Welcome to Parliament Matters, the new weekly podcast from the Hansard Society about the institution at the heart of our democracy – Parliament. This introductory trailer will give you a preview of what you can expect every Friday after the first full episode lands on 10 November 2023, three days after the King's Speech.
Each week, Mark D'Arcy (the BBC’s former parliamentary correspondent) and Ruth Fox (the Director of the Hansard Society) will guide you through how laws are made and ministers held accountable by the people we send to Westminster.
They will analyse the often mysterious ways our politicians do business and keep track of all the running controversies about the way Parliament works. Why? Because whether it's the taxes you pay, or the laws you've got to obey... Parliament matters!
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.
Parliament Matters is produced by the Hansard Society with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic accountability.
"Hello, I'm Mark Darcy. And I'm Ruth Fox, and we're here to tell you about Parliament Matters, the new weekly podcast about all things Parliament from Hansard Society. Two things you should never see being made, laws and sausages. However appetizing they seem, you don't want to think too hard about what went into them. But the ingredients do matter. So we'll be looking at how laws are made and ministers are held accountable by the people we send to Westminster.
We'll do our best to answer your questions about them. We'll be analyzing the sometimes mysterious ways our politicians do business and keeping track of all the running controversies about the way Parliament works. Everything from whether billions of pounds should be spent on revamping the Palace of Westminster, the home of Parliament, whether the years should be spent rewriting the constitution, perhaps replacing the House of Lords with an elected Senate, not to mention the fast evolving system to stamp out bad behavior by MPs and Peers.
We'll do everything from looking back at key historical events in Parliament to discussing the latest research on democracy and politics. Between us, we've got lots of practical experience working in and around Westminster and observing Parliament and politicians at close quarters. I was the BBC's parliamentary correspondent for two decades, presenting programs like Radio 4’s Today in Parliament and the Westminster Hour, and I started out working in Parliament for an MP.
But now research and write about how Parliament works and how it can be better. This isn't our first double act because some of you may remember we used to commentate together for BBC Parliament on big votes during the Brexit era. But this podcast is being brought to you by the Hansard Society. No, not the record of parliamentary debates, but the parliamentary think-tank known as the Westminster Parliament’s critical friend.
Founded nearly 80 years ago, the Hansard Society has always been resolutely non-partisan. Its first members were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, and today we're bringing Parliament Matters to you with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic reform. So join us each week and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from for a regular update on the health of the institution at the very heart of our democracy, Parliament itself.
Because whether it's the taxes you pay or the laws you've got to obey, Parliament matters. You can follow us on social media @HansardSociety and look out for our first episode on Friday the 10th of November."
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.
Mark and Ruth look at the growing fashion for re-writing Bills mid-air as they pass through Parliament, adding on all sorts of policy bells and whistles at the last minute.
Delegated legislation is the most common form of legislation in the United Kingdom. It is the legislation of everyday life, impacting millions of citizens daily. But the terminology and procedures that surround it are complex and often confusing. This explainer unpacks delegated legislation - the terminology and Parliament's role in scrutinising it - to reveal more about how delegated legislation really works.
What a week! Suella Braverman's sacking from Government was immediately eclipsed by the appointment of former Prime Minister David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary. Mark and Ruth explore the many questions this raises, not least for scrutiny of foreign affairs by MPs.
The Prime Minister’s decision to cancel the next stage of HS2 has given rise to criticism that once again the Government has ridden roughshod over Parliament. Just over 1,300 hours of legislative time have been spent on four HS2-related Bills over nine Sessions in the last decade. Why has it taken so long and what now happens to that legislation?
When parliamentarians reassemble at Westminster on 7 November for the start of the new Session, all eyes will be on the legislative programme to be announced in the King’s Speech. Speculation about the likely date of the next general election is rife at Westminster, but until the date is settled there are a lot of parliamentary issues still to be tackled. We’ve picked out a few things to look out for on the political horizon.
