Parliaments are central to representative democracy but are also much derided institutions, often dismissed as talking shops. This lecture will assess how much parliaments matter. It will focus partly on the UK Parliament in the context of coalition government, the Brexit process and the increasing use of powers delegated to ministers.

Richard Whitaker is Professor of Politics in the School of History, Politics and International Relations at the University of Leicester and the Thematic Research Lead for Parliament, Public Administration and Constitution in the UK Parliament. His research deals with parliaments and political parties. This includes the UK and European Parliaments, the UK Parliament’s role in the Brexit process, coalition governance in the UK and executive-legislative relationships. He is the author of The European Parliament’s Committees: National Party Influence and Legislative Empowerment (2011) and numerous research papers.

RSVP by Wednesday 17 July 2024