The New Culture Forum proudly announces the 2019 Smith Lecture, "Brexit and the Constitutional Crisis", shall be delivered by Dr. David Starkey, CBE, FSA, FRHistS.

Dr. Starkey is Britain's foremost constitutional historian and one of its most compelling & controversial public thinkers. The evening promises to be one of the most important, enlightening and provocative events of the year -- as those familiar with the eye-catching headlines Dr. Starkey's Brexit utterances attract might expect.

Assessing recent history, Dr. Starkey has unpleasant truths to reveal about many of our institutions, especially Parliament, which he accuses of bringing our 800-year constitutional development to a shuddering and ignoble end.

As Dr. Starkey said when he appeared on our Internet discussion show [So What You're Saying Is...]:

"Brexit...is the first time that Parliament -- led by its Speaker and by its leading MPs -- has consciously and deliberately reversed the notion of representation.

"It seems to me to be an act of unprecedented folly. It’s a sort of act of institutional suicide."

For Dr. Starkey, as a result of Parliament's actions, "the constitution as it emerged from the Glorious Revolution is manifestly finished.... Indeed, one could make the argument that the notion of constitutional development from Magna Carta itself has also come to an end." To watch the full clip see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uUYRcFXVQ8

How will history judge Brexit? Which of its players will emerge as hero or villain?

The 2019 Smith Lecture might offer an early glimpse.


THE SMITH LECTURE
The Smith Lecture is the NCF’s flagship annual event and is delivered by a nationally or internationally significant figure from the arts, media, politics or academia noted for their involvement in the “culture wars”.

Smith Lecturers

2017: Douglas Murray, journalist & author
2018: Nigel Farage MEP
2019: Dr. David Starkey, historian & broadcaster

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS...
With c.2.5 million views since launching in early 2019, "So What You're Saying Is....", the NCF's weekly YouTube show, is one of the Internet's fastest growing political-discussion programmes.

Guests have included Sir Roger Scruton, Nigel Farage, Peter Hitchens, Douglas Murray, Claire Fox, Lionel Shriver, Rod Liddle, Andrew Doyle (aka Titania McGrath), Charles Moore, Julia Hartley-Brewer, Brendan O'Neill & James Delingpole www.youtube.com/c/NewCultureForum

Tickets for the 2019 Smith Lecture should be purchased in advance online via this website.