About Blue Benches
An independent parliamentary intelligence and briefing service for Conservative members of both Houses.
Why Blue Benches exists
Parliamentarians are sent more briefing material than anyone could read. Much of it is written to persuade rather than inform, and very little arrives in a form you can use five minutes before you stand up.
Blue Benches does the reading for you. Each week it sets out what is coming up in both Houses, what matters in it, and the points worth making, in a clear and consistent format.
Who it is for
Blue Benches is for Conservative peers and MPs, and for the staff and researchers who support them. It pays particular attention to the House of Lords, where scrutiny of the Government's legislation now does much of its most important work.
Independence
Blue Benches is independent. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Conservative Party, and it takes no advertising or sponsorship. Facts are sourced, and analysis is always labelled separately.
Who puts it together
Blue Benches is compiled, curated and edited by Sarah Fletcher, who has worked in Parliament since 2009, across both Houses and through periods of government and opposition. She checks every briefing before it goes out.
As a speechwriter and researcher she has worked for Opposition frontbench peers in the House of Lords, and for Conservative backbench MPs in the House of Commons during the party’s time in government. Since 2016 she has provided private counsel to Conservative members of the House of Lords.
Sarah Fletcher is a well established and trusted researcher, writer and force for good, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her. She is the answer for anyone who finds themselves seeking assistance on Parliamentary business.