research commissioned by Duolingo shows
that only 13% of current MPs are fluent in a
second language – down from 20% when a
similar study was carried out in 2004.
The Westminster Language Challenge has
been popular so far. Several dozen MPs
registered and it transpires that many
parliamentarians are already fans of learning
a language on the app. At the drop-in
session, I met MPs and peers who had very
different motivations for improving their
language skills. Many are linguists
themselves. For example, Callum Anderson,
MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, studied
German at university and worked for a period
in Brussels, using his language skills.
Others have a multilingual background,
such as Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester
Rusholme, who speaks English, Punjabi,
Urdu, Arabic and Pothwari. At his swearing
in, he swore the oath in English and Punjabi –
the language of the region where he was
born – and he has long been a champion
of the multilingualism in the community
he represents.
SPRING 2025 The Linguist 7
Chartered Institute of Linguists
NEWS & EDITORIAL
The cross-party language group has launched a competition to
encourage MPs to learn languages, says Philip Harding-Esch
In the new Parliament, the All-Party
Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern
Languages is concentrating on attracting new
members from among MPs and peers. The
last election saw a great number of seats
change MP, with the result that the
membership of the APPG has changed. In
addition, the previous Chair, Dame Nia
Griffith MP, became a Minister and therefore
passed on her role to Tonia Antoniazzi MP.
As part of efforts to raise its profile, the
APPG has partnered with Duolingo to launch
the Westminster Language Challenge. From
1 January to 31 March, parliamentarians are
asked to learn any language (or multiple
languages) on Duolingo. The three individuals
who do best win a share of £20,000 for a
charity of their choosing, with the winner
crowned Duolingo's Language Champion for
2025 at an event in April hosted by the APPG.
Tonia Antoniazzi has hosted two drop-in
sessions in Parliament to encourage MPs
and peers to come and sign up to the
challenge – and find out more about the
APPG's work in the process. It comes as
Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath, was born
in Germany and was a German teacher
before public life. Several MPs were keen
to showcase their region's Indigenous
language. Anna Gelderd, MP for South
East Cornwall, for instance, would be keen
for Duolingo to add Cornish as an option
for learners.
The Westminster Language Challenge
promises to be a fun and engaging way to
raise the profile of languages – and the
APPG ML – across Parliament. Is your MP
taking part? Ask them to sign up here:
bit.ly/DuolingoWLC. And stay tuned to find
out the winners in April.
Inside Parliament
Philip Harding-Esch works on behalf
of CIOL to provide the secretariat
to the APPG on Modern Languages.
TL
GETTING INVOLVED
Labour MP Dawn Butler poses with the
Duolingo owl at a Language Challenge event
