Hansard SocietyWorking to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the UK and around the world.Latestblog / 12 Oct, 17Whose House Is It Anyway?The Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, has called for further reforms of the way the House of Commons operates, saying that, while much has changed for the better o…blog / 11 Oct, 17Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of CommonsIn a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, of which the full text and audio recording are below, the House of Commons Speaker, the Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, prop…blog / 05 Oct, 17A troubled project - ended by a fire: restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster before 1834The troubled progress of the restoration and renewal project for the current Palace of Westminster turns out to be only a contemporary echo of a 17th and 18th century…blog / 26 Sep, 17Constitutionalism and trust: A day of discussion on the EU (Withdrawal) BillOn 12 September 2017, the morning after the House of Commons gave the EU (Withdrawal) Bill a late-night second reading, the Hansard Society and Cardiff University’s W…blog / 08 Sep, 17Who is in charge of the Palace of Westminster? Big Ben and parliamentary governanceThe summer’s row over the temporary silencing of Big Ben highlights confused and opaque decision-making structures governing the Palace of Westminster. This bodes ill…publicationsTaking Back Control for Brexit and Beyond: Delegated Legislation, Parliamentary Scrutiny and the European Union (Withdrawal) BillAs drafted, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will strengthen the hand of the executive, not Parliament, because of its provisions for delegated powers and their s…blog / 05 Sep, 17A Parliamentary Scrutiny Solution For The EU (Withdrawal) BillThe government has said that the ‘principal objective of leaving the EU is for Parliament to take back control of UK laws and policies’. The European Union (Withdrawa…blog / 03 Sep, 17A summer without select committees - and why it must never happen againThe House of Commons returns on 5 September still without its select committees. By failing to get its select committees back up and running for so long after the gen…public event / 12 Sep, 17The EU (Withdrawal) Bill: Principles, Powers and ParliamentsOn 12 September, the day after the EU (Withdrawal) Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons and shortly before committee stage, this major one-day pub…PrevNextJoin our newsletterGet the latest updates on our research, services and events, together with expert comment and analysis, delivered to your inbox each month.Our workresearchAudit of Political EngagementNow in its 14th year, each Audit measures the ‘political pulse’ of the nation, providing a unique benchmark to gauge public opinion across Great Britain about politic…researchBrexit and ParliamentBrexit could strengthen Parliament or weaken it. This applies to its standing in relation to both the government and the public. Given the promise that leaving the EU…researchWestminster Lens: Parliamentary DataThis data project enhances the provision of information and analysis about the scrutiny of primary and secondary legislation by the Westminster Parliament. It draws o…researchParliaments, Public Engagement and Poverty ReductionIn Bangladesh and Ethiopia progress has been made towards development goals even though parliamentary scrutiny is weak and political opposition constrained. This rese…researchFuture Parliament: Restoration and Reform of the Palace of Westminster The proposed multi-billion pound refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster presents a rare one-in-150 year opportunity to reform the leading institution of our democ…researchDelegated LegislationMost of the UK’s general public law is made not through Acts of Parliament but through delegated legislation. It is crucial to the effective operation of government a…researchA Year in the Life: From Member of Public to Member of ParliamentWhat is it like to be a newly elected Member of Parliament? This comparative research study of the first year experience of newly elected legislators in four differen…PrevNextBlogblog / 12 Oct, 17Whose House Is It Anyway?The Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, has called for further reforms of the way the House of Commons operates, saying that, while much has changed for the better o…blog / 11 Oct, 17Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of CommonsIn a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, of which the full text and audio recording are below, the House of Commons Speaker, the Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, prop…blog / 05 Oct, 17A troubled project - ended by a fire: restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster before 1834The troubled progress of the restoration and renewal project for the current Palace of Westminster turns out to be only a contemporary echo of a 17th and 18th century…blog / 26 Sep, 17Constitutionalism and trust: A day of discussion on the EU (Withdrawal) BillOn 12 September 2017, the morning after the House of Commons gave the EU (Withdrawal) Bill a late-night second reading, the Hansard Society and Cardiff University’s W…blog / 08 Sep, 17Who is in charge of the Palace of Westminster? Big Ben and parliamentary governanceThe summer’s row over the temporary silencing of Big Ben highlights confused and opaque decision-making structures governing the Palace of Westminster. This bodes ill…blog / 05 Sep, 17A Parliamentary Scrutiny Solution For The EU (Withdrawal) BillThe government has said that the ‘principal objective of leaving the EU is for Parliament to take back control of UK laws and policies’. The European Union (Withdrawa…blog / 03 Sep, 17A summer without select committees - and why it must never happen againThe House of Commons returns on 5 September still without its select committees. By failing to get its select committees back up and running for so long after the gen…blog / 18 Jul, 17The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill – initial reflections on the Bill’s delegated powers and delegated legislationThe powers set out in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill (formerly known as the ‘Great Repeal Bill’) are some of the broadest constitutionally important provisions ever seen in…blog / 21 Jun, 17The State Opening of Parliament: history, tradition and what to expectThe State Opening of Parliament is one of the most anticipated events of the parliamentary year. Beamed to television and radio networks around the world, it has beco…PrevNextEventspublic event / 12 Sep, 17The EU (Withdrawal) Bill: Principles, Powers and ParliamentsOn 12 September, the day after the EU (Withdrawal) Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons and shortly before committee stage, this major one-day pub…public event / 26 Apr, 17Launch of the Audit of Political Engagement 14: the 2017 reportJoin the authors of the 2017 Audit of Political Engagement as they present their findings alongside a panel of leading commentators, and explore how one of the most c…public event / 14 Nov, 16Future Parliament: Hacking the Legislative Process // Capacity, Scrutiny, EngagementFrom finance to healthcare, technology has transformed the way we live, work and play, with innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Can it als…public event / 18 Jul, 16It's Brexit... So What Now for Parliament?What does the decision to leave the EU mean for Parliament? What role will MPs and Peers want in relation to the exit negotiations and what will it mean for the legis…public event / 25 May, 16Lord Speaker Hustings 2016On 25 May the Hansard Society hosted the hustings for the Lord Speaker in the Robing Room in the House of Lords…public event / 14 Apr, 16Launch of the 2016 Audit of Political EngagementThe authors of the 2016 Audit of Political Engagement present their findings and discuss how public attitudes towards politics, Parliament and MPs have changed over t…public event / 08 Sep, 16Making sense of May 7: the 2015 election and the future of British politicsOn 8 September we invited Professor John Curtice and other leading analysts to dissect the implications of the 2015 general election at the launch of the first major…public event / 27 Mar, 15TTIP: beneficial to our economy or a threat to our democracy?This TTIP Summit explored the biggest free trade negotiations in history and their implications for the future of people in Yorkshire and across the country…PrevNext
blog / 12 Oct, 17Whose House Is It Anyway?The Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, has called for further reforms of the way the House of Commons operates, saying that, while much has changed for the better o…
blog / 11 Oct, 17Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of CommonsIn a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, of which the full text and audio recording are below, the House of Commons Speaker, the Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, prop…
blog / 05 Oct, 17A troubled project - ended by a fire: restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster before 1834The troubled progress of the restoration and renewal project for the current Palace of Westminster turns out to be only a contemporary echo of a 17th and 18th century…
blog / 26 Sep, 17Constitutionalism and trust: A day of discussion on the EU (Withdrawal) BillOn 12 September 2017, the morning after the House of Commons gave the EU (Withdrawal) Bill a late-night second reading, the Hansard Society and Cardiff University’s W…
blog / 08 Sep, 17Who is in charge of the Palace of Westminster? Big Ben and parliamentary governanceThe summer’s row over the temporary silencing of Big Ben highlights confused and opaque decision-making structures governing the Palace of Westminster. This bodes ill…
publicationsTaking Back Control for Brexit and Beyond: Delegated Legislation, Parliamentary Scrutiny and the European Union (Withdrawal) BillAs drafted, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will strengthen the hand of the executive, not Parliament, because of its provisions for delegated powers and their s…
blog / 05 Sep, 17A Parliamentary Scrutiny Solution For The EU (Withdrawal) BillThe government has said that the ‘principal objective of leaving the EU is for Parliament to take back control of UK laws and policies’. The European Union (Withdrawa…
blog / 03 Sep, 17A summer without select committees - and why it must never happen againThe House of Commons returns on 5 September still without its select committees. By failing to get its select committees back up and running for so long after the gen…
public event / 12 Sep, 17The EU (Withdrawal) Bill: Principles, Powers and ParliamentsOn 12 September, the day after the EU (Withdrawal) Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons and shortly before committee stage, this major one-day pub…
researchAudit of Political EngagementNow in its 14th year, each Audit measures the ‘political pulse’ of the nation, providing a unique benchmark to gauge public opinion across Great Britain about politic…
researchBrexit and ParliamentBrexit could strengthen Parliament or weaken it. This applies to its standing in relation to both the government and the public. Given the promise that leaving the EU…
researchWestminster Lens: Parliamentary DataThis data project enhances the provision of information and analysis about the scrutiny of primary and secondary legislation by the Westminster Parliament. It draws o…
researchParliaments, Public Engagement and Poverty ReductionIn Bangladesh and Ethiopia progress has been made towards development goals even though parliamentary scrutiny is weak and political opposition constrained. This rese…
researchFuture Parliament: Restoration and Reform of the Palace of Westminster The proposed multi-billion pound refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster presents a rare one-in-150 year opportunity to reform the leading institution of our democ…
researchDelegated LegislationMost of the UK’s general public law is made not through Acts of Parliament but through delegated legislation. It is crucial to the effective operation of government a…
researchA Year in the Life: From Member of Public to Member of ParliamentWhat is it like to be a newly elected Member of Parliament? This comparative research study of the first year experience of newly elected legislators in four differen…
blog / 12 Oct, 17Whose House Is It Anyway?The Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, has called for further reforms of the way the House of Commons operates, saying that, while much has changed for the better o…
blog / 11 Oct, 17Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of CommonsIn a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, of which the full text and audio recording are below, the House of Commons Speaker, the Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, prop…
blog / 05 Oct, 17A troubled project - ended by a fire: restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster before 1834The troubled progress of the restoration and renewal project for the current Palace of Westminster turns out to be only a contemporary echo of a 17th and 18th century…
blog / 26 Sep, 17Constitutionalism and trust: A day of discussion on the EU (Withdrawal) BillOn 12 September 2017, the morning after the House of Commons gave the EU (Withdrawal) Bill a late-night second reading, the Hansard Society and Cardiff University’s W…
blog / 08 Sep, 17Who is in charge of the Palace of Westminster? Big Ben and parliamentary governanceThe summer’s row over the temporary silencing of Big Ben highlights confused and opaque decision-making structures governing the Palace of Westminster. This bodes ill…
blog / 05 Sep, 17A Parliamentary Scrutiny Solution For The EU (Withdrawal) BillThe government has said that the ‘principal objective of leaving the EU is for Parliament to take back control of UK laws and policies’. The European Union (Withdrawa…
blog / 03 Sep, 17A summer without select committees - and why it must never happen againThe House of Commons returns on 5 September still without its select committees. By failing to get its select committees back up and running for so long after the gen…
blog / 18 Jul, 17The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill – initial reflections on the Bill’s delegated powers and delegated legislationThe powers set out in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill (formerly known as the ‘Great Repeal Bill’) are some of the broadest constitutionally important provisions ever seen in…
blog / 21 Jun, 17The State Opening of Parliament: history, tradition and what to expectThe State Opening of Parliament is one of the most anticipated events of the parliamentary year. Beamed to television and radio networks around the world, it has beco…
public event / 12 Sep, 17The EU (Withdrawal) Bill: Principles, Powers and ParliamentsOn 12 September, the day after the EU (Withdrawal) Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons and shortly before committee stage, this major one-day pub…
public event / 26 Apr, 17Launch of the Audit of Political Engagement 14: the 2017 reportJoin the authors of the 2017 Audit of Political Engagement as they present their findings alongside a panel of leading commentators, and explore how one of the most c…
public event / 14 Nov, 16Future Parliament: Hacking the Legislative Process // Capacity, Scrutiny, EngagementFrom finance to healthcare, technology has transformed the way we live, work and play, with innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Can it als…
public event / 18 Jul, 16It's Brexit... So What Now for Parliament?What does the decision to leave the EU mean for Parliament? What role will MPs and Peers want in relation to the exit negotiations and what will it mean for the legis…
public event / 25 May, 16Lord Speaker Hustings 2016On 25 May the Hansard Society hosted the hustings for the Lord Speaker in the Robing Room in the House of Lords…
public event / 14 Apr, 16Launch of the 2016 Audit of Political EngagementThe authors of the 2016 Audit of Political Engagement present their findings and discuss how public attitudes towards politics, Parliament and MPs have changed over t…
public event / 08 Sep, 16Making sense of May 7: the 2015 election and the future of British politicsOn 8 September we invited Professor John Curtice and other leading analysts to dissect the implications of the 2015 general election at the launch of the first major…
public event / 27 Mar, 15TTIP: beneficial to our economy or a threat to our democracy?This TTIP Summit explored the biggest free trade negotiations in history and their implications for the future of people in Yorkshire and across the country…
