Visit of the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola to the United Kingdom

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola will be in London on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 February 2026 for a series of institutional meetings with the highest representatives of the UK Parliament and Government. On this occasion, she will give a keynote speech at the Chatham House 2026 Security and Defence Conference.

Upon her arrival on Tuesday, President Roberta Metsola will be a guest of honour of The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, at Speaker's House.

On Wednesday, President Metsola will have a bilateral meeting with Speaker Hoyle at Speaker's House before meeting with Committee Chairs and MPs. She will meet The Rt. Hon. Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as The Rt. Hon. David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister. The President will also attend Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons at noon, a first for a President of the European Parliament.

To conclude her visit, President Roberta Metsola will give a keynote speech at the Chatham House 2026 Security and Defence conference, followed by a conversation with the audience. The event can be followed via web-streaming on the Facebook page of the European Parliament Liaison Office in the UK, as well as on the European Broadcasting Service.

The visit takes place in the context of the "reset" of the relationship between the EU and the UK, and repeated calls from President Metsola for the EU and the UK to find new ways of working together. Most recently she made a plea to "exorcise the ghosts of the past, reset our partnership, and find solutions together." The UK government has made improving its relations with the EU a priority, and the invitation by Speaker Hoyle for an official visit sends a strong signal in this direction.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday 24 February 2026 - London

19.00
Official dinner with The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons

Wednesday 25 February 2026 - London

09.30
Bilateral Meeting with The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons

10.15
Roundtable Meeting with Key Office Holders of the UK Parliament

11.00
Meeting with the Rt. Hon. David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

12.00
Attendance at Prime Minister's Questions

12.45
Meeting with The Rt. Hon. Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

13.00
Lunchtime reception hosted by The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle

17.00
Speech by President Metsola and conversation at the 2026 Chatham House Security & Defence Conference

Images of the event will be available at this link.