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Introducing: Parliament Matters – A new podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy

3 Nov 2023
Parliament Matters podcast cover image. ©Hansard Society

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!

Submit your questions to the show

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."

Subscribe to Parliament Matters

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.

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 15-19 September 2025

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14 Sep 2025
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News / Assisted dying bill - special series #16: The Bill makes its debut in the House of Lords - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 106

As Peers embark on a marathon two-day Second Reading debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – the measure that would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales – we are joined by former Clerk of the Parliaments, Sir David Beamish, to decode the drama. With more than two hundred members of the House of Lords lining up to speak, Sir David explains why, despite the intensity of the arguments, no one expects the Bill to be rejected at this stage. Instead, the real fight will come later, after Peers get into the clause-by-clause detail and see what defects can be remedied. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

13 Sep 2025
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Briefings / The assisted dying bill: A guide to the legislative process in the House of Lords

Having passed through the House of Commons, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - the Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales - must now go through its legislative stages in the House of Lords. This guide explains the special procedures for legislation in the House of Lords, and for Private Members’ Bills in particular. It answers some frequently asked questions, including how Peers might block the Bill, and gives an explanation of each stage of the process, from Second to Third Reading.

10 Sep 2025
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Briefings / Delegated powers in the assisted dying bill: Issues for the attention of the House of Lords

Like many pieces of primary legislation, the assisted dying bill leaves much of the practical and policy detail to be worked out later by Ministers through regulations. After the Bill’s Second Reading in the House of Commons, we published a briefing which drew attention to two of its delegated powers. But since then the Bill has been heavily amended, prompting new questions: how have its delegated powers evolved, do these changes strengthen or weaken the approach to the delegation of ministerial power, and are further amendments needed and if so, why?

29 Aug 2025
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News / Is Parliament at the root of the country's problems? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 105

Does Parliament itself lie at the root of some of Britain’s political and economic difficulties? Lord Goodman argues that it does and so makes the case for urgent parliamentary reform. This week we also examine the implications of a Downing Street reshuffle that has created a “Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister,” raising new questions about accountability in the Commons. The discussion ranges from Angela Rayner’s uncertain position, Nigel Farage’s controversial US appearance, and the Greens’ leadership contest, to the growing use of artificial intelligence in parliamentary work. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

05 Sep 2025
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