Rt Hon Jack Straw MP addresses Hansard Society meeting on legislative process

The Hansard Society recently held an event in Parliament to launch its' most recent publication Law in the Making: Influence and Change in the Legislative Process. Rt Hon Jack Straw MP gave the audience an insight into the legislative process from a Governmental perspective in his keynote speech and he said, not suprisingly, that the most successful pieces of legislation were the ones ‘where we thought about things and took our time'. For a full write up and pictures of the event please click on the title link.

To listen to the event in full please click on one of the links below:

Alex Brazier and Peter Riddell introducing the Law in the Making research

Keynote speech by Rt Hon Jack Straw MP

Panel 1 - External Influences on the Legislative Process (Part 1, Part 2)

Panel 2 - The Role of Parliament and Parliamentarians in Influencing Legislation (Part 1, Part 2)  

Referendums split panel at Hansard Society debate

The Hansard Society was fortunate enough to be joined by a panel of high profile speakers; Dr David Butler, Chris Huhne MP, Rt Hon David Curry MP, Rt Hon Clare Short MP and Steve Richards at it's recent debate entitled Referendums: What are they good for? This meeting covered the issue of referendums and whether (or how) they could be appropriately used in the British political system.

For Lord Norton's take on this debate please visit the Lords of the Blog

The Audit of Political Engagement 5

This event launched the Audit of Political Engagement 5, with a special focus on what the public think of constitutional issues. The full report can be found in the resources section.

Launch of No Overall Control? publication

Tuesday 11 March, 11am – 12.15pm, House of Commons

Speakers:
Professor Vernon Bogdanor, University of Oxford, Alex Brazier, Hansard Society, Professor Phil Cowley, University of Nottingham, Dr Rosanne Palmer, Cardiff University

Chair: Fiona Booth, Hansard Society

This event launched an edited collection of essays from commentators, academics and parliamentarians, including; Simon Jenkins of The Guardian and The Sunday Times, Professor David Butler from the University of Oxford and Simon Hughes MP.

A hung parliament is a phenomena that few within Westminster will have had personal experience of, or even remember, the last instance being in 1974. This collection of essays is a handbook to guide those currently working in Westminster on the issue of shared government, its implications and the possible consequences of a hung parliament for the House of Commons. This book provides a wide range of views on coalition governments and hung parliaments from individuals with first hand experience of power sharing. It includes examples, both international and from the devolved UK institutions, of what happens when no single party has an overall majority.

Politicians: a Class Apart or Servants of the People?

At yesterday's meeting in Westminster, Norman Baker MP, Austin Mitchell MP, Peter Oborne (Channel 4, Dispatches) and Andrew Tyrie MP tackled the issue of whether politcians were servants of the people or an elite. The meeting was chaired by Kate Jenkins (Vice Chair, Hansard Society).

Is the West Lothian Question unanswerable?

Wednesday 6 February 2008
House of Commons

6.30pm - 7.45 pm

Speakers:
Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP
Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Chair: Sheena McDonald

Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP addresses inaugural annual lecture

The Hansard Society was extremely fortunate to have Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP give a speech at the inagural Hansard Society/PSA Annual Lecture. Mr Clarke delivered an insightful and entertaining lecture to a packed room in Parliament and firmly stated his belief in the importance of Parliament.

"Process matters because it will enable the political class to deliver better government to the people they seek to govern and win back some of the respect they've lost..."

Developments in Scottish Politics: The English View

Tuesday 27 November  2007 from 4.00pm to 5.30pm, Faculty Room North, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh.

The fourth seminar in the Institute of Governance's series on Identity and Governance in England.

Speaker: Peter Riddell - Chief Political Commentator and Assistant Editor, The Times, and Chair, Hansard Society

Respondent: Joyce McMillan - Columnist and Chief Theatre Critic of The Scotsman, Visiting Professor of Creative Industries at Queen Margaret University and Council Member, Hansard Society. 

Chair: Charlie Jeffery - Co-Director of Institute of Governance, Professor of Politics at the University of Edinburgh, and Vice-Chair, Hansard Society Scotland Working Group. 

Constitutional Reform: The central role of Parliament

At a well-attended public meeting held in Westminster on Monday November 26, 2007, four experts on the role of Parliament debated what needs to be done to enhance the role of Parliament. The speakers briefly set out some main points for discussion before taking questions and comments from the floor. The meeting was chaired by Peter Riddell, Chair of the Hansard Society.

SNP Party Conference – Aviemore