British-American Parliamentary Group

Up & Coming Events

Notice of BAPG events will be advertised on this site and the All Party Whip.  We will also e-mail members.

For more information on any of the events advertised below please contact the BAPG Programme Manager, Hannah Mitchell.

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

As we have received seven nominations from opposition MPs for the six opposition places on the BAPG Executive Committee this year, it will be necessary to hold a ballot to decide the six opposition members on the committee. Currently there are four Labour members and one SNP member representing the opposition from the House of Commons. (The government representation from the Commons on the committee was determined at the AGM on 16th September 2020, without the need of a ballot, having received the same number of nominations as there were places.)

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

Separate ballots are held for each House, whereby Members of the Group vote exclusively for members of their own House. Hence, Members of the House of Commons, who are fully paid up members of the BAPG, are invited to cast their vote for the six opposition MPs they wish to elect to the BAPG Executive Committee 2020-21. The six candidates who receive the most votes will be declared elected to the Committee.

Proxy voting will be available for those members who are not able to be in Westminster. Importantly, the person carrying out the Proxy vote must be a fully paid up member of the BAPG and a Member of the House of Commons. Please contact the BAPG Secretariat for an application to vote by proxy – email mitchellhk@parliament.uk; tel. 020 7219 6209 – which would need to be completed and returned to the BAPG Secretariat no later than three working days before the ballot.

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

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

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

Joe Biden leads the polls, while the 45th President of the U.S. leads every news bulletin, but what is the prognosis for the electorate?

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 Wisconsin, Florida and Pennsylvania. He is currently on leave from Harvard and working with Vice President Joe Biden.*

In a special session for UK Parliamentarians, Mr. Della Volpe will deliver 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.

Members who wish to participate should register their interest with the BAPG Secretariat by emailing: mitchellhk@parliament.uk  After registering, guests will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the webinar event.

*Mr Della Volpe will be speaking in his role at Harvard and not in any official capacity for the Biden campaign.

2020 Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the US

It is the turn of the US House of Representatives to host the Annual Parliamentary / Congressional Conference in the US.   The conference was originally planned in July, but we are now looking at alternative dates later in the year, circumstances permitting.

While in Washington DC, the Parliamentary delegation will also take the opportunity of meetings arranged by the British Embassy, with additional calls on the Hill, members of the Administration, business, trade unions and Think Tanks.

 

Annual BAPG / US Department of State Co-Sponsored Visit to the US for Parliamentarians to learn about the US political system

Annual US government co-sponsored ‘International Visitor Leadership Programme’ (IVLP) for Parliamentarians with little or no prior experience of the US to gain a greater understanding of the American political system at the federal, state and local levels.  This nine day visit will include a short time with a Member of Congress in his/her district.  Originally scheduled in late July, we are now considering dates later in the year, circumstances permitting.

Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Thematic Visit to California

The British-American Parliamentary Group plans to send a bi-partisan delegation to California to look at both the regulatory and the innovation aspects of electric and autonomous vehicles.

The delegation will visit Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco. The programme will be arranged by the British Consulate Generals in San Francisco and Los Angeles, in consultation with the British-American Parliamentary Group.

N.B. This visit has been deferred from 2019.  The precise dates of the visit will be confirmed in due course.

Harvard IOP Bipartisan Orientation Programme for New Members of Congress.

BAPG members are traditionally invited to observe Harvard’s biennial bipartisan orientation programme for newly elected Members of Congress, conducted by the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School of Government.  British Parliamentarians are the only foreign legislators invited to attend the programme and have the opportunity to meet and make contacts with 30-50 newly elected Members of Congress.

The programme will run late November/early December, over three days.  The precise dates will be confirmed in due course.