On Friday 19 June, BGIPU hosted a virtual parliamentary discussion on COVID-19: The Increased Risks and Vulnerabilities to Refugees and Migrant Populations with The British Red Cross (BRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The proceedings were chaired by BGIPU Executive Committee member, Chris Law MP, with panellists from both BRC and MSF. The event was […]
On 18 June BGIPU convened a bilateral meeting between UK and Norwegian Parliamentarians in a virtual format. The discussion was moderated by BGIPU Chair Harriett Baldwin MP and the Chair of the Norway APPG, Sir Mark Hendrick MP, and they were joined by Bob Blackman MP and Lord Mountevans. The Norwegian IPU Delegation Leader Ulf […]
On 8 June, BGIPU members met Swedish parliamentarians in our first ever virtual bilateral meeting. Swedish counterparts welcomed BGIPU’s initiative of conducting virtual bilateral talks to maintain exchanges at a time when inter-parliamentary dialogue between MPs remains vital but conditions for international travel remain severely disrupted. The meeting was led by BGIPU Chair, Harriett Baldwin […]
The Chair of the BGIPU, Harriett Baldwin MP, convened on 21 May 2020 a virtual meeting of the BGIPU Executive Committee to review operational changes made by the Secretariat in line with health and social distancing requirements, developments and deferrals to the agreed forward programme and to discuss new agreed virtual activities to be provided […]
Release by the House of Commons Influential House of Commons Select Committees – such as the Treasury Committee – are now hosting ‘virtual’ meetings to enable MPs to hold the Government to account during the coronavirus crisis. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the temporary measure will mean there is no need for MPs to attend […]
Release by the House of Commons on 1 April 2020 Parliament should be able to operate ‘virtually’ if the UK ‘is still in the grip of the coronavirus crisis’ at the time the House is due to return on 21 April, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has insisted. MPs should still be able to take part […]
The Annual General Meeting of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union was convened on Wednesday 4 March in the IPU Room at the Palace of Westminster to adopt the 2019 Annual Report and elect the Executive Committee for 2020. It was originally scheduled for November 2019 but was deferred due to the December 2019 […]
A delegation of UK parliamentarians from both Houses led by the BGIPU Chair, Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP, visited Paris on 26-27 June to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) with members of the French IPU Group. This visit recognised the significant role played by both parliaments in the founding of the IPU, created on 30 June 1889. The delegations issued a joint declaration on their continuing commitment to the principles and values of the IPU.
With the generous support of the Speaker of the House of Commons, BGIPU invited members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to attend a diplomatic reception in Speaker’s House on 25 June 2019 to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the IPU. BGIPU Chair, Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP, joined the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition, in paying tribute to the legacy of the IPU’s UK co-founder, Sir William Randall Cremer MP saying the IPU’s work remained as relevant today as when it was first founded on 30 June 1889.
Chaired by the Speaker of the HoC, the BGIPU AGM took place on 27 November 2018 to adopt the 2018 Annual Report. The AGM also saw the election of Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP as Chair for the BGIPU alongside a new Executive Committee for 2018/19. The contribution of the outgoing Chair, Nigel Evans MP, was warmly acknowledged by all BGIPU members along with recognition of the work of the BGIPU Secretariat.
