Journal

Parliamentary Affairs: special issue on '40 years of departmental select committees in the House of Commons' (vol 72, issue 4, 2019)

31 Oct 2019

To mark the 40th anniversary of the creation of departmental select committees, this special issue of Parliamentary Affairs draws together contibutions from House of Commons officials and leading academics on the past, present and future of one of the most significant reforms to the UK Parliament.

Articles available to read for free are marked with a star (☆).

News / Are UK elections under threat? A conversation with the chair of the Electoral Commission, John Pullinger - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 123

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 electoral system. Our discussion ranges widely over the pressures facing elections and campaigning today, and what issues Parliament may need to grapple with in a future elections bill.

09 Jan 2026
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News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 5-9 January 2026

MPs will consider the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, while Peers debate the Diego Garcia, Sentencing, and Crime and Policing Bills. The Lords will also consider two Private Members’ Bills – to extend licensing hours and to legalise assisted dying – and will be asked to decide whether more time should be set aside in future for detailed scrutiny of the assisted dying legislation. In the Commons, MPs will debate mobile connectivity, Magnitsky-style sanctions for human rights abuses, and reform of high-street gambling, alongside a Conservative Opposition Day debate. On the Committee corridor, the Post Office Horizon scandal, disinformation diplomacy, the carbon budget, the policing of the Aston Villa – Maccabi Tel Aviv football match, and the BBC World Service will all be scrutinised.

04 Jan 2026
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News / Is being Prime Minister an impossible job? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 121

Why do UK Prime Ministers seem to burn out so quickly? We are joined by historian Robert Saunders to examine why the role has become so punishing in recent years. From Brexit and COVID to fractured parties, rigid governing conventions and relentless media scrutiny, the discussion explores what has gone wrong – and what kind of leadership and political culture might be needed to make the job survivable again.

23 Dec 2025
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News / The King and Parliament: The relationship between politics and the royals - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 122

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 Power and the Palace, we explore how royal influence has shifted from Queen Victoria’s overt political interventions to Elizabeth II’s studied neutrality. Along the way, we connect historical episodes – where monarchs helped shape diplomacy and constitutional outcomes – to today’s flashpoints, from the prorogation and dissolution of Parliament to referendums and royal finances and the looming constitutional headaches of future hung parliaments.

03 Jan 2026
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News / Choosing a new Lord Speaker: Peers question candidates Lord Forsyth and Baroness Bull - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 120

In this exclusive episode we bring you the full recording of the official hustings for the next Lord Speaker, held in the House of Lords and chaired by Hansard Society director and podcast co-host Ruth Fox. Peers question candidates Lord Forsyth and Baroness Bull on impartiality, self-regulation, public trust, governance and security, and the looming decisions on restoration and renewal – offering a rare insight into how the House chooses its presiding officer and the challenges facing Parliament at a critical moment.

19 Dec 2025
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