Delegation from Poland engage on global instability and cooperation in Europe
From 26 to 28 January 2026 BGIPU welcomed to Westminster a delegation from Poland for a bilateral visit to the British Parliament. The delegation was led by Senator Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka, Vice-President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and included Senator Stanisław Gawłowski and Senator Wiktor Durlak. As well as members of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Mr Rafał Kasprzyk, Ms Dorota Olko and Ms Jolanta Zięba-Gzik. They were accompanied by Wojciech Gruba, Administrative Secretary of the Polish Inter-Parliamentary Group.
Monday’s official programme began with a meeting with policy experts at Chatham House, a wide range of topics were covered with particular emphasis on engaging on common European security concerns. The delegation were then welcomed to Parliament with a welcome lunch kindly hosted by Dan Carden MP. The afternoon session began with an Introduction to the Westminster system hosted by Emma Makey of the Interparliamentary Relations Office. This was followed by meetings in the IPU Room with Lord Gardiner of Kimble, Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP, Leader of the House of Commons and Wera Hobhouse MP, member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee. Discussions covered a range of areas including procedural and organisational differences between the respective political systems and how to work on common issues like the green transition.
Monday afternoon was concluded with a meeting with Mr Speaker, hosted in Speaker’s House. The meeting presented an opportunity to discuss numerous common issues and concerns, the ongoing war in Ukraine was a key point of discussion with both sides agreeing on the need for cooperation to ensure peace. They also touched on the wider instability in the world and the seemingly ever increasing challenges faced by all.
Tuesday morning began with a tour of the Palace of Westminster with BGIPU Chair, Fabian Hamilton MP, he would also host the working lunch that afternoon. Meetings on Tuesday included the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg and Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, James Cartlidge MP. Again, discussions covered various topics but a key strand of conversations was our common issues and need to work together in the face of the many problems in the world. A brief break after lunch allowed the delegation the opportunity to observe a debate in the House of Lords. The day concluded with a roundtable with BGIPU members hosted by BGIPU Chair, Fabian Hamilton MP, which presented the opportunity for a conversation focused on IPU related issues, for example the upcoming selection of a new Secretary-General, the war in Ukraine and ongoing issues in Venezuala.
Wednesday was the third and final day of the programme. Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale MP, member of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, met with the delegation in the morning. Once more the ongoing war in Ukraine and the ramifications for European security featured heavily in the conversation, the delegation highlighted that all of Europe needed to understand the danger faced due to Russian actions. The meeting was followed by a discussion with John Slinger MP and Clive Betts MP on the Speaker’s Conference Committee’s work on preventing violence against MPs. The delegation then attended Prime Minister’s Questions, a wonderful opportunity to see debate and parliamentary democracy in action. The visit concluded with a working lunch hosted by Rt Hon Baroness Northover, BGIPU Vice-Chair. The delegation said their goodbyes and headed off to Heathrow for their return flight to Warsaw.
The visit proved a crucial opportunity for British parliamentarians to engage with their Polish counterparts. It was evident in meetings throughout the programme that many of the issues faced in the UK were not so different from those faced by parliamentarians in Poland and that is vital to continue to engage and work closely with such an important European and NATO ally.
Delegation with Mr Speaker in Speaker's House. © House of Commons
Delegation Leader, Senator Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka, with BGIPU Chair, Fabian Hamilton MP.
Meeting with Lord Alton, Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Delegation pictured with Alan Campbell MP, Leader of the House of Commons.
