This week, the Hon. Dennis Lister JP MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Bermuda, participated in the 5TH Commons-Overseas Territories Speakers Conference (COTSC), hosted and chaired by the Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, at the Palace of Westminster.

COTSC is the highest forum that brings together Speakers, Clerks to the Legislature, and Senior Officials from legislatures of the Overseas Territories with the UK Speaker of the House of Commons to engage in dialogue on matters relating to parliamentary democracy in various forms and the development of parliamentary institutions. Speaker Lister was supported by UK Representative Kimberley Durrant and Deputy UK Representative Brandon Sousa from the Government of Bermuda London Office.

The forum provides an opportunity for Speakers to engage constructively with counterparts from other Overseas Territories and the UK along with UK Members of Parliament, sharing insights and best practices on key legislative matters including parliamentary independence, transparency, security and the emergence of artificial intelligence.
Speaker Lister was recognised as one of the longest serving Members of Parliament across the Overseas Territories and is respected amongst fellow Speakers as having an in depth knowledge and experience in the Parliamentary process and procedures.  

As part of the official programme, Speaker Lister joined fellow Overseas Territories Speakers in attending Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, an observational opportunity that highlighted the strong interparliamentary relationships amongst the UK and Overseas Territories.  

Speaker Lister was also received in private audience by His Majesty King Charles III and updated His Majesty on matters relating to Bermuda’s House of Assembly as the oldest continuous Parliament outside of Westminster. His Majesty expressed his personal condolences to the Speaker on the passing of his wife Mrs. Miranda Lister.

The continued success of COTSC emphasises the value of principled engagement on matters of mutual parliamentary interest. Speaker Lister’s participation reaffirms Bermuda’s long history of independent legislation, strong Parliamentary procedure, and political maturity.