Parliament Matters: A podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy
About Parliament Matters
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.
Parliament's role in a failed state: A conversation with Sam Freedman (#62)
In this special episode of Parliament Matters, we sit down with author and researcher Sam Freedman to explore the themes of his book, Failed State. Freedman delivers a sharp critique of Britain’s governance, examining how bad laws and weak parliamentary scrutiny are contributing to systemic dysfunction. The conversation covers Parliament's structural flaws, the realities of modern political life, and bold reform ideas—exploring how fixing the core of our democracy could lead to better outcomes for everyone.
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Submit your questions
Mark and Ruth will be answering questions from listeners on all things Parliament during each show.
Learn more and send us your questions online via the button below.
The podcast is produced with initial support from JRCT, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic accountability.
Will Parliament pay a price for promises to WASPI women?
Episode 61 (20 December 2024)
As Christmas approaches, Westminster eases into its pre-festive lull. Yet, a major political storm clouds the year’s end: the fallout from the Government’s decision not to compensate the WASPI women. This controversy highlights a recurring dilemma in politics—the risks of opposition parties over-promising and the inevitable backlash when those promises confront the harsh realities of governing. And as a seasonal stocking filler, Ruth and Mark talk to the authors of two fascinating books that uncover hidden aspects of parliamentary history.
Licence to scrutinise: spooks, hereditary peers and assisted dying
Episode 60 (13 December 2024)
In this week’s episode the ‘assisted dying’ bill takes centre stage as the newly chosen members of the Public Bill Committee gear up for detailed scrutiny of the legislation. With 23 members, including two ministers, this committee promises a mix of seasoned voices and first-time MPs debating a very difficult issue. We are joined by Hansard Society researcher, Matthew England, who breaks down the committee’s composition, party balance, and the strategic dynamics that will influence the bill’s trajectory.
Football governance, fair elections, and fantasy reforms: Parliament Matters goes live!
Episode 59 (6 December 2024)
Is the Football Governance Bill being filibustered in the House of Lords? Did the House of Commons just vote for electoral reform and proportional representation as the Liberal Democrats claim? And what are your fantasy parliamentary reforms? Welcome to a landmark episode of Parliament Matters - for the first time, we are recording in front of a live audience at the 60th anniversary conference of the Study of Parliament Group.
How will Donald Trump's return reverberate in the UK Parliament?
Episode 53 (8 November 2024)
Urgent Questions: Answering your questions about how Parliament works
Episode 52 (6 November 2024)
Budget rules explained, parliamentary etiquette tips, and Layla Moran MP gears up for action as Health and Social Care Committee chair
Episode 50 (25 October 2024)
Select Committee chair elections: who won and can they work together?
Episode 47 (13 September 2024)
Inside the Private Members' Bill Ballot: 20 MPs win the legislative lottery
Episode 46 (6 September 2024)
Inside the hidden world of law-making: A conversation with Nikki da Costa
Episode 45 (16 August 2024)
Supermajority vs. micro-opposition: Parliament after the general election?
Episode 39 (28 June 2024)
Democratic decision-making in health emergencies: Learning the lessons of the Covid pandemic
Episode 37 (31 May 2024)
Is AI set to destroy trust in elections? Tackling misinformation in politics & Parliament, with top fact checker Full Fact's Chris Morris
Episode 32 (30 April 2024)
Rwanda Bill becomes law: but what was really going on behind the scenes in Parliament?
Episode 31 (26 April 2024)
Tobacco and Vapes Bill: free vote blows smoke in Rishi Sunak's eyes
Episode 30 (19 April 2024)
William Wragg's honeytrap crisis, and is Speaker Hoyle under threat?
Episode 29 (12 April 2024)
Defending free speech from SLAPPs: MP Wayne David on his Private Member's Bill
Episode 28 (28 March 2024)
The Budget: is the democratic deficit as bad as the financial deficit? How Parliament handles money
Episode 25 (7 March 2024)
The Foreign Affairs Committee: commentator or influencer? A conversation with Alicia Kearns MP
Episode 24 (4 March 2024)
![The Rt Hon Liz Truss MP giving a speech, 7 October 2020. © Number 10 [Flickr] / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED](https://images.ctfassets.net/n4ncz0i02v4l/5ELuvfB30ceMqN69KFu0yi/43c2e78b71235950ffaf59e6c49e2f46/-PMP.E23-_Banner_Image__1920x1080_.png?fm=avif&fit=fill&q=60&w=1920&h=1080&f=center)
The Commons Speaker survives (for now), Liz Truss takes on the ‘Deep State’, plus how do we detoxify politics?
Episode 23 (1 March 2024)
![The Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP is interviewed by Andrew Neil on new TV news channel GB News, 16 June 2021. © HM Treasury [Flickr] / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED](https://images.ctfassets.net/n4ncz0i02v4l/2tyF0kqda1Z6FDOynk98wJ/b7025844cd4c9688253dd47f7a8d458b/-PMP.E22-_Banner_image__1920x1080_.png?fm=avif&fit=fill&q=60&w=1920&h=1080&f=center)
The decline and fall of the political interview: A discussion with Rob Burley
Episode 22 (27 February 2024)
Commons chaos: Can the Speaker survive a monumental misjudgement?
Episode 21 (22 February 2024)
![The Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, at Prime Minister's Questions, 25 October 2023. ©UK Parliament/Maria Unger [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED]](https://images.ctfassets.net/n4ncz0i02v4l/2Xo0Fx0vmNmal6cvsC6BNn/06a1aad81fd21d3c52b786cb21514979/-PMP.E20-_Banner_image_v2__1920x1080_.jpg?fm=avif&fit=fill&q=60&w=1934&h=1032&f=center)
Urgent Questions: We answer your questions about how Parliament works
Episode 20 (15 February 2024)
What if they gave a coup and nobody came? The Tory leadership soap opera continued
Episode 17 (26 January 2024)
War powers, Rwanda ‘mayhem’ and Ian Dunt on the state of Westminster
Episode 16 (19 January 2024)
The inside story: Parliament and the Post Office Horizon scandal
Episode 15 (12 January 2024)
Election alert and the year ahead in Parliament: Why are so many election rules being changed?
Episode 14 (5 January 2024)
Michael Crick & Tomorrow’s MPs: The latest news on parliamentary candidate selections
Episode 12 (29 December 2024)
Is Parliament a decaying organism? Lord Lisvane on our crumbling constitution
Episode 10 (22 December 2023)
‘These guys like to be written about’: The art of parliamentary sketchwriting, with Rob Hutton
Episode 9 (18 December 2023)
High drama or damp squib?… And what’s happening with pairing?
Episode 8 (15 December 2024)
Westenders: The battle for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party
Episode 7 (8 December 2023)
Total reshuffle, emergency legislation and Parliament’s ‘Golden Ticket’
Episode 4 (17 November 2023)
All change on the Committee corridor and regulating the conduct and standards of MPs
Episode 2 (12 November 2023)
Introducing: Parliament Matters – A new podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy
Trailer (3 November 2023)
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Use the links below to subscribe to the Hansard Society's Parliament Matters podcast on your preferred app, or search for 'Parliament Matters' on whichever podcasting service you use. If you are unable to find our podcast, please email us here.
