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Support and connect with us

Connect with us and support our work to improve the way Parliament works and champion a more informed public debate about parliamentary democracy.

Membership and donations

Will you support our work by becoming a member of the Hansard Society or making a donation?

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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.

Our members form a valuable network of people who care about Parliament, public life and politics and want our parliamentary institutions to prosper in the future.

If you are currently unable to commit to becoming a member, please consider making a single or recurring donation and support our work to improve the way Parliament works!

Become a member

Come to our events

Members / Holding Government to Account - Democracy and the National Audit Office

Each year MPs approve trillions of pounds of public spending. But can they really follow the money? Our guest speakers – Dr Henry Midgley, Professor Laurence Ferry and Aileen Murphie of Durham University − will be discussing how Parliament scrutinises Government expenditure and holds Ministers to account for it. 6.30-7.45pm, Tuesday 14 January 2025 online via Zoom This is a meeting for Hansard Society members and their friends. Not already a member of the Hansard Society? Join us now!

Members / Mapping the Constitution with David Torrance

Dr David Torrance spoke to us about his major new project for the House of Commons Library: Mapping the UK Constitution. 6:00pm-7:15pm on Tuesday, 10 December 2024, at the Palace of Westminster followed by refreshments at a nearby venue This is a meeting for Hansard Society members and their friends. Not already a member of the Hansard Society? Join us now!

Webinars / The Assisted Dying Bill: Making sense of the parliamentary process

The Assisted Dying Bill is a Private Member’s Bill (PMB). Although the legislative stages for PMBs are the same as for Government bills, the rules that apply are different, creating distinct procedural hurdles that PMBs must navigate. This online discussion featured a discussion between a panel of impartial experts about the parliamentary process affecting this Bill. If you were unable to join us for the live event, a recording is now being made available. The live event took place between 6:00pm and 7:15pm on Tuesday 26 November 2024 Post-event recording will be available from 27 November 2024 (Tickets: £10)

Members / The Modernisation Committee’s potential for reform

The House of Commons has appointed a new Modernisation Committee and issued a call for views on what it should address. So what is the Modernisation Committee, and what should it be doing? Our Director, Dr Ruth Fox, led Hansard Society members in an online discussion on Modernisation Committee reforms. 6:30-7:45pm, Tuesday 19 November 2024 online via Zoom This is a meeting for Hansard Society members and their friends. Not already a member of the Hansard Society? Join us now!

Members / Annual General Meeting - with Sir Peter Riddell

Our Annual General Meeting updated Members on the work of the Society and provided a look ahead to our future plans. Our special guest speaker was Hansard Society member Sir Peter Riddell, former political editor and chief political commentator at The Times and author of numerous books about Parliament and politics. Sir Peter joined us to discuss the general election campaign and the challenges facing the new Parliament. 6:00-7:30pm, 12 June 2024 This is a Members-only hybrid event: in person at our base in Westminster, and on Zoom.

Latest / Highlights

News / Assisted dying bill: Special series #10 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 89

Having cleared detailed scrutiny in a Public Bill Committee, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill faces its next crucial test when it returns to the House of Commons for Report Stage on 16 May. This stage is often where Private Members' Bills falter. Will opponents of Kim Leadbeater’s proposals to legalise assisted dying win enough support to amend the Bill? Can supporters of the Bill fend off attempts to change it? And could the Bill be lost altogether, because of the procedural hurdles that still stand in its way?

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 28 April - 2 May 2025

MPs will debate the Football Governance Bill for the first time and consider controversial proposals to give government access to benefit recipients’ bank data in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. The Great British Energy Bill faces a further hurdle over modern slavery concerns in solar panel supply chains. Orders on extended VE Day pub hours and banning ‘ninja swords’ will be considered. David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood face committee scrutiny, while Richard Foord seeks to require parliamentary approval for a UK–US trade deal. Mayors Andy Burnham and Kim McGuinness will give evidence on industrial strategy, and Dr Fiona Hill will speak about social mobility and education.

News / Should Parliament roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 88

After Parliament’s rare Saturday sitting to pass the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill with minimal scrutiny, we explore concerns about rushed legislation and unchecked ministerial powers. The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle faces criticism for allegedly protecting Keir Starmer at PMQs. Meanwhile, as MPs and Peers move to block a possible Trump address to Parliament during his second UK State Visit, we discuss who controls invitations to speak and where on the parliamentary estate.

Submissions / Evidence to the House of Commons Modernisation Committee: Priorities and strategic aims

In response to the Modernisation Committee's call for views on 17 October 2024, we submitted evidence outlining key areas we believe the Committee should prioritise. Our submission recommended a focus on: strengthening legislative scrutiny, with particular emphasis on reforming the delegated legislation system; enhancing financial scrutiny, especially in relation to the Budget and the Estimates; addressing strategic gaps in parliamentary scrutiny; making more effective use of parliamentary time; and reviewing the Standing Orders, language and rituals of the House of Commons.

Briefings / The Assisted Dying Bill: A guide to the Private Member's Bill process

This briefing explains what to watch for during the Second Reading debate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29 November. It outlines the procedural and legislative issues that will come into play: the role of the Chair in managing the debate and how procedures such as the 'closure' and 'reasoned amendments' work. It looks ahead to the Committee and Report stage procedures that will apply if the Bill progresses beyond Second Reading. It also examines the government's responsibilities, such as providing a money resolution for the Bill and preparing an Impact Assessment, while addressing broader concerns about the adequacy of Private Members’ Bill procedures for scrutinising controversial issues.