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Statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. CC

Amid growing concern about the increase in executive power and the side-lining of Parliament, there has never been a more important time to support us in developing solutions to improve the way Parliament works and to champion more informed public debate about Parliament and parliamentary democracy.

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Come to our events

Events / The inaugural Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture, to be given by the Rt Hon Theresa May MP

To mark the Hansard Society’s 80th anniversary we are launching the Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture in honour of our first members, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The inaugural lecture will be given by former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP. This is a fundraising event for our 80th Anniversary Appeal. Date & location: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 7:00-8:15pm, Westminster (venue to be announced) Tickets: £25

Workshops / The ‘Retained EU Law’ Act: Practitioners’ Workshop

Gain a competitive edge in today’s evolving legislative landscape. Join our exclusive training webinar on the parliamentary process for implementation of changes to Retained EU Law (REUL). Equip you and your team with invaluable insights to navigate this complex legislation seamlessly. Understand its implications, anticipate the challenges and harness the opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to say ahead of the game and maximise your influence. [CLOSED] 30 June, 12:30pm-2:00pm Online (Zoom)

Webinars / ‘Serious Disruption’: Parliament, Public Order Acts and protest regulations – What’s going on?

On 13 June, Members of the House of Lords are due to consider a ‘fatal’ motion, aimed at killing the Government’s controversial draft regulations that would lower the threshold of what constitutes ‘serious disruption’ by protestors. However, the legislation, procedures and events in Parliament are complex and confusing. This event outlined exactly what’s going on. [Closed] 12:30pm, 9 June 2023 Online (Zoom) and hosted by Blackstone Chambers

Members / Annual General Meeting with guest speaker Michael Crick

At our AGM we will be updating Members on the work of the Society and looking ahead to the next year. Our guest speaker is political journalist Michael Crick, who will be talking about his Tomorrow's MPs project, tracking candidate selection processes for the next general election. 6:00-7:30pm, 14 March 2023 This is a Members only hybrid event: in person at our base in Westminster and on Zoom.

Webinars / More than just ‘talking shops’? The role of international inter-parliamentary assemblies

The creation of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly in 2022 threw a fresh spotlight on the UK Parliament’s participation in such international inter-parliamentary bodies. What do they do? Do they add value? And what is the role at Westminster of the UK assembly Delegations? Watch leading Delegation Members discuss these questions and more. [CLOSED] 7 February 2023 Webinar

Latest / Highlights

News / Rwanda Bill becomes law: but what was really going on behind the scenes in Parliament? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 31

The Rwanda Bill has made it over the parliamentary finishing line but not without some last-minute drama. We talk to the SNP’s Alison Thewliss MP about what went on in a small room, behind the Speaker’s Chair, away from the cameras!

Events / The inaugural Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture, to be given by the Rt Hon Theresa May MP

To mark the Hansard Society’s 80th anniversary we are launching the Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture in honour of our first members, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The inaugural lecture will be given by former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP. This is a fundraising event for our 80th Anniversary Appeal. Date & location: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 7:00-8:15pm, Westminster (venue to be announced) Tickets: £25

Briefings / General election rules and regulations: what has changed?

With a general election on the horizon there has been a spate of new legislation and regulations to implement changes to the way the election will be run, with consequences for voters and electoral administrators. Parliament has not always had a role in approving these changes. This briefing sets out the core changes to the electoral process that have been implemented since the last general election in 2019, the role that Parliament has played in scrutinising and approving them, and the risks arising from these changes.

Blog / How should Parliament handle the Seventh Carbon Budget - and why does it matter?

The Climate Change Act 2008 established a framework for setting carbon budgets every five years. But the role of Parliament in approving these budgets has been widely criticised, including by the Prime Minister. The Environmental Audit Committee has proposed improvements in the scrutiny process to ensure effective climate action, particularly in the context of the UK’s commitment to achieving 'Net Zero' emissions by 2050. These reforms will significantly alter the way Parliament handles the Seventh Carbon Budget in 2025.

Blog / Creeping ministerial powers: the example of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

The Government’s flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009. The genesis of the delegated powers in the Bill – dating back a decade - tells an important story about the way in which incomplete policy-making processes are used by Ministers to seek ‘holding’ powers in a Bill, only for that precedent to then be used to justify further, broader powers in subsequent Bills. This ‘creeping’ effect in the legislative process undermines parliamentary scrutiny of ministerial action.