The King has approved the appointment of Eve Samson as the 53rd Clerk of the House of Commons, making history as the first woman to hold one of Parliament’s most senior constitutional offices.
The appointment follows a recruitment process agreed by the House of Commons Commission and comes after formal approval by the Sovereign.
Eve Samson has served in the House of Commons for almost four decades, having joined the House Service in 1986. During her career, she has held a wide range of procedural and committee roles, including serving as Government Adviser on Parliamentary Procedure.
She has acted as Clerk to several high-profile committees, including the Standards and Privileges Committee, the European Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Since 2020, Ms Samson has served as Clerk of the Journals, where she has been the principal adviser to both the Clerk of the House and the Speaker on matters relating to parliamentary privilege and procedure. She studied English at the University of Cambridge before completing a Graduate Diploma in Law in 2019.
Reacting to her appointment, Ms Samson said it was “an honour” to lead the House Service and become the 53rd Clerk of the House.
“The House of Commons is the central institution in the constitution of the United Kingdom and it is an honour to lead the team who make the House happen as the 53rd Clerk of the House – and the first woman clerk,” she said.
“It needs the skills and expertise of many people to make sure that the House can function and MPs are effectively supported.
“I know the sheer slog needed to keep the estate running, to feed us and keep us safe and to provide all the excellent services that support Members, directly and indirectly. I am grateful to all my colleagues for the commitment and care you put into your work and I look forward to having the chance to lead and support you.”
She also paid tribute to the outgoing Clerk of the House, Tom Goldsmith, thanking him for his friendship and support ahead of his departure later this year.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, congratulated Ms Samson on her appointment, describing her as a worthy successor to Mr Goldsmith.
“I would like to congratulate Eve, who has been in the House for nearly 40 years, and who has many outstanding qualities to bring to this important role and will be a distinguished successor to Tom Goldsmith,” he said.
Mr Goldsmith announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down in the autumn after 30 years of service in the House of Commons.
The Clerk of the House is the principal constitutional adviser to the House of Commons, providing expert advice on parliamentary procedure, business and privilege. The officeholder also heads the House of Commons Service and, like all members of the House Service, remains politically impartial and is not a civil servant.
Ms Samson will succeed Mr Goldsmith following his departure at the end of October, becoming the first woman to occupy the historic post.
