Is Parliament at the root of the country's problems? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 105

News

Is Parliament at the root of the country's problems? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 105

5 Sep 2025

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.

LISTEN

This week we ponder the creation of a post unprecedented in modern government: Darren Jones as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. Ruth and Mark analyse what this role might mean for scrutiny, Commons procedure, and the balance of power at the heart of government, particularly with Angela Rayner’s future unresolved. From there, they turn to Nigel Farage’s decision to criticise Britain’s free speech laws before a US Congressional committee – an intervention that may weaken rather than strengthen his position – and to the Greens’ choice of a leader outside Westminster, with all the opportunities and risks that entails.

They also consider how artificial intelligence is beginning to shape the way MPs work, from the appearance of formulaic phrases in Hansard to pilot schemes using AI tools for correspondence and drafting.

Finally, in an extended interview, Conservative peer Lord Paul Goodman argues that economic renewal cannot be achieved without reforming Parliament itself: fewer, better-prepared bills, more serious scrutiny, and more experienced Ministers, including some drawn from outside Parliament.

← Back to Parliament Matters homepage

Listen on our YouTube channel (captioned)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Our guest

Lord Goodman of Wycombe

Paul Goodman worked as a researcher for Conservative MPs in the 1970s and 1980s before moving into journalism in 1990 as the news editor of the Catholic Herald. The following year he went on to write for the Telegraph, where he became comment editor in 1995. He continued writing for the Daily Telegraph after being elected to Parliament in 2001 as the Conservative member for Wycombe. He stood down at the 2010 general election and became editor of the influential ConservativeHome blog. In 2024 he retired from editing and was ennobled as Lord Goodman of Wycombe to join the House of Lords, where he sits as a Conservative peer. He continues to write regularly for the Telegraph.

Resources

Lord Goodman of Wycombe, Being an MP is a dog’s life. We can’t fix politics with the current system - Too few have grasped that the problem of politics is at root a problem of Parliament, Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2025
Zoe Crowther, MPs Are Divided Over Whether They Should Use AI To Do Their Jobs, Politics Home, 27 August 2025

Transcript

Please note, this transcript is automatically generated. There may consequently be minor errors and the text is not formatted according to our style guide. If you wish to reference or cite the transcript copy below, please first check against the audio version above.

Intro: [00:00:00] You are listening to Parliament Matters, a Hansard Society production supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Learn more at hansardsociety.org.uk/pm.

Ruth Fox: Welcome to Parliament Matters, the podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy, Parliament itself. I'm Ruth Fox.

Mark D'Arcy: And I'm Mark D'Arcy. Coming up in this episode.

Ruth Fox: Is the way Parliament works at the root of the country's problems? One old Westminster hand, peer Lord Goodman, certainly thinks so.

Mark D'Arcy: Deck chairs on the Titanic or a decisive new phase in Keir Starmer's government? What impact will the latest Downing Street changes have?

Ruth Fox: And is chat GPT now writing Commons speeches? Are we witnessing the rise of the cyber MP?

Mark D'Arcy: But first, Ruth, let's talk about that Downing [00:01:00] Street reshuffle, the creation of what begins to look like an embryonic Prime Minister's department right at the top of the government machine. It will have ramifications for Parliament, not least because its Chief Secretary, the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, now chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, a new post, is Darren Jones, who is a Member of Parliament, who will be a presence in the Commons.

Ruth Fox: Yeah, apparently he's got status as a, as a Minister, Minister of State. So as you say, he's gonna be a presence in the Commons. He can be in and out of the tea rooms talking to colleagues. Um, he can be questioned by MPs.

Mark D'Arcy: He will be bound by the Ministerial Code.

Ruth Fox: Bound by the Ministerial Code. Well, can he be questioned by MPs?

This is gonna be the question I think for Parliament. There is no Prime Minister's department. Prime Minister's Questions is once a week of course, but it's the Prime Minister who answers so..

Mark D'Arcy: It wouldn't be a very good innovation if they stopped having the PM answering some of them.

Full transcript →

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.

Apple

YouTube Podcasts

Spotify

More ways to subscribe

Parliament Matters homepage

Latest / Highlights

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 13-16 April 2026

Ministerial Statements are expected on developments during the recess, particularly in the Middle East and on Russian submarine activity. The English Devolution Bill completes its final Lords stages, while legislative “ping-pong” continues on the Pension Schemes, Victims and Courts, Crime and Policing, and Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bills. MPs scrutinising the Courts and Tribunals Bill will examine proposals to restrict jury trials. In the Lords, two bills – on the Grenfell Tower Memorial and ministerial salaries – will be fast-tracked through all stages in a single day. MPs will debate SEND reform, statutory menstrual leave, children’s safeguarding, and accessibility in the House of Commons. The Lords will consider changes to Immigration Rules and access rights for departing hereditary peers. Chloe Mawson becomes the first woman to serve as Clerk of the Parliaments. And the Treasury Committee will hold an appointment hearing with the new chief executive of the Prudential Regulatory Authority.

News / Will key Government bills pass by the end of the parliamentary Session? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 138

With the King’s Speech set for 13 May, attention turns to the end of the current parliamentary Session and the frantic “wash-up” period before prorogation, likely in late April. We assess which Bills can still make it through in the remaining sitting days. With major Lords amendments on issues including revenge porn, social media access for under-16s, court transcripts and AI safety, Ministers face intense pressure and possible concessions. We also examine the political stakes around the Chagos Islands Bill and the stalled Hillsborough Law. The episode also answers listener questions on parliamentary procedure and reform, before exploring the sharp rise in Written Parliamentary Questions and what it means for effective scrutiny in Westminster. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

News / Who really decides Immigration Rules: Parliament or the Home Secretary? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 137

Who really controls immigration law when Ministers can rewrite key rules with minimal parliamentary scrutiny? Jonathan Featonby of the Refugee Council explains the Home Secretary’s far-reaching powers over Immigration Rules. We also discuss the Crime and Policing Bill, where amendments on AI and abortion highlight the challenges posed by rushed law-making and executive overreach. And we look ahead to the next phase of the assisted dying debate, as supporters in the House of Commons prepare for a renewed legislative push in the next parliamentary Session. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS

Submissions / Written Parliamentary Questions - Our evidence to the House of Commons Procedure Committee

The use of Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) is rising sharply. Since July 2024, MPs have tabled questions at unprecedented levels. By late 2025 MPs were tabling over 600 per sitting day, more than double the long-term average. WPQs are a cornerstone of parliamentary scrutiny, helping MPs obtain information, challenge government policy and put issues on the public record. But this surge raises important questions about how Parliament balances transparency and accountability with the practical limits of the system. The House of Commons Procedure Committee is now examining the issue and has just published our submission containing our latest data and analysis.

News / Jury trials under threat? The Courts and Tribunals Bill explained - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 136

Plans to restrict the right to a jury trial have cleared their Second Reading in the Commons, but the proposals in the Courts and Tribunals Bill face growing resistance, including from Labour rebels. We discuss the legal and constitutional implications with barrister Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, examining what the reforms could mean for defendants’ rights and the criminal courts system. We also assess the passage of legislation removing hereditary Peers from Parliament, and the late compromise that eased opposition in the House of Lords. Meanwhile Sir Lindsay Hoyle clashes with the Chief Whip over delays in the division lobby, and newly released papers on Peter Mandelson’s Washington appointment raise fresh political questions. Listen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Acast · YouTube · Other apps · RSS