British-American Parliamentary Group

Past Events

These are some of the events from the recent past:

Specialist Delegation Visit to the US Midwest in conjunction with the FCDO and the British Consulate-General Chicago, 10-14 March 2024

The British-American Parliamentary Group in conjunction with the FCDO and the British Consulate-General Chicago sent four members to Kansas and Missouri 10-14 March 2024 to look at how American industry and agriculture is regenerating and to explore the opportunities for Anglo-American cooperation.

This visit provided the opportunity to engage with the heart of America and better understand the commercial opportunities afforded in the region and the political power that sits outside the beltway. Both Kansas and Missouri are leveraging traditional strengths in agricultural innovation to unlock federal funding in biomanufacturing (via the CHIPS Act) and aerospace, including sustainable aviation fuel (via the Inflation Reduction Act), and these formed the thematic focus of the visit.

Annual Parliamentary Reception for the American Ambassador, H.E. Hon. Jane D Hartley, on Tuesday, 6th February 2024 at 6pm in the Speaker's State Rooms

The British-American Parliamentary Group in partnership with BritishAmerican Business hosted a reception in honour of the American Ambassador, H.E. Hon. Jane D. Hartley, in the State Rooms, Speaker’s House, House of Commons, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker, The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP, on Tuesday, 6th February 2024 at 6pm.

This event provided an opportunity for many members of the Group to meet the Ambassador, who was accompanied by a team of her key staff.

Annual US government co-sponsored Legislative Exchange to the US, 16-25 July 2023

The BAPG, in conjunction with the United States Department of State and the American Embassy London, sent a group of MPs to the United States to acquaint them with the American political system at the federal, state, and local levels, with emphasis on the role and organization of Congress.   The programme also included a short time with a Member of Congress in their district.

'John F. Kennedy: American Icon' Panel Discussion Event, 27th June 2023

To mark the sixtieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963, the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Archives and History APPG and the London POTUS Group, with the kind support of The National Archives, organised a special event on Tuesday, 27th June, in which a number of distinguished speakers explored Kennedy’s life and presidency and also considered the Kennedys as a political dynasty.  The event took place in the River Room in the House of Lords, by kind permission of the Lord Speaker, The Rt. Hon. the Lord McFall of Alcluith.

The panel of speakers comprised: Fredrik Logevall, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy school and author of the bestselling JFK, who examined John Kennedy’s rise to power;  Professor Barbara Perry, Director of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center and author of sixteen books (including several on the Kennedys), who discussed JFK’s policies on civil rights, including the role played by Robert Kennedy as attorney general and  Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and author of Kennedy’s Wars and many other influential works, who considered how Kennedy met the challenges of the Cold War.

This event was chaired by The Rt. Hon. the Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, former Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary General of NATO, and  introduced by Chris Evans MP for Islwyn, Chair of the Archives and History APPG.

We were delighted to have a curated display of documents from The National Archives at the event which shed light on how the British government responded to key developments during the Kennedy years. 

BAPG Specialist Delegation Visit to Texas 2-6 April 2023

The Group sent four members to Texas (visiting: Houston, Austin and Fort Worth/Dallas) during the first week of April 2023 to better understand the commercial opportunities afforded by America’s second largest (and fastest growing) state, and the political power that sits outside the beltway, and establish a political/parliamentary relationship with Texas state legislators particularly around influencing policy debate on climate change and energy transition.

The BAPG is most grateful to the British Consulate General Houston for arranging the programme and for the time and attention given to the Parliamentarians who took part, in spite of its own very busy schedule.

Reception event 'Highlighting the Transatlantic Relationship' in partnership with Wilton Park on Tuesday, 28th February 2023 at 6pm in the Speaker's State Rooms

The British-American Parliamentary Group were delighted to partner with Wilton Park, an executive agency of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,  in hosting a networking evening ‘Highlighting the Transatlantic Relationship’, with kind support from Virgin Atlantic, on Tuesday, 28th February 2023 at 6pm in the Speaker’s State Rooms, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker, The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP.

The event was a great opportunity to connect with people across government, members of the diplomatic corps, media, academia, business, as well as other key stakeholders with an interest in the US-UK relationship.

Harvard Institute of Politics Bi-Partisan Orientation Programme for Newly Elected Members of Congress, 8-10 December 2022

The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School welcomed four BAPG members to observe its bi-partisan programme for newly elected Members of Congress, held from Thursday, 8th December to Saturday, 10th December 2022.  The programme involved ‘issue seminars’ and lectures by Harvard academics and eminent outside speakers.

2022 U.S. Midterm Elections Event, Tuesday, 8th November 2022 at 5.30pm in the IPU Room

The BAPG, in partnership with the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library, hosted a U.S. Midterm Elections event with US election supremo Professor Phil Davies in conversation with three former Republican and Democrat Members of Congress Rob Woodall (R-GA, 2011-2021), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT, 2013-2019)  and George Holding (R-NC 2013-2021). They discussed the latest polling, leading personalities, battle ground states and the issues dividing America, as well as their expectations for the remaining two years of the Biden administration.

The 2022 U.S. Midterm Elections Explained webinar event on Tuesday, 1st November 2022 at 6pm to 7pm via Teams

The United States held its midterm elections on 8th November 2022.  Voters chose 35 senators, 36 state governors and all 435 members of the House of Representatives, as well as dozens of local legislative officials.  The outcome of these elections will shape the second half of Joe Biden’s term as president and, ultimately, the country.

 John Della Volpe is the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and an expert in taking the temperature of the crucial Millennial voters, including those in the pivotal swing states of North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona and Florida.

In a special session for UK Parliamentarians, Mr. Della Volpe delivered his analysis of the midterm elections, including insight into the issues, viewpoints, messages and memes, that are cutting through with the voters.

Welcome Reception for the new U.S. Ambassador, Jane D Hartley, on Tuesday, 25th October 2022 at 6pm in the Speaker's State Rooms

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in partnership with BritishAmerican Business, were delighted to host a reception in honour of the new American Ambassador, H.E. Hon. Jane D. Hartley, in the State Rooms, Speaker’s House, House of Commons, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, 25th October 2022 at 6pm.

The event provided an opportunity for many members of the Group to meet the Ambassador, who was accompanied by a team of her key staff.

 

Deferred 2021 Annual Parliamentary Congressional Conference with the Senate BAPG, 1-3 September 2022

The Group’s deferred 2021 Annual Conference with Members of the United States Congress took place in London and West Sussex from Thursday, 1st September to Saturday, 3rd September 2022 with a delegation from the U.S. Senate.   The American delegation was led by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and President pro tempore, and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas), who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.

The British delegation was led by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt. Hon. Nigel Evans, MP, and by the Shadow Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon. David Lammy, MP.

We are grateful to Rolls Royce Motor Cars Ltd. and to Wilton Park for hosting the discussion sessions.

 

2022 Annual BAPG / U.S. Department of State Co-Sponsored Visit to the US for Parliamentarians to learn about the US Legislative Process, 17-26 July

After a hiatus of two years, eight Parliamentarians, with no or little prior experience of America, travelled to the United States to take part in an annual U.S. government sponsored International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP), to learn about the US Legislative Process.

The programme opened in Washington DC and comprised an overview of the federal system of government and how the various branches of government interact.  This was followed by meetings at key US government departments and with congressional counterparts.  The middle weekend was spent with a Member of Congress in his/her home district and the final two days were spent in Boston where the participants reunited to examine a state capital legislature and other issues of interest.

 

'Watergate: 50 Years On' Panel Discussion Event on 14th June 2022 at 6pm to 7.30pm in the Speaker's State Rooms

June 2022 was the fiftieth anniversary of the break-in at the Watergate Office Building that sparked one of the most dramatic crises in American political history, culminating in the resignation of President Richard Nixon.  To mark the occasion, the British-American Parliamentary Group in partnership with the Archive and History APPG and the London POTUS Group, organised a special event on Tuesday, 14th June 2022, in which a number of distinguished speakers explored the significance of Watergate in terms of the broader sweep of United States history.

Iwan Morgan, Emeritus Professor at University College London and distinguished presidential scholar, considered Nixon’s place in history and whether he deserved to be remembered for more than Watergate.  Chris Evans, Labour MP for Islwyn and Chair of the Archive and History APPG, discussed John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson in exploring the presidential context to Watergate.  Tim Stanley, columnist and leader writer for the Daily Telegraph and historian of modern America, examined the consequences of Watergate, in terms of not only the election of a Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, in 1976, but also the Republican Party’s subsequent attitude towards the media and the rise of Ronald Reagan and later Donald Trump.   Bridget Kendall, Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and the BBC’s Washington Correspondent during the Clinton presidency, compared the impeachment of Nixon to that of Bill Clinton.

This special event was chaired by The Rt. Hon. the Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, former Secretary of State for Defence, and Secretary General of NATO.

The event included a display by the National Archives of records from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Prime Minister’s Office documenting the real time reactions and the political calculations of the British Embassy and the Heath and Wilson governments to the crisis. 

 

Electric and Autonomous Vehicles Specialist Delegation Visit to California, 22-26 May 2022

The British-American Parliamentary Group sent a bi-partisan delegation to California to look at both the regulatory and the innovation aspects of electric and autonomous vehicles from 22nd to 26th May 2022.

The delegation visited San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles.   The British Consulate Generals San Francisco and Los Angeles kindly arranged the programme.

 

Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Exchange with the U.S. House of Representatives BAPG

A BAPG delegation travelled to Washington DC in the last week of March to take part in an exchange hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives BAPG delegation, led by Chair, Rep. Ron. Kind (D-WI).    The Parliamentarians taking part also took the opportunity of other meetings arranged by the British Embassy with calls on various Departments of the Administration, unions, think tanks and Senators.

 

Inaugural meeting of U.S./UK women legislators on International Women’s Day, Tuesday, 8th March

The first U.S./UK bilateral for women legislators took place on International Women’s Day.  Women legislators from  the Congressional Caucus and the British-American Parliamentary Group came together to discuss ‘Threats and violence against holders of public office’.

The inaugural conversation of an online series dedicated to exploring issues of common interest between women legislators on both sides of the Atlantic.

The U.S./UK legislators agreed at the meeting to release a joint statement in support of the women of the Ukrainian parliament:

“Today, on International Women’s Day, women on all sides of politics in both the U.S. and UK stand together in recognition of the extraordinary bravery of our colleagues in Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (The Ukrainian Parliament) in Kyiv and with all of those dedicated to defending the independence of the Ukraine against tyranny.  #StandwithUkraine

 

Briefing by U.S. Embassy officials on Travel to the US on Wednesday, 8th December at 10.30am in the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House

The British-American Parliamentary Group hosted a briefing by the acting U.S. Consul General and Visa Chief, Carson Wu, who briefed Parliamentarians and staff on the new U.S. travel and vaccine requirements as well update on visa and passport services at the US Embassy.

Embassy staff were on hand to answer travel questions.

'Essentials of Free Flowing Data Transfers' Online Discussion Event in Partnership with BritishAmerican Business on Thursday, 9th September at 5pm to 6.15pm

The British-American Parliamentary Group partnered with BritishAmerican Business to host an online discussion event with senior leaders from US and UK business and U.S. and UK legislators on what we mean when we talk about data transfers,  the state of play for legal mechanisms for transatlantic data transfers and the unique opportunity of the UK and the U.S. to set global standards on data transfers and take the leadership on future technologies.

Moderated by Duncan Edwards, CEO of BritishAmerican Business, who was joined by Senior Leaders from UK and U.S. business together with Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy (Republican, Louisiana), member of the Senate Finance Committee and the United States Senate Joint Economic Committee, and Darren Jones, MP (Labour, Bristol Northwest), Chair of the Select Committee on Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

 

 

Pew Research Center Briefing on its newest findings on the global perceptions of the United States of America and its President on 20th July 2021 AT 5pm to 6pm via Microsoft Teams

The BAPG were delighted to host an online briefing with Dr. Richard Wike of the Pew Research Center, moderated by The Rt. Hon. the Baroness Jay of Paddington, on  Tuesday, 20th July at 5pm to 6pm BST via Microsoft Teams

The Pew Research Center has studied trends in global perceptions of the United States and its president for two decades. Its newest findings, based on polling data collected in 16 advanced economies around the world, explore the public image of Joe Biden, including several of his major policy initiatives, and how America’s reputation has changed in the post-Trump period.

In this online briefing, the Center’s leading international survey researcher, Dr. Richard Wike, discussed the new data and compared America’s current reputation in international affairs with public perceptions of China and the European Union.

AGM, Wednesday, 7th July at 3.30pm via Microsoft Teams

The Group’s Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday, 7th July 2021 at 3.30pm via Microsoft Teams at which Members of the Executive Committee 2021-22 were elected.

 

State of the Union: What will the Biden administration’s re-engagement with the Trade Union movement mean domestically and internationally? On-line discussion event, Wednesday, 24th March 2021 at 5pm to 6pm, via Teams

The British-American Parliamentary Group hosted guest speaker, Damon Silvers, Policy Director and Special Counsel for the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 55 national and international unions that represent 12.5 million working men and women.

Damon Silvers is a leading figure in relations between the Biden Administration and the union movement.  He discussed the role of the labour movement in Joe Biden’s election; the engagement and involvement of labour in the transition and the appointment of union figures at the highest levels of the administration, signifying a step change in the role of the unions in government, with implications for domestic and international policy.

Moderated by: The Rt. Hon. John Spellar, MP

 

Virtual Discussion with the CEO of British Airways and the President of American Airlines on the Safe Return of Transatlantic Flights - Tuesday, 16th March 2021 at 4pm to 5pm UK time via Zoom

The British-American Parliamentary Group (BAPG) and BritishAmerican Business (BAB) co-hosted a virtual meeting and discussion with Sean Doyle, the CEO of British Airways and Robert Isom, the President of American Airlines, to discuss ‘How we can safely return to a full schedule of transatlantic flights to reconnect UK and American businesses, support the trade and commerce they do and bring families back together’.

'Uniting The Political Divide?' Live Webinar Event, 4th February 2021

The BAPG hosted three Members of Congress: Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska) and Rep. George Holding (R-North Carolina up to 3rd January 2021) in a discussion looking ahead at the 117th Congress and US-UK relations.

Moderated by The Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate.

'What will a Biden Presidency mean for the UK and the World?' Special online session with the British Ambassador to the USA, Dame Karen Pierce, on 9th December at 5.30pm GMT

The occupant of the White House determines much more than just what happens in the United States. In a special session for the British-American Parliamentary Group, the British Ambassador to the USA, Dame Karen Pierce, discussed with Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, what a Biden Presidency will mean for the UK and the world.

 

 

The BAPG Facilitates Special Virtual Ceremony between the HOC Speaker and the US House of Representatives Speaker to Mark the 400th Anniversary of the Voyage of the Mayflower, 17th November 2020 at 5pm

The British-American Parliamentary Group facilitated a special virtual meeting on Tuesday, 17th November, at which the Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP, presented an illuminated scroll to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Hon. Nancy Pelosi, as a gift from British Parliamentarians to US Members of Congress, to mark the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower from its homeport in Rotherhithe, London, to America.

The special velum scroll was designed by the Worshipful Company of Stationers and the event conceived by Thames Alive to commemorate the anniversary and celebrate links between the UK and the USA.

The Speakers were joined by the Officers of the British-American Parliamentary Group from both the US House of Representatives, Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin) and Rep. George Holding (R-North Carolina), and the British Parliament, The Rt. Hon. Sir Greg Knight, MP, and The Rt. Hon. John Spellar, MP, along with the Minister for Trade Policy, The Rt. Greg Hands, MP, The Rt. Hon. the Admiral the Lord West of Spithead, on behalf of the Lord Speaker, HM Ambassador to the US, Dame Karen Pierce, and the Lord Mayor of London, William Russell, amongst others.

Rep. Ron Kind remarked that he was ‘honoured’ to be involved in the virtual gathering. ‘Having an ancestor who sailed aboard that ship so many years ago, it brings me deep pride to be part of this ceremony – and it also serves as a reminder of the lasting and enduring ties our two countries share,’ he said. ‘I look forward to strengthening those ties as our countries work together to address shared opportunities and challenges.’

The full ceremony was videoed and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcevxCqiUII

The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Explained, Tuesday, 20th October 2020, 4.00pm to 5.00pm, via Microsoft Teams

In a special session for UK Parliamentarians, Mr. Della Volpe, Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and an expert in taking the temperature of the crucial Millennial voters, including those in the pivotal swing states of Wisconsin, Florida and Pennsylvania, delivered his analysis of the most extraordinary election campaign in recent U.S. history, including insight into the issues, viewpoints, messages and memes, that are cutting through with the voters.

Live Ballot to decide the Opposition MPs on the Executive Committee 2020-21, Tuesday, 20th October, 12-1pm, Attlee Suite, Portcullis House

As we received seven nominations from opposition MPs for the six opposition places on the BAPG Executive Committee this year, it was necessary to hold a ballot to decide the six opposition members on the committee.

The live ballot was held on Tuesday, 20th October from 12pm to 1pm in the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House.

Proxy voting was available for those members who were not able to be in Westminster.

Two tellers (one from the government party and one opposition member) were appointed to count the votes following the ballot and the results were notified to the BAPG officers and members via email and on the All Party Whip, as soon as they were confirmed.

For further information, please contact the BAPG Secretariat: tel. 020 7219 6209; email: mitchellhk@parliament.uk.

BAPG Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 16th September 2020 at 3.30pm

Due to continued social distancing requirements on the parliamentary estate, the BAPG’s AGM was held online only (via Microsoft Teams), when members of the Executive Committee 2020-21 were elected.

2020 Democratic and Republican National Conventions August 2020

The BAPG traditionally sends two Parliamentarians to each of the US National Party Conventions to see Presidential candidate selection.

Unfortunately, it was not possible this year, as the organisers of both Conventions cancelled their in-person international programmes, owing to the Coronavirus health pandemic, although the Democratic National Convention ran a series of virtual panel discussion sessions to which BAPG members were invited.

 

Ministerial Briefing on the latest round of UK-US Trade Talks, 8th July at 3.30pm via Teams

The British-American Parliamentary Group was pleased to host via Microsoft Teams the Minister for Trade Policy, The Rt. Hon. Greg Hands, MP, who gave an update on the latest round of UK-US trade talks followed by a brief Q&A.

All Parliamentarians were invited to attend.

'This time is different: What we can learn from past crises in responding to Covid-19'

Members joined Anneliese Dodds, MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer,  in conversation with Professor Randall Kroszner, Norman R. Bobins Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Deputy Dean for Executive Programmes.

Tuesday, 23rd June 2020, 4.00pm to 5.00pm
Live Webinar via Microsoft Teams

As a former Governor of the US Federal Reserve, Professor Kroszner played a major role in responding to the 2008 Financial Crisis.  In conversation with Anneliese Dodds, he discussed the way in which economies are influenced by disparate factors, including trade deals like the US/UK deal and outbreaks like the Coronavirus, and what we can learn from past crises, including the 2008 crisis and the Great Depression, in responding to COVID-19.

 

Meeting with the U.S.-UK Business Council, Houses of Parliament, 15th October 2019

2019 BAPG / US Department of State Co-Sponsored Visit to the US to learn about the US legislative process

The BAPG, in conjunction with the United States Department of State and the American Embassy, sent a group of eight Parliamentarians to the United States in late July 2019 to learn about the US legislative process, which included a short time with a Member of Congress in his/her district.

2019 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference

The Group’s Annual Conference with members of the United States Senate took place in Washington D.C. in late July 2019.  The British delegation also took the opportunity of meetings arranged by the British Embassy, with calls on Members of Congress, various Departments of the Administration, business, unions and think tanks.

Smart Cities Thematic Visit to Chicago, South Bend and Atlanta, Whitsun Recess

Four members of the British-American Parliamentary Group took part in a specialist delegation visit to Midwest America to inquire into how new technologies and financing models have been used to upgrade infrastructure and create smart, accessible, cities. The delegation also took the opportunity of politician-to-politician discourse while there.

The delegation visited: Atlanta, Georgia; South Bend, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois, undertaking a programme arranged by the British Consulate Generals in Atlanta and Chicago.

On the delegation’s return, Dr. Lisa Cameron, MP, successfully applied for an adjournment debate on the findings of the visit, which took place on Monday, 24th June, in the main chamber.  Follow the link for a copy of the debate in Hansard: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-06-24/debates/A8B82BA9-D040-4235-B0E5-C9C250F9813F/SmartCities

Harvard Institute of Politics Bi-Partisan Orientation Programme for Newly Elected Members of Congress, 4-6 December 2018

The Institute of Politics, John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, invited the BAPG to send four members to observe its bi-partisan orientation  programme for new Members of Congress.   The programme took place from 4th to 6th December 2018 and involved ‘issue seminars’ and lectures held by Harvard academics and eminent outside speakers.  The programme provided the Parliamentarians the opportunity to meet and make contacts with 60 new Members of Congress.  The British Parliamentarians are the only foreign legislators invited to attend.

 

The Special Relationship in the AI Age

Panel discussion event held in partnership with the Ditchley Foundation on Tuesday evening, 20th November, in the State Rooms, Speaker’s House

Introduction: The Lord Hill, Chair of The Ditchley Foundation;
Chair: James Arroyo, Director of The Ditchley Foundation;

Panellists:
Bindi Karia, Founder and CEO, Bindi Ventures Limited;
Annalisa Jenkins, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.P., Chief Executive, Plaque Tec;
Carina Namih, Founder and CEO, Helix Nanotechnologies, Inc. &
Charles Songhurst, Founding Partner, Katana Capital.

 

US Midterm Elections Panel Discussion Event

On the eve of the U.S. Midterm Elections, the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library in partnership with the British-American Parliamentary Group, hosted a panel discussion event on the 2018 US Midterms.

Date: Monday, 5th November, 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Speaker’s State Rooms, Speaker’s House, by kind permission of Mr Speaker, The Rt. Hon. John Bercow, MP.

Chair:
Professor Phil Davies, Professor Emeritus of American Studies, De Montfort University & Former Director, Eccles Centre for American Studies, The British Library

Panellists:
Tom Petri (Republican), former US Representative for Wisconsin’s 6th congressional district for 18 terms until his retirement at the end of the 113th Congress (1979-2015). During his time in Congress, Petri served as the Chair and lead Republican of the US House of Representatives British-American Parliamentary Group (2001-2015). In early 2015, Queen Elizabeth II made Petri an Honorary Officer of the British Empire in recognition of his role in promoting U.K.-U.S. transatlantic relations.

Martin Lancaster (Democrat), former U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 1995. Post Congress, Lancaster served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (January 1996 – June 1997); President of the North Carolina Community College System (1997-2008) and for five years counsel to law firms in North Carolina and Washington DC, before retiring in 2013. Lancaster was made an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 for his services to the people of Northern Ireland.

 

2018 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference
2018 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference

The 2018 Annual Parliamentary Congressional Conference took place in the UK in late February at the invitation of the British BAPG, led by BAPG Vice Chairs, The Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling, MP and Vernon Coaker, MP, with the US House of Representatives BAPG delegation, led by Rep. George Holding (R-NC).

The two delegations met over three days in London and Kent.  The discussion sessions were taken out of Parliament to venues which showcased the Best of British and the deep bond between the two countries: with the discussion on the global economy and future trade relations hosted at the Bank of England, by the Deputy Governor, Sir Jon Cunliffe; the discussion on security and defence cooperation held at the new National Cyber Security Centre in Victoria, with a short briefing from the CEO, Ciaran Martin, and the discussion on the US/UK political outlook and US/UK relations held at Chevening House, with the support of the Foreign Secretary.  Please see the BAPG 2017/18 Annual Report for further information on the conference.

Financial Services Specialist Delegation Visit to the US, February 2018

The BAPG sent four Members with an interest in Financial Services to New York and Washington DC to engage with policy makers and business on regulatory and competitiveness issues affecting global financial markets and the opportunities for regulatory coherence and co-operation between the US and the UK Financial Services.

2017 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference

The British BAPG hosted the 2017 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the UK in late August/early September attended by the US Senate BAPG delegation.    The two delegations met over three days in London and Surrey and discussed: foreign affairs, defence and security cooperation; the global economy and international trade; the political outlook in the UK and the US and UK/US relations.  Please see the 2017/2018 Annual Report for further details 

BAPG / Foreign Office Visit to Washington DC, March 2017

The BAPG in conjuction with the Foreign Office sent a bi-partisan delegation of British Parliamentarians to Washington DC in early March 2017 to engage with Members of Congress, business and unions on international trade related issues, defence and security co-operation.

Harvard New Members Orientation Programme December 2016

Four Parliamentarians attended the Harvard Institute of Politics bi-partisan ‘orientation’ programme for newly elected Members of Congress (6-8 December 2016) as observers.  The programme comprised ‘issue seminars’ and lectures by Harvard academics and eminent outside speakers.   It provided a unique opportunity for the Parliamentarians to establish contacts and engage with their counterparts on bilateral issues.

BAPG / Ditchley Foundation Panel Discussion Event, 26th October 2016

The BAPG, in partnership with The Ditchley Foundation, co-hosted a panel discussion event on ‘Brexit and the transatlantic relationship’ on Wednesday, 26th October in the Speaker’s State Rooms, by kind permission of the Speaker, the Rt. Hon. John Bercow, MP.  The panellists comprised: Sir Martin Sorrell, British businessman and chief executive officer of WPP plc; Ambassador Anthony Gardner, US Ambassador to the European Union and Sir Peter Westmacott, former British Ambassador to the US.

The discussion was introduced by the Rt. Hon. the Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, Chair of The Ditchley Foundation, and chaired by James Arroyo, Director of The Ditchley Foundation.

BAPG/BAB Reception for the American Ambassador, 19th October 2016

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in partnership with BritishAmerican Business, hosted a reception in honour of the American Ambassador, H.E. Hon. Matthew W. Barzun, in the Speaker’s State Rooms, Speaker’s House, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, 19th October 2016.

Ambassador Barzun was accompanied by a team of his key staff and the occasion provided an opportunity for many members of the group to establish contacts and discuss US/UK relations.

2016 US National Conventions

The British-American Parliamentary Group (BAPG), in conjunction with the Foreign Office, arranged two visits to the US National Conventions this year, each for two members (one government and one opposition) to participate in the respective international programmes.

  • Republican National Convention – Monday, 18thJuly to Thursday, 21st July in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Democratic National Convention – Monday, 25th July to Thursday, 28th July in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
BAPG / US Department of State Co-Sponsored Visit to the US

The BAPG, in conjunction with the American Embassy and the United States Department of State, sent a bi-partisan group of MPs to the United States from the 10th to 20th July 2016 to participate in an International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) .

The prime purpose of the visit was to give members not already familiar with the United States an overview of its federal and state system of government and also included a short time with a Member of Congress in his/her district.

2016 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the US

The 2016 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference was hosted by the US House of Representatives BAPG delegation in Washington DC from Monday, 23rd May to Thursday, 26th May 2016. The House BAPG delegation was led by Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and the British delegation by BAPG Government Vice Chair and Leader of the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling, MP. The two delegations met over three days which included a visit to the United States Naval Accademy in Annapolis, Maryland, meetings with Republican and Democratic leadership and several relevant policy discussion sessions. Outside of the House BAPG meetings the British delegation also took the opportunity of meetings arranged by the British Embassy with calls on Members of Congress, various Departments of the Administration, business, unions and think tanks.

Specialist Delegation Visit to the US, November 2015

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in conjunction with the Foreign Office, sent a bi-partisan delegation to Washington D.C. and Norfolk, Virginia, in the first week of November 2015, to engage with US decision makers on climate security.  In Washington D.C., the delegation met with a range of Administration officials from various agencies with an interest in climate security issues and with Members of Congress on relevant committees in both Houses.  They also travelled to the US Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia, to discuss climate security and military readiness as well as undertake calls with Virginia  state politicians and officials to discuss how energy and climate security challenges are being approached at state level.

The programme was arranged by the Energy, Environment and Resource Security Team at the British Embassy in consultation with British Defence Staff at the Embassy and the British-American Parliamentary Group in the UK.

Panel Discussion on Big Data on 28th October 2015

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in partnership with The Ditchley Foundation, hosted a panel discussion on ‘Big data: better services, individual privacy and cyber security’ on Wednesday, 28th October 2015, at 1:00 pm to 2.30 pm in the Speaker’s State Rooms, Speaker’s House.

The panellists comprised: Matthew Kirk, Group External Affairs Director of Vodafone Group Services Ltd.; Professor Sir David Ormand, GCB, Visiting Professor, Kings College London and author of ‘Securing the State’; Hugh Stevenson, Deputy Director, Office of International Affairs, US Federal Trade Commission and Antony Walker, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, techUK.

Introduced by the Lord Robertson, Chair of the Ditchley Foundation. Panellists’ presentations were followed by a question and answer session.

2015 Annual BAPG / US Department of State Co-Sponsored Visit to the US, 19-29 July

The BAPG, in partnership with the US Department of State and the US Embassy in London, sent eight Members of Parliament, with little or no prior experience of the US, to the US to learn about its political system. The objectives of the 10 day programme were for the Members of Parliament to:

  • review the institutions, processes, and traditions of the U.S. political system, the division of powers,
  • and the U.S. electoral system at federal, state and local levels;
  • to gain insight into current domestic and foreign policy issues;
  • to discuss foreign policy and security issues of concern to Europe and the U.S.;
  • to increase understanding of the U.S. economic system and the domestic forces that influence U.S. trade policy, as well as examine state and local initiatives for regional economic development and
  • to examine the role of the media in the U.S. political system

The delegation spent five days in Washington D.C. looking at the federal system of government, three days with a Member of Congress in his/her district and the remaining two days in a state capital learning about that tier of government.

The US Department of State matched the MPs with Members of Congress according to their districts and or policy interests.

2015 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference, 20-23 July

The US Senate hosted the Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the US during the week commencing 20th July.  While over in the US, the BAPG delegation took the opportunity of meetings arranged by the British Embassy with members of the US House of Representatives, various departments of the Administration, think tanks, business, unions and other bodies that the members had a particular interest in meeting.

Annual General Meeting, 8th July

The group’s Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday, 8th July at 3.30 pm in the CPA Room at which the Officers and members of the BAPG Executive Committee 2015-2016 were elected.

BAPG Stand in the exhibition corner of Portcullis House, 24th June

The British-American Parliamentary Group ran a stand in the exhibition corner of Portcullis House on Wednesday, 24th June to showcase its programme of activities and invite interest in the group.

BAPG/BAB Reception for the American Ambassador and Embassy Chiefs, 23rd June

The BAPG hosted a reception for the US Ambassador and Embassy Chiefs on Tuesday, 23rd June, in the Speaker’s State Rooms, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker, Joint President of the BAPG.

Harvard New Members Orientation Programme, 2-5 December 2014

Four members attended, as observers, the Harvard University bi-partisan orientation programme for newly elected Members of Congress, conducted by the Institute of Politics, John F Kennedy School of Government.  It provided a valuable opportunity for the British Members of Parliament, as the only foreign legislators to attend, to engage with 24 new Members of Congress and to learn about the prevailing issues in US public policy, via seminars and lectures by prominent scholars and practitioners.

Post US Midterm Election Panel Discussion, 5th November 2014

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in partnership with US Embassy, hosted a post US Midterm elections panel discussion on the results and what they will mean for the next two years.   The Rt. Hon. Sir Greg Knight, MP introduced and chaired the discussion and the panel included: Professor Philip Davies, Director of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library; Bill Barnard, formerly of Democrats Abroad and Stacy Hilliard, spokesperson for Republicans Overseas.  Brief presentations were followed by a question and answer exchange.  We are most grateful to Mr. Speaker for allowing us to hold the event in the Speaker’s State Rooms.

BAPG / Ditchley Foundation Panel Discussion Event, 22nd October 2014

The British-American Parliamentary Group, in partnership with The Ditchley Foundation, hosted a panel discussion on British defence policy and the transatlantic relationship on Wednesday, 22nd October 2014 in the Speaker’s State Rooms, by kind permission of Mr. Speaker.  The discussion was introduced and chaired by Sir John Holmes, Director of The Ditchley Foundation, and the panel included: Mr. James J Townsend Jr., US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and NATO Policy; Professor Francois Heisbourg, Special Advisor, Fondation pour la Recherche Strategique, Paris; Lord Robertson, Secretary General, NATO and Chairman, North Atlantic Council (1999-2003) and the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot, MP, Chairman Defence Select Committee (2005-2014). Presentations were followed by a question and answer exchange.

Specialist Delegation Visit to Chicago and St. Louis, 8-11 September 2014

The group sent a specialist delegation to Chicago and St. Louis from the 8th to 11th September 2014 to look at advanced manufacturing developments and new agricultural and farming techniques, with particular reference to genetically modified crops.

Annual Conference with the US House of Representatives

The BAPG hosted the 2014 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the UK with a delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives.  The U.S. Congressional delegation was led by Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and the British delegation was led by BAPG Vice President, the Rt. Hon. the Lord Howard of Lympne.  The two delegations met over three days and discussed defence and security co-operation, international economic issues, including trade, UK-UK relations and the political outlook for the US and UK.

Postponed 2012 Annual Conference, November 2013

The postponed 2012 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference with the House of Representatives BAPG took place in Washington D.C. over three days in November at which the British and American delegations discussed: economic issues; defense/security/terrorism issues and the US/UK political outlook.   This visit also included meetings arranged by the British Embassy focused on the proposed Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP).  The British delegation met with a range of interlocutors in Philadelphia, Delaware and Washington D.C. including state and local officials, Congress, business, the Farm Bureau, the European Commission and the AFL-CIO labour union.

EU/US Free Trade Panel Discussion, 30th October 2013

The BAPG, in partnership with The Ditchley Foundation, hosted a panel discussion on ‘EU/US free trade: how to overcome political and economic obstacles to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership’.  The event was held by kind permission of the Speaker in Speaker’s House.  Lord Robertson, Chair of The Ditchley Foundation, introduced the discussion and panelists who included the American Ambassador, the Honorable Matthew W. Barzun; Mr. Ignacio Garcia Bercero, Chief Negotiator for EU-US TTIP Negotiations; The Rt. Hon. Douglas Alexander, MP and Mr. Martin Donnelly, Permanent Secretary for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.  Presentations were followed by a question and answer exchange.

Annual Conference with the US Senate, September 2013

A delegation of British Members of Parliament met with a delegation of U.S. Senators over three days in Hampshire to discuss areas of mutual interest covering US-UK Defense/Security Cooperation, US-UK Economic Policies and US-UK Political Overview.

BAPG / U.S. Dept. of State Co-Sponsored Visit to look at the U.S. Political System, July 2013

The BAPG, in conjunction with the American Embassy and the United States Department of State, sent eight Members of Parliament to the United States from the 21st to 30th July 2013 (arriving back in to the UK the next day).  The prime purpose of the visit was to give members not already familiar with the United States an overview of federal and state government and it also included a short time with a Member of Congress in their district.