Hansard Society for Parliamentary Democracy

Latest / Highlights

News / Select Committee chair elections: who won and can they work together? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 47

In this episode, we explore the outcomes and implications of the latest Select Committee Chair elections in Parliament. The newly elected chairs will play a pivotal role in scrutinising the government, but can they effectively work together? We talk to Dr. Marc Geddes, a leading expert on Select Committees, who highlights how this year’s competitive elections compare to previous parliaments and what that could mean for committee dynamics in the future.

Events / The inaugural Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture, given by the Rt Hon Theresa May MP

To mark the Hansard Society’s 80th anniversary, we have launched the Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture in honour of our first members, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The inaugural lecture was given by former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP on 14 May 2024. All proceeds from ticket sales went to our 80th Anniversary Appeal. See below for a video recording and transcript of the event.

Blog / MPs and the parliamentary oath of allegiance: A shibboleth under scrutiny?

Before taking their seats, Members of Parliament must legally swear an oath or make an affirmation of allegiance to the Crown. For some MPs this can be uncomfortable, creating a conflict between personal beliefs and legal obligations. Some MPs find themselves compelled to express sentiments they do not genuinely hold, or risk their constituents being deprived of representation. Unlike oaths taken by other office holders, the parliamentary oath does not address public expectations of MPs, nor does it guide MPs in understanding their duties. It has become a symbolic formality, a shibboleth, that could be usefully reformed.

News / Inside the Private Members' Bill Ballot: 20 MPs win the legislative lottery - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 46

The Private Members’ Bill (PMB) ballot for this Session has been drawn, giving 20 MPs the opportunity to introduce a law of their choice. Potential bills could include proposals such as assisted dying, but what are the real chances of success? We talk to PMB expert, Dr. Daniel Gover, to understand the value of these bills and what to watch out for in the coming months.

News / Inside the hidden world of law-making: A conversation with Nikki da Costa - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 45

How is a King’s Speech crafted? What really happens behind the doors of the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Cabinet Committee? How have parliamentary tactics on legislation evolved and what new tactics might MPs employ when facing a Government with such a commanding majority? In this episode we discuss the art and strategy of law-making with Nikki da Costa, former Director of Legislative Affairs for two Conservative Prime Ministers in 10 Downing Street.

Briefings / Back to Business 2024: A guide to the start of the new Parliament

Support / 80th Anniversary Appeal: support our work to make Parliament more effective

Reports / Proposals for a New System for Delegated Legislation: A Working Paper

Services / Statutory Instrument Tracker® app

General election insights from Parliamentary Affairs

The evolution of election campaigning

How have election campaign strategies evolved over the past 15 years to shape today's political landscape? This special collection of articles from our journal, Parliamentary Affairs, highlights the increasing sophistication and personalisation of national and constituency-level campaigns. It explores how political parties target key voter groups, leverage constituency visits from party leaders for electoral gains, and increasingly rely on digital campaigning.

Our current priorities

Acts of Parliament in the Parliamentary Archives, Houses of Parliament, Westminster. (© UK Parliament / Parliamentary Archives)

Improve the way we make laws and regulations

We have crafted a cross party solution to tackle a pressing constitutional problem: the growth in government by diktat fuelled by excessive dependence on delegated legislation, the problems with which were illustrated so starkly during Brexit and the pandemic. Our plan would introduce more robust scrutiny procedures to address the democratic deficit and stop Parliament being reduced to a legislative rubber-stamp.

Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, 18 October 2023. ©UK Parliament / Andy Bailey

Support the next generation of MPs after the general election

We are developing a programme of support to better prepare the next generation of MPs to perform their core function as legislators and scrutineers. The House of Commons is a complex institution: MPs need practical and procedural advice and resources, particularly in the early months after the election, to enable them to make the most of their knowledge and skills on behalf of their constituents and the country.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, at Prime Minister's Questions, 13 December 2023. ©UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED]

Transform the language and rules of the House of Commons

We are conducting a review of the Standing Orders, customs and practices of the House of Commons. Since 1945, the government-controlled Standing Orders have been systematically reviewed only six times. This initiative is designed to demystify the way the House of Commons works so that parliamentary procedures and processes are easier to communicate, understand and engage with for both MPs and the public.

Blog

Blog / MPs and the parliamentary oath of allegiance: A shibboleth under scrutiny?

Before taking their seats, Members of Parliament must legally swear an oath or make an affirmation of allegiance to the Crown. For some MPs this can be uncomfortable, creating a conflict between personal beliefs and legal obligations. Some MPs find themselves compelled to express sentiments they do not genuinely hold, or risk their constituents being deprived of representation. Unlike oaths taken by other office holders, the parliamentary oath does not address public expectations of MPs, nor does it guide MPs in understanding their duties. It has become a symbolic formality, a shibboleth, that could be usefully reformed.

Blog / Puberty blockers legislation: has the parliamentary calendar undermined accountability?

Before the General Election, the Government rushed through legislation - in the form of two Statutory Instruments - to temporarily restrict the supply of 'puberty blockers' to under-18s for gender dysphoria. One of those Instruments has now been the subject of a judicial review, before MPs have had any opportunity to consider it. Reasonable people can hold different views on the policy merits, but the way that a policy of such political and legal salience was implemented demonstrates some of the anomalies and weaknesses in the delegated legislation system – particularly how the parliamentary calendar can undermine MPs’ role in scrutinising such Instruments - and why the system needs reform.

Blog / How delegated legislation is being used to tackle the prisons crisis

Thousands of prisoners will be released on license early, once they have completed 40% rather than 50% of their sentence, if a Statutory Instrument is approved by the House of Commons today (25 July 2024). This is not the first time delegated legislation has been used to address the prison overcrowding crisis by implementing what are significant and contentious policy changes. This underscores the importance of a robust scrutiny system for such legislation; but in practice the treatment of the three pieces of delegated legislation concerned demonstrates many of its systemic weaknesses.

Blog / A House more divided: Practice and procedure in a multipolar Parliament

The composition of the opposition in the new Parliament is very different from that of recent Parliaments, including the period following the Labour landslide of 1997. For the time being at least, we are in a new era of multi-party opposition. What might be some of the procedural implications of this shift?

Blog / Mock Elections 2024: The results are in!

Results are in for the Hansard Society's nationwide Mock Elections. Thousands of pupils have cast their ballots and the results show that Labour has won the election among pupils across the country, with 27.3% of the vote.

Blog / How should Parliament handle the Seventh Carbon Budget - and why does it matter?

Blog / Creeping ministerial powers: the example of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Blog / Two Houses go to war: the Safety of Rwanda Bill and the origins of the Parliament Act

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

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Publications

Guides / How is Parliament recalled?

If a crisis or major national event occurs during a period when Parliament is adjourned, there are often demands from MPs, the media and the public for Parliament to be ‘recalled’. But the House of Commons Standing Orders stipulate that only Government Ministers - in reality, the Prime Minister - can ask the Speaker to recall the House. In recent years the House of Lords has generally been recalled at the same time as the House of Commons.

Briefings / Back to Business: Executive Summary

When will the Government present its first bills after the King's Speech? When will the Government schedule a Budget? Why do departmental spending plans (the 'Main Estimates') need to be approved urgently before the Summer recess? When will House of Commons Select Committees be up and running? If two opposition parties win a similar number of seats at the General Election, how might this affect the functioning of the opposition in the House of Commons?

Briefings / Back to Business: The Budget and Estimates

The new Government will face a series of financial decisions and procedures that need to be implemented on a tight timetable in its first six months. When will it hold a Budget? How does Parliament scrutinise and approve the Budget and Finance Bill? The departmental 'Main Estimates' need to be approved by MPs before the Summer recess: why, and what will happen if they don't? Might Supplementary Estimates also be needed? And a Spending Review must be concluded by December to inform government bodies of their budget allocations for the start of the next financial year.

Briefings / Back to Business: Parliamentary Calendar - Sessions, sittings and recesses

A General Election in July poses challenges to the normal parliamentary calendar over the Summer. When Parliament sits will affect the timing of some of the key procedures at the start of the Parliament such as the setting up of Select Committees. It will also affect the timing of the Budget. So what will happen with the Summer and party conference recesses?

Briefings / Back to Business 2024: A guide to the start of the new Parliament

The new Parliament will assemble on Tuesday 9 July 2024, five days after the General Election. This guide explains the ceremonial, legislative, organisational and procedural processes that are engaged at the start of the Parliament.

Briefings / Back to Business: Swearing-in

Briefings / Back to Business: State Opening of Parliament and King's Speech

Briefings / Back to Business: Setting up Select Committees

Briefings / Back to Business: Private Members' Bill ballot

Journal

Journal / The evolution of election campaigning: Insights from Parliamentary Affairs

How have election campaign strategies evolved over the past 15 years to shape today's political landscape? This special collection of articles from our journal, Parliamentary Affairs, highlights the increasing sophistication and personalisation of national and constituency-level campaigns. It explores how political parties target key voter groups, leverage constituency visits from party leaders for electoral gains, and increasingly rely on digital campaigning.

Journal / Parliamentary Affairs call for papers: Special section on the state of British politics in 2024/5

This call for papers is for a special section of Parliamentary Affairs on the state of British politics in 2024/5. It will identify the key institutions, issues and challenges that need to be addressed by any new Government taking over in 2025, following the general election expected at the end of 2024.

Journal / Marking 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement – Parliamentary Affairs special collection

To mark 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, we have curated a special collection of articles from our journal Parliamentary Affairs. The articles cover a range of themes, from devolution and the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly to peacebuilding, consociation and women's rights.

Journal / Marking 20 years since Parliament approved military action in Iraq – Parliamentary Affairs special collection

To mark 20 years since the House of Commons voted to approve military action in Iraq on 18 March 2003, we have curated a special collection of articles from our journal Parliamentary Affairs. The articles cover a range of themes from the Hutton Inquiry and the Iraq Dossier to war powers and the Government's use of secret intelligence.

Journal / Parliamentary Affairs 75th Anniversary special collection on House of Lords reform

To mark the Parliamentary Affairs 75th Anniversary Lecture, delivered by the Speaker of the House of Lords on the topic of reform of the Upper House, we have curated a special collection of articles from the journal archives, exploring Lords reform from unique perspectives and different historical contexts since the journal's inaugural issue in December 1947.