Hansard, Language and Politics: Churchill's Tears, Disraeli's Handkerchief and other Challenges

A joint Network for Oratory and Politics and BRIHC lecture 

Speaker: Mr John Vice, Editor of Debates, Hansard in the House of Lords

Hansard, Language and Politics: Churchill’s Tears, Disraeli’s Handkerchief and other Challenges 

John gave an introduction to Hansard’s work as an official report in the Palace of Westminster, though ranged over parliaments worldwide. After explaining the parliamentary reporter’s experience of producing a written report of a spoken event, John focussed on four areas that highlight the engaging challenges of a reporter’s work and revealed the assumptions they work to. The challenging areas are how to report Members who swear or use props, how far a speaker’s non-verbal communication can be referenced, and how interruptions from the audience or the speaking venue can be reported. John spoke as a practising editor rather than an academic.

• Lecture recording with slides