The Penguin Hansard

This week is the 75th anniversary of VE Day, which makes it a good time to look again at a fascinating example of parliamentary publishing in wartime, the Penguin Hansard.
This week is the 75th anniversary of VE Day, which makes it a good time to look again at a fascinating example of parliamentary publishing in wartime, the Penguin Hansard.
Secret sessions of the House of Commons in wartime may have excluded Hansard, but perhaps also triggered the debate that ultimately proved the case for an official report.
Hansard is a no-fail operation: come rain or shine, reports of debates in the Chamber and Committees are always published. We reflect on how Hansard's wartime staff managed to get the job done in testing conditions.