Welcome
The Federal Trust is a research institute studying the interactions between regional, national, European and global levels of government. Founded in 1945 on the initiative of Sir William Beveridge, it has long made a powerful contribution to the study of federalism and federal systems. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it.
The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.
Read the Federal Trust’s Statement on Rejoining the European Union.
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Proportional Representation for the next General Election and the gilt market
In a new report for the Federal Trust, John Stevens argues that the UK’s persistently high Gilt yields reflect a growing political risk premium attached to First Past the Post. He shows how the fragmentation of the FPTP party system since the 2008 financial crisis, accelerated by Brexit, has [...]
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
Proportional Representation for the next General Election and the gilt market
In a new report for the Federal Trust, John Stevens argues that the UK’s persistently high Gilt yields reflect a growing political risk premium attached to First Past the Post. He shows how the [...]
Brexit and the UK Constitution
This edited collection surveys the impact of Brexit 10 years after the UK voted to leave the European Union. Made up of three essays from experts on immigration, the economy and regulation, the book [...]
Brexit and Regulation
by Catherine Barnard and Joël Reland 18th June 2026 In a major new report published by the Federal Trust and The Constitution Society, Professor Catherine Barnard and Joël Reland survey changes in regulation in [...]
Why Iceland’s Referendum on Joining the EU Matters to the United Kingdom
Readers will have noticed that the ‘omerta’ on Brexit has now ended, and the British media are now openly discussing the pros and cons of rejoining the EU. Politics never stays still, to quote an [...]
Is Brexit breaking Britain?
Update 19 May 2026: The challenge to Prime Minister Starmer has unexpectedly lifted the lid on the long-suppressed Brexit debate. But the political class (except for the Liberal Democrats) has immediately responded by trying to [...]
BREX-IN NOW!
In the wake of PM Starmer’s decision not to participate in or contribute to illegal Israeli-American warfare against Iran, the UK has been hit by the unrestricted outrage of US President Trump. The alleged special [...]
Brexit and Immigration: The Arc of the Pendulum
29th January 2026 A major new report from the Federal Trust and The Constitution Society tackles the role immigration policy played in causing Brexit, and that Brexit has since played in driving UK immigration [...]
PODCAST: Can PR End Reform and Brexit?
In this new podcast episode, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the reemergence of Brexit as a topic of British political discourse. They conclude that this reemergence could be harmful to Reform's electoral prospects, but [...]
VIDEO: Can PR End Reform and Brexit?
In this new Federal Trust video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the reemergence of Brexit as a topic of British political discourse. They conclude that this reemergence could be harmful to Reform's electoral prospects, [...]
PODCAST: Are Labour moving against Brexit?
In this new Federal Trust podcast episode, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the political and economic advantages for the Labour Party of a more overtly pro-European policy. They suggest that a successor to Keir [...]
