Research Briefing
The Future of the British Nuclear Deterrent: Suggested Reading
This paper is now out-of-date and has been replaced by Commons Library Briefing CBP7353, Replacing the UK's Trident Nuclear Deterrent, 26 October 2015
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Research Briefing
Russia and Ukraine – update June 2014
Ukraine is due to sign its agreement with the EU on 27 June; Russia's reaction is awaited
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Research Briefing
A new Commission President in 2014
Will David Cameron succeed in blocking the nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker for European Commission President? Juncker has the support of most Member State governments but the UK Prime Minister thinks he is too integrationist and would not implement necessary reforms.
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Research Briefing
Auditing the EU accounts
A common complaint from the UK press is that the EU accounts have not been “signed off” (for example, see articles from the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and the BBC). In fact, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has signed off the accounts for each year up to 2012 – although it has never given a
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Research Briefing
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the takeover of Mosul
ISIS has shocked observers by the speed of its takeover of large amounts of Iraqi territory
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Research Briefing
Nigeria: Boko Haram’s insurgency
In the northeast of Nigeria, an Islamist terrorist insurgency continues to rage. At the head of the insurgency is Boko Haram, which calls for the introduction of Sharia law and an Islamic state across the whole of Nigeria. There has been a state of emergency in the three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa since mid-2013. Well over 2000 people are estimated to have died in attacks by the group since the beginning of 2014.The Nigerian authorities have been heavily criticised both at home and abroad for their ineffective response to the crisis. Outrage in Western countries following the kidnapping in April of about 270 schoolgirls in Borno state has led the UK, US and French governments to make offers of assistance to the Nigerian authorities despite the poor human rights record of the security forces.
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Research Briefing
European Union (Referendum) Bill and the Parliament Acts
The European Union (Referendum) Bill could be presented for Royal Assent under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 if it is passed by the House of Commons and rejected again by the House of Lords.
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Research Briefing
The European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament
In the European Parliament discussions are on-going about the formation of political groups. The European Conservatives and Reformists group, in which UK Conservatives are one of the largest parties, has recently admitted the Alternative fur Deutschland party, and there are fears that this might damage Anglo-German relations.
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Research Briefing
Military options in Iraq
The UK Government is not planning a British military intervention in Iraq. This note summarises commentary about the possible military options for the UK and US in Iraq.
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Research Briefing
How do World Cup countries compare off the field?
With the eyes of the world on Brazil for the start of the World Cup tonight, we thought we’d take a look at how the 32 competing teams compare off the pitch. Who wins the cup on different economic, parliamentary and social indicators – and who’s knocked out at the group stage?
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Research Briefing
Election against a background of violence in Syria
A presidential election was held in Syria in June against a background of increasing violence across the region.
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Research Briefing
European Parliament Elections 2014
Elections to the European Parliament took place in 28 countries of the EU between 22 and 25 May 2014. In the United Kingdom, UKIP won 24 seats, Labour 20, the Conservatives 19, and the Green Party three. The Liberal Democrats won only one seat, down from 11 at the 2009 European election. The BNP lost the two seats they had won for the first time at the previous election.
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Research Briefing
Peace and political reform in Burma: what progress?
Burma’s international rehabilitation continues apace. However, critics argue that the pace of this rehabilitation has been too fast. They say the outcome of the current Constitutional review process is not yet clear; a durable peace deal with the country’s ethnic insurgencies has not been achieved; and inter-communal violence between Buddhists and Muslims persists. There has
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