This is a crucial time for our parliamentary democracy.
There is growing concern about the constitutional balance of power between Parliament and the executive, standards in public life and worrying levels of public cynicism about politics and politicians. There has never been a more important time to support the Society’s work.
By becoming a member, making a donation or simply subscribing to one of our shopping reward programmes, you can support our work to improve the way Parliament works and help us continue to deliver free events and projects to champion a more informed public debate about parliamentary democracy.
Will you support our work by becoming a member of the Hansard Society or making a donation?
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.
The Hansard Society is enrolled on Give as you Live, a charity-focused platform that allows you to support our work at no extra cost when shopping online with thousands of UK retailers.
Give as you Live allows you to support your chosen charity when shopping online with over 5,000 participating UK retailers, including John Lewis & Partners and many more.
All you need to do is install Give as you Live's browser extension and every time you visit a participating retailer, you will be prompted to allow a small percentage of your purchase to be donated to the Hansard Society at no extra cost to you.
Support the Hansard Society with Give as you live:
Create an account on the Give as you Live website here and select the Hansard Society as your chosen charity.
Download and install the Give as you Live extension for your preferred desktop browser (below). After activating the extension, you will be prompted to make your purchase via Give As You Live when visiting a participating retailer.
Download and install the Give as you Live mobile app here to browse and search for participating retailers where you can shop and support the Hansard Society on the go.
Browse participating retailers and shop directly from the Give as you Live website here.
Frequently asked questions:
Will I incur any additional costs? No! It does not cost you a penny more to purchase goods via Give as you Live and the donation will be made by the retailer and not you.
How much does Give as you Live donate? Give as you Live are partnered with 5,500 stores as well as dozens of providers across insurance, energy and broadband, and the donation varies for each retailer. After you make a purchase through Give as you Live you will receive an email you to let you know how much has been raised for the Hansard Society.
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dr Sarah Whitmore will be speaking to us about how the Ukrainian Parliament has functioned under wartime conditions. 6:00pm-7:30pm on Tuesday 24 February 2026 at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan reflects on rebelling against the whip and calling for Keir Starmer to resign, as we assess the fallout from the Mandelson–Epstein affair and its implications for the Government’s legislative programme and House of Lords reform. We examine Gordon Brown’s sweeping standards proposals, question whether they would restore public trust, revisit tensions over the assisted dying bill in the Lord and discuss two key Procedure Committee reports on Commons debates and internal elections. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS
The Restoration and Renewal Client Board’s latest report once again confirms what Parliament has known for nearly a decade: the cheapest, quickest and safest way to restore the Palace of Westminster is for MPs and Peers to move out during the works. The “full decant” option was endorsed in 2018 and reaffirmed repeatedly since. Remaining in the building could more than double costs, extend works into the 2080s, and increase risks to safety, accessibility and security. With the Palace already deteriorating and millions spent each year on patchwork repairs, further delay would itself be an expensive course of action, one that defers decisions without offering a viable alternative.
With the Government investigating allegations of foreign influence in British politics, we are joined by John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission, to take stock of the health and resilience of the UK’s electoral system. Our discussion ranges widely over the pressures facing elections and campaigning today, and what issues Parliament may need to grapple with in a future elections bill.
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.
