Events / Members

Annual General Meeting - with Sir Peter Riddell

12 Jun 2024
Bird's-eye view of the Palace of Westminster, UK Houses of Parliament

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.

The agenda and associated papers for the meeting will be sent direct to Members in advance of the meeting. Our Annual Report and Accounts are available online.

  • Approval of the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting

  • Report of the Directors and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

  • Re-appointment of Independent Examiners

  • Re-appointment of Trustees

  • Reflections on the last year and future plans: update by the Rt Hon the Baroness Taylor of Bolton (Chair) and Dr Ruth Fox (Director) followed by Q & A.

  • Any other business

With the general election taking place on 4 July 2024, Sir Peter will be looking at the election campaign and the challenges which are set to face new and returning Members of Parliament. With the possibility of a sudden great change in the composition of the House of Commons, we will consider what can be learnt from the past and what opportunities now exist for progress.

Sir Peter Riddell CBE

The Rt Hon Sir Peter Riddell CBE is the former Political Editor and Chief Political Commentator at The Times and the author of twelve books on politics, Parliament and political careers. He served as Chair of the Hansard Society from 2007-2012 and then as Director of the Institute for Government until 2016. He was subsequently appointed as the Commissioner for Public Appointments until he stepped down in Autumn 2021. He has always had close links with the academic world and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a recipient of the British Academy President’s Medal.

News / Why MPs can’t just quit: The curious case of the Chiltern Hundreds - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 129

Why can’t MPs simply resign, and why does leaving the House of Commons still involve a medieval-sounding detour via the Chiltern Hundreds or its less glamorous cousin the Manor of Northstead? This week we unravel the history, constitutional logic and legal fudges behind this curious workaround, with some memorable resignations from the past along the way. We also assess the Government’s legislative programme as the Session heads toward its expected May close, including the striking lack of bills published for pre-legislative scrutiny. Finally, as Parliament begins the five-yearly process of renewing consent for the UK’s armed forces, we examine why an Armed Forces Bill is required and hear from Jayne Kirkham MP on how her Ten Minute Rule Bill helped extend the new Armed Forces Commissioner’s oversight to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

01 Feb 2026
Read more

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 2-6 February 2026

The new Lord Speaker will take over the Woolsack and the new Archbishop of Canterbury will be introduced to the House of Lords. In the Commons, Cabinet ministers John Healey, David Lammy, Liz Kendall and Emma Reynolds will face MPs’ questions, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Treasury Minister James Murray give evidence to Select Committees. MPs will decide whether to carry over the High Speed Rail (Crewe–Manchester) Bill for repurposing as the Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill and will debate legislation to abolish the two-child benefit limit. The Conservatives will choose the topic(s) for an Opposition Day debate, and there’s a backbench debate on Palestine. Peers will debate bills on prioritisation of medical training places and on Budget-related changes to National Insurance Contributions.

01 Feb 2026
Read more

News / Assisted dying bill: How could the Parliament Act be used? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 128

As the assisted dying bill grinds through the House of Lords under the weight of more than a thousand amendments, Lord Falconer has signalled that time is running out. With the Bill unlikely to complete its Lords stages this Session, he has openly raised the possibility of using the Parliament Act to override the upper House in the next Session. In this episode we explore what that would mean, how it could work in practice, and the political choices now facing ministers and Parliament. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

30 Jan 2026
Read more

News / Who really sets MPs’ pay – And why you might be wrong about it. A conversation with Richard Lloyd, chair of IPSA - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 126

What are MPs actually paid and what does the public fund to help them do their job? In this conversation with Richard Lloyd, chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) we explore the delicate balance between supporting MPs to do their jobs effectively and enforcing strict standards on the use of public money. We discuss how IPSA has shifted from a rule-heavy “traffic cop” to a principles-based regulator, why compliance is now very high, and the security risks and pressures facing MPs‘ offices as workloads rise and abuse becomes more common. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | ACAST | YouTube | Other apps | RSS

21 Jan 2026
Read more

News / Is being Prime Minister an impossible job? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 121

Why do UK Prime Ministers seem to burn out so quickly? We are joined by historian Robert Saunders to examine why the role has become so punishing in recent years. From Brexit and COVID to fractured parties, rigid governing conventions and relentless media scrutiny, the discussion explores what has gone wrong – and what kind of leadership and political culture might be needed to make the job survivable again.

23 Dec 2025
Read more