Lord Speaker speeches
The Lord Speaker represents the House of Lords at a wide range of events, broadening understanding about the work and role of the House, and explaining how the public can engage with this work.
The Lord Speaker also has a ceremonial responsibility to speak on behalf of the House of Lords on State occasions.
Speeches given by Lord Forysth of Drumlean during his term as Lord Speaker beginning in 2026:
Speeches given by Lord McFall of Alcluith during his term as Lord Speaker (2021-2026):
- December 4, 2025: Lord Speaker vote of thanks to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (pdf, 49KB)
- July 8, 2025. Lord Speaker vote of thanks to President Macron. (pdf, 44KB)
- December 3, 2024. Lord Speaker vote of thanks to the Amir of Qatar.
- November 21, 2024. Speech to the University of Edinburgh Business School, in which he says that political consensus building is the best way to tackle society’s major problems.
- February 29, 2024: Speech to the University of Manchester, in which the Lord Speaker highlights the importance of regional voices in the House of Lords
- March 26, 2024: Speech to the Institute for Government, in which the Lord Speaker urges any government wishing to reform the Lords, to first “seek to understand its work.”
- November 21, 2023: Vote of thanks to the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, following his address to both Houses of Parliament during his State Visit to the United Kingdom.
- November 20, 2023: Speech to the London School of Economics, in which the Lord Speaker explained the learning-based approach underlying the work of the House of Lords. Watch a video of the speech.
- September 20, 2023: Lord Speaker addresses the RSA on the topic The Future of the House of Lords. View a video of the speech.
- February 8, 2023: Lord Speaker offers thanks to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his visit to Parliament.
- December 7, 2022: Lord Speaker's address to the Hansard Society on reform of the Upper House.
- November 29, 2022: Lord Speaker responds to address to both Houses of Parliament by Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska.
- November 22, 2022: Lord Speaker welcomes the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa on his visit to the Houses of Parliament.
- October 5, 2022: Lord McFall becomes the first Speaker of the House of Lords to address the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland.
- September 12, 2022: The Lord Speaker delivers an address to King Charles III on behalf of the House of Lords in Westminster Hall following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
- November 7, 2021: The Lord Speaker addresses the British Group of the Inter Parliamentary Union (BGIPU)'s Parliamentary Meeting for the COP26 climate change summit at the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow.
