Wheeler-Booth Memorial Lecture 2022
This year’s Wheeler-Booth Memorial Lecture at the SPG’s Annual Weekend was delivered by Dame Angela Eagle MP, on the 7th January 2022. Dame Angela’s speech can be read below: All too often lectures about Parliament are self-satisfied and complacent explanations of why the UK Parliamentary system is the envy of the world and superior to…
Select Committee Powers – A Debate
On Thursday 16th September, the Study of Parliament Group held a debate on select committee powers following the House of Commons Privilege Committee’s recent report: Select Committees and Contempts. We were joined for this debate by: Chris Bryant MP – Chair of the Committee of Privileges and the Committee on Standards Alexander Horne – Counsel,…
Save the date: SPG Annual Weekend 2022
A date for your diaries! The SPG Annual Weekend will return on the 7-8th January 2022. We are hoping to welcome members back to Oxford (restrictions permitting) and we will release more details on our plans, including registration and the programme closer to the event.
“Reflections on being a Lord Chancellor” – with Rt Hon David Gauke
On Tuesday 16th March the Study of Parliament and Statute Law Society hosted the Rt Hon David Gauke, to discuss his reflections on being Lord Chancellor. The event was recorded (audio only) and you can find a copy of the recording below.
Review of Parliaments and the Pandemic
Our recent publication, Parliaments and the Pandemic, has received a glowing review by Steven Chaplin, Adjunct Professor Commons Law and Fellow at uOttawa Public Law Centre, via the UK Constitutional Law Association’s blog. Steven says: “For anyone who studies or advises Parliament or other legislative bodies, or any other large institution, Parliaments and the Pandemic, is…
Parliaments and the Pandemic publication cited in Procedure Committee oral evidence session
The Study of Parliament Group’s recent publication Parliaments and the Pandemic was cited in an evidence session this week by the Clerk of the House of Commons, Dr John Benger, and Matthew Hamlyn, Strategic Director, Chamber Business Team, to the Procedure Committee, on how the House of Commons has adapted its procedures during the pandemic.…
Wheeler-Booth Memorial Lecture 2021
This year’s Wheeler-Booth Memorial Lecture at the SPG’s Annual Weekend was delivered by the Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jacob Rees Mogg on the 8th January 2021. The subject of this year’s lecture was ‘Why Parliament Matters’. A recording of the lecture is available below: An abridged version of the speech delivered…
Parliaments and the Pandemic publication showcased on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today in Parliament’
On Friday 8th January, the SPG launched its new publication ‘Parliaments and the Pandemic’. As part of this launch Dr Hannah White (IfG) gave an interview to Mark D’Arcy discussing the publication. You can listen to the programme below, with Hannah’s interview beginning at 5.23.
Parliaments and the Pandemic – new SPG publication
In January 2021 the SPG published a collection of essays reflecting on the experience of parliaments in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020. The essays – written by current and former parliamentary staff, academics and others working in and on parliaments – examine how parliaments innovated and adapted their working practices to cope with…
Michael Ryle Memorial Lecture 2020
This year’s Michael Ryle Memorial Lecture was delivered by the Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler on the 9th December 2020. The subject this year was the future of the House of Lords. Due to Covid-19 restrictions we held the lecture virtually for the first time and we were delighted that this meant that members of the…
Covid-19 and Parliaments Seminars
Over the course of the summer the Study of Parliament Group hosted a number of virtual seminars addressing the impact of Covid-19 on parliaments. Sessions included: Covid-19 and the UK, Canadian and Australian Parliaments (29th April) Covid-19 and gender sensitivity in parliaments (13th May) Covid-19 and the parliaments of the Crown Dependencies (28th May) Covid-19…
Kenneth Clarke in conversation with Meg Russell
View this video of Kenneth Clarke, former Father of the House of Commons, in conversation with Professor Meg Russell, Director of the Constitution Unit, in a joint SPG/Constitution Unit event on 27 February 2020.
Annual Conference, 10-11 January 2020
The Group held its annual conference at Cohen Quad, Exeter College, Oxford. Topics discussed included the use of data for scrutiny, Parliament and the Law, current academic research, Gender Sensitive Parliaments and a discussion with Chris Bryant MP. The second Michael Wheeler-Booth Memorial Lecture was given by Meg Hillier MP.
Conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the reformed select committee system
Between the 27th and 28th June the Study of Parliament Group and House of Commons held a two day conference to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the introduction of House of Commons Select Committees. More details about the conference can be found on the dedicated website here. The 2019 Michael Ryle Memorial Lecture was given as part of…