 23. 1659. Ordered by the Parliament, that this declaration be forthwith printed and published. Thomas St Nicholas, Clerk of the Parliament." ; Wing ; Mode of access: Internet. ; MU: Pre-1801 imprint.