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Parliament Matters

Hansard Society

163 episodes

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? Because whether it's the taxes you pay, or the laws you've got to obey... Parliament matters!

More about the show

Mark D'Arcy was the BBC's parliamentary correspondent for two decades. Ruth Fox is the Director of the parliamentary think-tank the Hansard Society.

• ❓ Submit your questions on all things Parliament to Mark and Ruth via our website here: hansardsociety.org.uk/pm#qs • 📱 Follow us across social media @HansardSociety and... • ✅ Subscribe to our newsletter for all the latest updates related to the Parliament Matters podcast and the wider work of the Hansard Society: hansardsociety.org.uk/nl.

Parliament Matters is a Hansard Society production supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust • Founding producer Luke Boga Mitchell; episode producer Richard Townsend.

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Episodes page 1 of 4

  1. The Budget: Who checks the Chancellor?

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E160

    How do you respond to a Budget you’ve only just heard, and spot what the Chancellor would rather you missed? Treasury Committee Chair Meg Hillier joins us to explain how she prepares for Budget day and how her…

  2. Parliament under pressure: Select committees in the age of lawfare

    · 1 h 07 min · S1 E159

    Are House of Commons select committees equipped to meet the new challenges facing parliamentary scrutiny? Liam Byrne, the Labour former minister leading a review of the committee system, joins us to explore whether…

  3. This is No Way to Run a Country: A conversation with former veterans minister Johnny Mercer

    · 40 min · S1 E158

    Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer joins us to discuss his new book, No Way to Run a Country: An Outsider’s Journey into the Heart of our Broken Politics, and his struggle to change veterans’ policy from inside…

  4. PMQs: Parliament Matters Questions

    · 1 h 09 min · S1 E157

    Recorded at Queen Mary University of London as part of Student Week, welcoming students at the start of the new academic year, this special live edition features three expert guests: historian Dr Robert Saunders;…

  5. MPs reject the assisted dying bill: What happened, and what next?

    · 54 min · S1 E156

    MPs have rejected the assisted dying bill – but why did a proposal they had previously supported lose this time, and what happens now? Andrew Lewin MP, a supporter of the bill, hot-foots it from the Chamber to give us…

  6. Andy Burnham’s rewired state: Can Parliament provide the circuit breaker?

    · 56 min · S1 E155

    Andy Burnham made his despatch box debut as Prime Minister in the House of Commons this week with one of the longest ministerial statements on record and a promise to strengthen the Prime Minister’s grip on Whitehall…

  7. Joanna Cherry: The SNP, Westminster, and a decade of political battles

    · 42 min · S1 E154

    Joanna Cherry joins us this week to discuss her newly published memoir, in which she looks back on some of the most contentious battles in British and Scottish politics in the last two decades. She arrived at…

  8. Unparliamentary: Colourful tales from the Canadian Parliament

    · 39 min · S1 E153 · Explicit

    Canada’s Parliament shares its Westminster roots with the UK, but it has developed its own distinctive traditions, procedures and political culture. In this episode, Charlie Feldman – former President of the Canadian…

  9. Labour’s last chance saloon? Burnham’s new Cabinet faces familiar parliamentary problems

    · 1 h 02 min · S1 E152

    Andy Burnham has unveiled his ministerial team. So, we assess what his appointments reveal about the Government’s priorities, the political calculations behind them, and the parliamentary tests that lie ahead. We…

  10. How do we protect politicians in a dangerous age?

    · 1 h 12 min · S1 E151

    Following the murder of Ann Widdecombe, we reflect on the dangers facing those in Parliament and public life. Earlier this year, former Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Buckland was appointed to lead the independent review…

  11. Nigel Farage leaves Parliament: What now happens to the standards investigation?

    · 1 h 15 min · S1 E150

    Nigel Farage has quit the House of Commons to force a by-election in his constituency. In a blistering attack on what he called the media “pile-on” and a political stitch-up by the Westminster establishment, he…

  12. New PM, new Clerk of the House of Commons: A new chapter at Westminster?

    · 1 h 09 min · S1 E149

    With a new Prime Minister preparing to take office and the Commons appointing its first female Clerk, we discuss these two pivotal appointments that will help shape how Parliament works in the years ahead. We explore…

  13. The Burnham question: A new approach to whipping Westminster?

    · 47 min · S1 E148

    What would an Andy Burnham government actually look and feel like? This week we explore how Andy Burnham might govern, drawing on his experience as a Cabinet minister, his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and his…

  14. Andy Burnham’s March on Westminster: How Could He Become Prime Minister?

    · 1 h 06 min · S1 E147

    Three by-elections delivered three very different results this week. To discuss the implications, we are joined by Professor Philip Cowley, a leading expert on MPs, party discipline and the realities of parliamentary…

  15. Brexit, 10 years on: Parliament and the democratic crisis

    · 52 min · S1 E146

    This month marks the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum – a vote that unleashed four years of extraordinary political turmoil. Judges were branded "enemies of the people", MPs denounced as "saboteurs",…

  16. The Cabinet Manual: Why Britain's constitutional "highway code" needs updating

    · 1 h 04 min · S1 E145

    The Cabinet Manual has been described as the “highway code” of the UK constitution, a guide that brings together the laws, conventions, precedents and procedures under which the Government operates. First published in…

  17. The £5m question: Who funds our politicians?

    · 22 min · S1 E144

    In this episode, we explore the rules governing MPs’ financial interests, gifts and donations, as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces questions over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher…

  18. Is the Government censoring the Mandelson Papers?

    · 1 h 10 min · S1 E143

    The row over Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s ambassador to Washington flared up again this week after the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) accused the Government of improperly redacting documents…

  19. Labour’s leadership tangle: What does it mean for Parliament?

    · 1 h 14 min · S1 E142

    A battle for Downing Street touched off by a ministerial resignation, a chunky new King’s Speech, and an increasingly unpredictable political environment provide plenty for us to discuss with our special guest,…

  20. What now? The local election fallout hits Westminster

    · 42 min · S1 E141

    After an awful set of elections for Labour across England, Scotland and Wales, are the Prime Minister’s days numbered? Could the Cabinet revolt? Might a rival formally launch a leadership challenge? Or might it take…

  21. Keir Starmer’s week of parliamentary torture over Mandelson appointment

    · 1 h 12 min · S1 E140

    Keir Starmer has faced “ordeal by Parliament” this week. A tense statement in the House of Commons over his handling of Peter Mandleson’s nomination as Ambassador to the United States was followed by an emergency…

  22. Dynamic alignment and Henry VIII powers: What will the Government’s EU reset mean for Parliament?

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E139

    A bill to deliver the Government’s proposed “EU reset” is set to be a centrepiece of May’s King’s Speech. It will reportedly give Ministers powers to update UK law in line with certain EU rules (so-called “dynamic…

  23. Will key Government bills pass by the end of the parliamentary Session?

    · 1 h 07 min · S1 E138

    The Government has announced that the State Opening of Parliament and King’s Speech will take place on Wednesday 13 May - just as we predicted last Autumn! However, Ministers have not confirmed when prorogation –…

  24. Who really decides Immigration Rules: Parliament or the Home Secretary?

    · 53 min · S1 E137

    The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood MP, is planning sweeping changes to the immigration system. So, this week we put immigration law under the microscope. Jonathan Featonby of the Refugee Council joins us to explain…

  25. Jury trials under threat? The Courts and Tribunals Bill explained

    · 57 min · S1 E136

    The Government’s plan to restrict the right to a jury trial for certain defendants cleared its Second Reading in the Commons this week – but the fight is far from over. The proposals in the Courts and Tribunals Bill…

  26. Is the assisted dying bill being filibustered?

    · 39 min · S1 E135

    In this episode we continue our special series tracking the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the Private Member’s Bill that would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. With Committee…

  27. Starmer, Iran, and Parliament’s role in war powers

    · 53 min · S1 E134

    What role does Parliament play when the UK is involved in military action? In this week’s episode, we explore the evolving practice of parliamentary war powers, sparked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s response to…

  28. Mandelson, Andrew and Epstein: Should there be parliamentary committee of inquiry?

    · 1 h 01 min · S1 E133

    After the Greens’ triumph at the Gorton and Denton by-election we ponder the implications for Parliament. Could the result tempt more MPs to switch parties? Does this heap fresh pressure on the Prime Minister? Will…

  29. The forgotten pioneer: Who was Margaret Bondfield, Britain’s first female Cabinet Minister?

    · 1 h 11 min · S1 E132

    Why is Britain’s first female cabinet minister almost invisible in our political memory? In this episode we are joined by historian and author Nan Sloane, whose new biography of Margaret Bondfield has just been…

  30. What happens when you lose the party whip?

    · 1 h 09 min · S1 E131

    What happens when you lose the party whip? A conversation with Neil Duncan-Jordan MP Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan joins us this week to reflect on his experience as one of the new intake’s most prominent rebels. He…

  31. A Humble Address: How MPs confronted the Mandelson scandal

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E130

    It has been a bruising week for the Prime Minister after the House of Commons backed a Conservative “Humble Address” demanding documents on Sir Keir Starmer’s vetting of Lord Mandelson for the Washington…

  32. Why MPs can’t just quit: The curious case of the Chiltern Hundreds

    · 49 min · S1 E129

    This week we explore one of Westminster’s strangest constitutional hangovers: why MPs can’t simply resign. With the Gorton and Denton by-election triggered by Andrew Gwynne’s departure, listeners asked the obvious…

  33. Assisted dying bill: How could the Parliament Act be used?

    · 46 min · S1 E128

    The assisted dying bill – properly known as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – is facing an extraordinary procedural logjam in the House of Lords. More than 1,170 amendments remain to be debated, organised…

  34. Should MPs Who Switch Parties Be Forced to Face a By-Election?

    · 1 h 02 min · S1 E127

    In this episode, we ask whether MPs who switch parties should be forced to face a by-election – and what this month’s spate of defections says about representation, party power and voter consent. We also unpick a…

  35. Who really sets MPs’ pay – And why you might be wrong about it

    · 50 min · S1 E126

    What are MPs actually paid and what does the public fund to help them do their job? In this conversation with Richard Lloyd, chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) we explore the delicate…

  36. Kemi’s pre-emptive strike on Robert Jenrick

    · 1 h 28 min · S1 E125

    In a dramatic day at Westminster, Kemi Badenoch launched a pre-emptive strike against Robert Jenrick, sacking him from the Shadow Cabinet, suspending the Conservative Party whip, and moving before his headline-grabbing…

  37. Growing the Greens: Parliament, polling and Zack Polanski

    · 59 min · S1 E124

    What is it like to be part of a small but growing parliamentary party? We talk with the leader of the Green Party group at Westminster, Ellie Chowns, about the challenges of operating with limited numbers, the…

  38. Are UK elections under threat?

    · 38 min · S1 E123

    With the Government investigating allegations of foreign influence in British politics, we are joined by John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission, to take stock of the health and resilience of the UK’s…

  39. The King and Parliament: The relationship between politics and the royals

    · 51 min · S1 E122

    In this episode we are joined by author and former royal correspondent Valentine Low to explore the evolving relationship between Downing Street and the Palace and why it matters for Parliament. Drawing on his book…

  40. Is being Prime Minister an impossible job?

    · 56 min · S1 E121

    Why do UK Prime Ministers seem to burn out so quickly? Joined by historian Robert Saunders, we explore why so many leaders have struggled to survive in office since the Brexit referendum. The role has always been…

  41. What's coming up over the Christmas/New Year recess

    · 1:51 · Trailer

    We’re taking a short break over Christmas and New Year, but to keep you company we’ve wrapped up a selection of standout episodes as a festive gift for you. 🎁 Whether you’re travelling, cooking up a feast, putting…

  42. Choosing a new Lord Speaker

    · 1 h 32 min · S1 E120

    This episode brings you an exclusive recording of the official hustings for the election of the next Lord Speaker. Organised by the Hansard Society and chaired by podcast co-host Ruth Fox, the event took place last…

  43. Where are the Reform UK peers?

    · 1 h 00 min · S1 E119

    There have been three significant developments at Westminster this week: a Commons vote that the Liberal Democrats are presenting as a major breakthrough, a peerages list that raises questions of political balance, and…

  44. 2024: The year our party system finally broke?

    · 1 h 05 min · S1 E118

    This week we focus on the Hansard Society’s new book, Britain Votes 2024, which brings together a powerhouse team of leading political scientists - including Professors Sir John Curtice, Phil Cowley and Tim Bale - and…

  45. 101 resolutions and a Finance Bill. How the Budget becomes law

    · 1 h 06 min · S1 E117

    It’s Budget week, so we look at what happens after the Chancellor sits down and how the days announcements are converted into the Finance Bill. We speak to Lord Ricketts, Chair of the European Affairs Committee, about…

  46. Is the House of Lords going slow on the assisted dying bill?

    · 1 h 07 min · S1 E116

    In this episode we look at the latest Covid Inquiry report addressing the lack of parliamentary scrutiny during the pandemic and the need for a better system for emergency law-making. With the Budget approaching, we…

  47. The assisted dying bill: A conversation with its sponsor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton

    · 47 min · S1 E115

    In this episode, we are joined by Lord Falconer, the Labour Peer steering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords. Although he has attempted to legislate for assisted dying several times…

  48. Do petitions work? Inside the Commons Committee that actually decides

    · 31 min · S1 E114

    Ten years after the House of Commons Petitions Committee was created – does it actually work? Does it genuinely shift policy? Or is it an emotional release valve? In this special anniversary episode, we bring together…

  49. Parliament, the Monarch & the birth of party politics — How did it happen?

    · 40 min · S1 E113

    As Britain’s modern party system frays, we rewind 300+ years to Queen Anne’s reign to trace the messy, very human birth of Britain’s party politics in conversation with historian George Owers, author of Rage of Party.…

  50. Why did Nigel Farage’s Ten Minute Rule Bill fail?

    · 56 min · S1 E112

    Reform UK leader Nigel Farage made headlines this week with his attempt to introduce a Ten Minute Rule Bill to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights. The proposal was swiftly defeated by a…

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