Blog

Despatch Box Blog

Comment and analysis from the Hansard Society research team and more.

Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, House of Commons, 24 February 2022. © UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor

Analysis, insight and commentary on the Westminster Parliament and other legislatures in the UK and around the world, from the Hansard Society research team and leading experts, politicians and parliamentary officials.

Blog / What was the problem with House of Commons Standing Orders in the Gaza debate? Forthwithery explained

Procedurally, what was the cause of the furious party row over the Speaker's decision to break with precedent on an Opposition Day debate on 21 February 2024 ? What happened, what does it tell us about parliamentary procedure and why it matters, and what could be done to ensure the problem does not arise again?

27 Feb 2024
Read more

Blog / How should Parliament scrutinise new treaties?

Today, for the first time in its history, the House of Lords will discuss a motion that the Government should not ratify a treaty until the protections it provides have been fully implemented: the UK-Rwanda Agreement on an Asylum Partnership. How Parliament deals with treaties has long been the subject of debate. A new report on Parliament's role in scrutinising international agreements offers some practical proposals for reform.

22 Jan 2024
Read more

Blog / Why are MPs speaking more often but for less time? Five possible reasons

How often do MPs speak in the House of Commons and for how long? New data shows that MPs are speaking more frequently, but for less time. We identify five possible reasons that may explain this recent trend and discuss the effect this could be having on the quality of debate.

16 Jan 2024
Read more

Blog / Parliament Buildings: The Architecture of Politics in Europe

Parliamentary buildings are a highly specialised but profoundly significant building type. They function as both centres of political power and work-places for thousands of people, and have wide implications in culture and society. Compared to the traditional cataloguing of architectural styles and Chamber layouts, a new book makes the case for a more diverse and wide-ranging approach to their study.

30 Oct 2023
Read more

Blog / How does a former Head of Government end up on trial for evidence given in Parliament? The case of Austria’s Sebastian Kurz

On 18 October Austria’s former Federal Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, is due to go on trial accused of giving false testimony before a parliamentary investigative committee. In the UK there has been a live debate for some years about what Parliament should do if Select Committee witnesses are thought to have given false evidence. Compared to the UK, how and why are the proceedings of Austrian investigative committees more closely linked to the courts, and what challenges has this posed?

17 Oct 2023
Read more
undefined

Blog / Ping-pong and packaging

13 Feb 2021
undefined

Blog / Debating 'meaningful votes'

12 Jun 2018
undefined

Blog / Whose House Is It Anyway?

12 Oct 2017
undefined

Blog / Labour: the 35% solution?

18 Nov 2014