What We Do

The Hansard Society is the UK’s leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity. We aim to strengthen parliamentary democracy and encourage greater public involvement in politics. At the heart of our work is the principle that civic society is most effective when its citizens are connected with the institutions and individuals who represent them in the democratic process. We inform decision makers and the public through debate and discussion, training, research, providing accessible resources and analysing the scope of new technology in engaging the public.

Who We Are

The Hansard Society is made up of members of staff that run the programmes and their related projects, organise events and conduct research and the Advisory Council supports the staff in their work. View the biographies of the Hansard Society staff and Council in this section, including the responsibilities each member has within the organisation and their contact details.

Our History

The Hansard Society was established in 1944 to promote the ideals of the parliamentary system of government and to ensure that democracy would be safeguarded by being understood, debated and improved by parliamentarians and the public. Our first members were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, and since then the Prime Minister of the day and leaders of the main opposition parties have publicly supported the work of the Hansard Society. More than 60 years on, the Hansard Society is universally recognised as the independent and non-partisan authority on Parliament and democracy. Today, our work encompasses a wide range of areas, from citizenship education to the role of Parliament, from devolution to the impact of new media on politics.

Supporting the Hansard Society

As a charity, the Hansard Society relies on funding from individual donations, grants from charitable trusts and foundations, corporate sponsorship, and donations from individual parliamentarians from Westminster and the devolved institutions who contribute to our Parliamentary Patrons scheme. Find out how you can get help support the Hansard Society's important work.

Internships

The Hansard Society has a long tradition of supporting interns in beginning or further developing their political careers. Many that have worked for us have gone on to distinguished careers in a variety of sectors and organisations including the civil service and Parliament, public affairs consultancies, NGOs and charities, the media and some have attained permanent positions within the Hansard Society . We feel we are able to provide a spring board into a political career through our broad network of contacts and wealth of experience of the political system.

Vacancies

Hansard Society Visiting Academic Fellow

The Hansard Society has an opening for a Visiting Academic Fellow.  We offer (non-financial) support to academics working in the field of British politics, looking for a place to base themselves in central London.  This would be particularly relevant to those whose research work is compatible with our research agenda.  Examples may include, studies relating to Parliament, the legislative process, MPs and Peers, executive-legislature relations, election studies, party studies, engagement and disengagement and new technology and the political process. 

Annual Report

The Hansard Society is the UK’s leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity. From this page you can download its Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2007.

The Hansard Society is the UK’s leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity.

We aim to improve public understanding and involvement with parliamentary democracy, especially among young people, and improve the effectiveness of political institutions.