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Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, UK

The best way to reach us is via the email addresses or mobile numbers below. The Hansard Society office is only accessible for those with a prior appointment.

For media enquiries, please contact Dr Ruth Fox on +44 (0) 7779 666771 or email ruth.fox@hansardsociety.org.uk

Hansard Society 36-37 Albert Embankment London SE1 7TL

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
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News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 26-30 January 2026

MPs will debate the Armed Forces Bill, the Finance Bill, and the Railways Bills and legislation to prioritise UK medical students for training places will be fast-tracked through all its Commons stages in one day. Cabinet members Rachel Reeves, Pat McFadden and Peter Kyle will face oral questions. The Conservatives will select the subject of Wednesday’s Opposition Day debate. In the Lords, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, Crime and Policing Bill, Pension Schemes Bill, English Devolution Bill, and Assisted Dying Bill will make further progress, and Peers will debate a UK–EU customs union. Both Houses will mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The Defence Secretary, the Security Minister and the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary face Select Committee hearings. Committees will also take evidence on digital ID and the UK’s relationship with the United States.

25 Jan 2026
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News / Should MPs who switch parties be forced to face a by-election? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 127

In this episode, we ask whether MPs who switch parties should be forced to face a by-election – and what this month’s spate of defections says about representation, party power and voter consent. We also unpick a dizzying week in British and global politics as “hurricane Trump” batters the post-war order, testing the UK-US alliance and raising awkward questions about NATO, defence spending and procurement. Plus: the Lords’ push for an under-16s social media ban, Chagos ping-pong, and stalled bills in Westminster. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

23 Jan 2026
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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
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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
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