Speaker’s Conference to hear evidence from journalists and academics
29 May 2025
The Speaker’s Conference (2024) will on Wednesday [4th June 2025] hear from the journalists, academics, the Association for Citizenship Teaching and the Behavioural Insights Team in its third public evidence session. This will be held as part of the Conference’s work in considering the factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs, and the effectiveness of the response to such threats.
The session will cover how public attitudes towards MPs and political debate affect the level of abuse and intimidation, including the influence of the press and broadcast media.
Witnesses will include:
From 15:40:
- David Hughes, Political Editor at PA and chair of the Parliamentary Lobby
- Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor at ITV News and chair of the Parliamentary Press Gallery
From 16:30:
- Liz Moorse, Chief Executive at Association for Citizenship Teaching
- Professor Helen Fenwick, Professor of Human Rights Law at Durham Law School
- Karthik Ramanna, Professor of Business and Public Policy at Blavatnik School of Government
- Elisabeth Costa, Chief of Innovation and Partnerships at Behavioural Insights Team
The evidence session will be broadcast on Parliament Live from 15:40 on Wednesday 4th June 2025.
About the Speaker’s Conference
The committee, which is to be known as the Speaker’s Conference, was established to help ensure that elections to the UK Parliament are conducted freely and fairly, without threats or violence; that candidates are able to campaign safely, with appropriate protection and support; and that elected representatives can do their job securely.
Specifically, the Conference will consider factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs and the effectiveness of the response to these threats. It will make recommendations about the arrangements necessary to secure free and fair elections and the appropriate protection of candidates at future UK-wide parliamentary elections and of elected representatives thereafter.
The House of Commons approved the motion to establish the Conference on 14 October 2024
How Speaker’s Conferences work
A Speaker's Conference is a cross-party group of MPs brought together by the Commons Speaker to consider a specific topic. The Speaker can call such a conference at any time, either independently or on the Prime Minister’s recommendation.
Speakers’ Conferences have similar powers to select committees and can request documents, call witnesses and take oral and written evidence. They are not bound to the procedures of select committees, however, and have the discretion to operate under the Speaker’s guidance.