Is Westminster in a fix? The run-up to the election in a Fixed Term Parliament

Join a panel of experts in Parliament for the inside track on what to expect from the first pre-election parliamentary session under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

This final pre-election session of Parliament is the first under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act. So what can we expect?

• What issues are coming up? Which ones may prove controversial and why?
  • How will it affect the conduct of business at Westminster?
  • Is it really helping pre and post election policy planning in Whitehall?
  • Should we still expect a legislative ‘wash up’ in the final days of the Parliament?
• What impact might it have on the role and work of select committees?
• Can we expect any progress with Private Members Bills?
• And what of the political parties – is it affecting how they approach the general election campaign?
• And with all this in mind, will the coalition last until dissolution on 30 March 2015?

To find out, join us in Parliament on Wednesday 9th July as a panel of experts unravel the possibilities for the coming session.

Speakers

Mark D’Arcy – Parliamentary Correspondent, BBC
Mark contributes to and presents a range of programmes across the BBC’s radio and television output. Since 2002 he has been the correspondent for BBC Radio 4′s Today in Parliament, presents BBC Parliament’s political book review show, BOOKtalk, and regularly blogs for BBC Democracy Live. Previously he worked as a producer and reporter on BBC Radio 4′s The Westminster Hour, and as the BBC’s local government correspondent. He is a member of the Hansard Society Advisory Council.

Deborah Mattinson – Founder, BritainThinks
Former chief pollster to Prime Minister Gordon Brown Deborah is one of Britain’s leading political commentators and polling strategists. In 2010, she published Talking to a Brick Wall – the story of the New Labour years through the eyes of the voter. She is the co-founder of BritainThinks, a strategic communications and political research consultancy, which advises some of the UK’s biggest brands and charities.

Professor Lord Norton
A former Chair and member of the House of Lords constitution committee and a widely published professor of government and Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies at Hull University, Lord Norton is one of the UK’s leading authorities on Parliament and the UK constitution. He has also sat on a number of public bill committees, including the recent Draft House of Lords Reform Bill committee, and blogs extensively about life and work in the upper chamber on Lords of the Blog and The Norton View.

Chair: Rt Hon Lord Grocott – Chair, Hansard Society

Register to tell a friend about this lecture.

Comments

If you would like to comment about this lecture, please register here.

©2003-2006 Niminim Limited. Created by

Any ad revenue is entirely reinvested into the Lecture List's operating fund