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PODCAST

Parliament Matters

Hansard Society

Join two of the UK"s leading parliamentary experts, Mark D"Arcy and Ruth Fox, as they guide you through the often mysterious ways our politicians do business and explore the running controversies about the way Parliament works. Each week they will analyse how laws are made and ministers held accountable by the people we send to Westminster. They will be debating the topical issues of the day, looking back at key historical events and discussing the latest research on democracy and Parliament. Why

government politics

All Episodes

45:59

Rwanda Bill becomes law: but what was really going on...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/04/26

The Rwanda Bill has made it over the parliamentary finishing line but not without some last-minute drama. We talk to the SNP’s Alison Thewliss MP about what went on in a small room behind the Speaker’s Chair away from the cameras!And what on earth is going on in the minds of MPs, after another in a succession of sleaze scandals hits Westminster. This time it’s Mark Menzies MP who has resigned from the Conservative Party and won’t stand again at the general election. He’s facing accusations of fraud

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51:29

Tobacco and Vapes Bill: free vote blows smoke in...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/04/18

Rishi Sunak offered his MPs a free vote on his flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill and dozens concluded they could not support it. As well as exploring the politics of the Bill, Ruth and Mark discuss the concept of a free vote and how they have been deployed in previous parliamentary sessions.They denounced them at the time, but should Labour Ministers now use the sweeping powers Conservative Ministers have given themselves in this Parliament – for example, in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform)

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45:52

William Wragg's honeytrap crisis and is Speaker Hoyle...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/04/12

This week we are joined by former House of Commons Clerk, Paul Evans, to discuss William Wragg’s fall from grace following a ‘honeytrap sting’. What does it tell us about the vulnerabilities public officials face in the digital age, and the complex interplay between personal conduct and public service?Numerous press reports suggest the Government may support another cross-party attempt to refer the conduct of the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP and the Labour Leader, Sir Keir Starmer MP, to the

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16:40

Defending free speech from SLAPPs

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/29

Wayne David's groundbreaking Private Member's Bill aimed at thwarting Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) may be the most significant Private Member’s Bill to emerge from this final year of the current Parliament. But is there enough time to get this measure into law before the general election?We talk to Wayne David about the genesis of this crucial legislation, from exposing the abuse of legal systems by affluent individuals to building bipartisan support in Parliament. From

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50:46

Another Rwanda roadblock

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/22

The Lords have dug in their heels and inflicted seven defeats on the Government over the Rwanda Bill this week. The Government claims the Bill is emergency legislation but it will not go back to the House of Commons until after the Easter recess. We discuss why, and what will happen next.Senior Conservative backbencher William Wragg MP tells us why he has lost confidence in the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, and why he has therefore resigned from the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral

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55:02

Unheard: the parliamentary snubbing of Diane Abbott

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/15

Why did the Speaker fail to call Diane Abbott during Prime Minister’s Questions? The image of Britain’s first black female MP being talked about at the Despatch Box while not being allowed to say anything herself, once again left the House of Commons looking out of touch.Do Henry VIII powers threaten parliamentary democracy? Former MP and law professor, David Howarth, warns that Ministers are dodging scrutiny by MPs because they have powers to make significant changes to the law without proper

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58:18

The Budget: is the democratic deficit as bad as the...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/08

It’s Budget week and the Chancellor has announced his plans for taxation and provided a fresh economic forecast. But how does Parliament get to grips – indeed does it get to grips - with the nation’s finances? We talk to Baroness Morgan of Cotes, a Conservative Peer who has been both a Treasury Minister and a scrutineer on the Treasury Committee.Henry Midgley of Durham University – who has worked at both the House of Commons and the National Audit Office – also joins us to discuss how MPs could

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22:09

The Foreign Affairs Committee: commentator or...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/04

In this revealing conversation with Alicia Kearns MP, Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, we explore the critical role of parliamentary scrutiny in shaping foreign policy and addressing global challenges.We discover how recent Committee hearings have garnered global attention and influenced diplomatic discourse in overseas capitals and on the streets, particularly when critical information, such as the bombing of Medical Aid for Palestine, has been revealed.Alicia reflects on

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56:31

The Commons Speaker survives (for now), Liz Truss...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/03/01

There was no let up for Mr Speaker as the fall-out continues from last week’s Commons chaos over the Opposition Day debate on Gaza. But is his position now safe? And why has the government pulled a vote on a scheme to exclude MPs accused of sexual harassment or assault from Parliament?Liz Truss MP was interviewed at the Conservative Political Action Conference in America by a man convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the Select Committee investigating the

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28:13

The decline and fall of the political interview

Parliament Matters ·

2024/02/27

What happens when a party leader ducks the opportunity to face a long forensic interview on television during a general election campaign? What are the challenges posed to broadcasters when norms are ignored? Boris Johnson famously did that during the last general election: so how will that affect the approach of the parties and the broadcasters when negotiating the terms of future interviews at the next election?Will party leader debates happen this time, or will the negotiations between the

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49:30

Commons chaos: Can the Speaker survive a monumental...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/02/23

There were chaotic scenes in the House of Commons this week - as bad as anything seen during the Brexit convulsions – as the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle made a hash of handling the SNPs Opposition Day debate on a ceasefire in Gaza. Furious MPs signed a motion expressing no confidence in the Chair. But why and how did the Speaker end up in this position and can he survive?Is it really a big deal or is it just political game-playing? Has a rubicon been crossed if the Speaker contravened the letter and

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50:25

Urgent Questions: PMQs, whipping, Sinn Fein MPs,...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/02/16

With the House of Commons in recess this week Mark and Ruth catch up with listener's questions on a wide range of parliamentary topics. What was the point of debating an e-petition about the date of the general election? Was there ever a time when the Prime Minister gave a proper answer at PMQs? If the Speaker were to throw an MP out of the House of Commons Chamber for bad behaviour how would he do it? Is whipping in the best interests of democratic government? Sinn Fein MPs don't take their seats

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54:45

Gaffes and grace at PMQs

Parliament Matters ·

2024/02/09

It was supposed to be another culture wars attack line, but Rishi Sunak’s transgender jibe at Prime Minister’s Questions this week landed him in hot water. Is this misstep a sign of things to come in the general election campaign?Could Britain fight a war? We look at the political implications of a new Defence Select Committee report exploring the state of readiness of the country’s armed forces. And we explore just why the cross-party Committee is so annoyed with the Government.Every year thousands

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44:01

A potty-mouthed Parliament?

Parliament Matters ·

2024/02/02

Does Parliament have a potty-mouth problem? The Speaker of the House of Commons took MPs to task this week for their behaviour, amid accusations of a dramatic increase in the use of bad language in the Chamber. But is it really that fruity? And if he’s so concerned, isn’t it time the Speaker started to eject some MPs from the Chamber?The Government has struck a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland, so we look ahead at what needs to happen to get the

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1:07:22

What if they gave a coup and nobody came? The Tory...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/01/26

The Conservatives are on course for a shattering defeat and need to replace their leader again, says Sir Simon Clarke MP. We discuss the latest in the Conservative Party soap opera and what it means for parliamentary business ahead.Peers have voted not to ratify the UK-Rwanda treaty. At least they got a choice. The Commons Home Affairs Committee wants MPs to have a similar debate and vote, but the Government is refusing. We talk to former parliamentary lawyer Alex Horne about what is going on and

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56:07

War powers, Rwanda ‘mayhem’ and Ian Dunt on the state...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/01/19

The Rwanda Bill is through the Commons. Rishi Sunak has faced down his internal critics and diffused a backbench rebellion. The Bill now heads off to the House of Lords: What mayhem awaits it?This week’s air strikes against Houthi camps in Yemen to protect Red Sea shipping also prompted debate about the role Parliament should play when the Government deploys military force. Dr James Strong joins us in the studio to discuss Parliament and war powers.And one of the best books about Westminster for

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52:36

The inside story: Parliament and the Post Office...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/01/12

The Post Office Horizon scandal is the largest miscarriage of justice in British history. James Arbuthnot is one of the ‘heroes’ at the heart of the drama unveiled in ITV’s Mr Bates Vs The Post Office.A Conservative MP and now a Peer in the House of Lords, he championed the plight of his constituents for over a decade, leading a parliamentary campaign to investigate malpractice at the Post Office.As the public and media debate about the scandal continues to rage, James Arbuthnot joins Ruth and Mark

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52:52

Election alert and the year ahead in Parliament: Why...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/01/05

What should be on your radar when Parliament returns on 8 January 2024? Exploring the year ahead in Parliament, we discuss how the uncertainty about the date of the general election may affect scrutiny of the new laws proposed by the Government.Once the Prime Minister has decided on the date and asks the King to dissolve Parliament, some of these new laws may get pushed through Parliament in super-quick time during what is known as the ‘legislative wash-up’. But is this a good way to make new laws

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27:12

Parliament Matters Explains: How does Parliament make...

Parliament Matters ·

2024/01/02

A core purpose of Parliament is to make the laws that govern us all. But how are our laws made at Westminster?We have received several questions from listeners about how the process works and what the interplay is between the two Houses: Commons and Lords. So, in this special explainer we discuss the process from beginning to end: from when the Government first presents a Bill to Parliament to the point at which it receives Royal Assent, becomes an Act and is the law of the land.🎓 Access resources

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45:19

Michael Crick & Tomorrow’s MPs: The latest news on...

Parliament Matters ·

2023/12/29

Legendary political journalist Michael Crick joins us in the studio, to discuss the progress each party is making in selecting their candidates with the general election now less than a year away.Michael has been tracking candidate selections and reporting the results each week via his @TomorrowsMPs Twitter account. He explains how he is ‘lifting the secrecy on politics in the raw’ for what have hitherto been Britain’s ‘hidden elections’.Who are the candidates and what are their backgrounds? Are

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