The Hansard Society hosted two online hustings for the candidates in the 2021 Lord Speaker election. The first event, on 25 March, was chaired by the BBC's parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy; and the second, on 13 April, was chaired by Jackie Ashley, former political correspondent and broadcaster.
All three candidates standing to be Lord Speaker took part in both events:
Each candidate had previously produced a statement and a video setting out why they were seeking the role.
Questions from Members of the House put to the candidates across the two hustings covered a range of themes including governance and the role of the Speaker; membership of the House (including the position of hereditary Peers); the future of virtual proceedings after the pandemic; communications and public engagement; relations with the devolved legislatures; and the Restoration and Renewal of Parliament.
In accordance with the election timetable published by the House of Lords, voting took place between 13 and 15 April.
On 21 April, it was announced that Lord McFall had won the election and been elected Lord Speaker, and that the Queen had confirmed the result in accordance with Standing Order No. 18.
The full election results (PDF) were published on the House of Lords website.
Lord McFall took office on 1 May 2021, for a five-year term. Owing to the prorogation of Parliament on 29 April, he will sit on the Woolsack for the first time on the first day of the new parliamentary session, on 11 May.
The 2021 hustings events continued the Hansard Society's involvement in Speaker hustings, after the Society previously hosted the official hustings for the Lord Speaker in 2011 and 2016. The Society also hosted the first-ever hustings for the Speakership of the House of Commons in 2009, and co-hosted hustings with the House Magazine for the most recent election of the Commons Speaker, in 2019.
Mark and Ruth look at the growing fashion for re-writing Bills mid-air as they pass through Parliament, adding on all sorts of policy bells and whistles at the last minute.
Delegated legislation is the most common form of legislation in the United Kingdom. It is the legislation of everyday life, impacting millions of citizens daily. But the terminology and procedures that surround it are complex and often confusing. This explainer unpacks delegated legislation - the terminology and Parliament's role in scrutinising it - to reveal more about how delegated legislation really works.
What a week! Suella Braverman's sacking from Government was immediately eclipsed by the appointment of former Prime Minister David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary. Mark and Ruth explore the many questions this raises, not least for scrutiny of foreign affairs by MPs.
The Prime Minister’s decision to cancel the next stage of HS2 has given rise to criticism that once again the Government has ridden roughshod over Parliament. Just over 1,300 hours of legislative time have been spent on four HS2-related Bills over nine Sessions in the last decade. Why has it taken so long and what now happens to that legislation?
When parliamentarians reassemble at Westminster on 7 November for the start of the new Session, all eyes will be on the legislative programme to be announced in the King’s Speech. Speculation about the likely date of the next general election is rife at Westminster, but until the date is settled there are a lot of parliamentary issues still to be tackled. We’ve picked out a few things to look out for on the political horizon.
