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A National Debate on Prison Reform

The Longford Lectures have been running since 2002 and are held each November at Church House, Westminster.  Well-known names as well as Longford Scholars (CJ Burge and Imran Shaukat, in a debate with Jon Snow for the 2018 Lecture – pictured above) reflect on prison policy and the need for broader social reform. The lectures aim: to provide a platform for national discussion; to make significant recommendations to policy makers; and to encourage wider public debate about prison reform.


Challenging speakers

Past lecturers have included Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu , President Mary McAleese of Ireland, Michael Gove, Michael Palin, Cherie Blair, Will Self, Clive Stafford Smith, Nils Oberg, head of the Swedish prison service, and most recently in 2023 Rory Stewart (right).


Visit our Lecture archive

If you can’t be there on the night, join in the debate by watching past lectures, or reading transcripts.  All (including Michael Palin in 2015) are available, free of charge, in the trust’s accessible archive. Just click here.


  • An annual opportunity to debate prison reform
  • Open to all and shared freely on this website
  • Well-informed speakers with something to say
  • Listen back to our Frank Talks

Register