News

Rwanda Bill becomes law: but what was really going on behind the scenes in Parliament? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 31

26 Apr 2024

The Rwanda Bill has made it over the parliamentary finishing line but not without some last-minute drama. We talk to the SNP’s Alison Thewliss MP about what went on in a small room, behind the Speaker’s Chair, away from the cameras!

And what on earth is going on in the minds of MPs, after another in a succession of sleaze scandals hits Westminster. This time it’s Mark Menzies MP who has resigned from the Conservative Party and won’t stand again at the general election. He’s facing accusations of fraud and misconduct after telephoning an elderly constituency member claiming he’d been locked up by “bad people” who were demanding money. Are MPs – or specifically male MPs – simply big risk-takers or is there something else at work?

Meanwhile, the exodus from Westminster continues to grow: the number of MPs standing down at the next election has now passed the 100-mark. The data reveals some interesting developments that will affect the parties and select committees in the next Parliament.

And farewell to Frank Field – the backbenchers’ backbencher - and one of the most extraordinary parliamentarians of the last 40 years. We reflect on his lifetime in politics, particularly his outstanding work as a select committee chair, and Mark remembers a tricky visit to Field’s Birkenhead constituency while reporting for the BBC.

  • The Rwanda Bill: what happened in the final round of parliamentary ping-pong?

  • What is the Reasons Committee?

  • Are MPs excessive risk-takers?

  • How many MPs thus far have confirmed they are standing down at the general election?

  • Was Frank Field the most influential chair of a select committee in the last four decades?

Parliament Matters is supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Parliament Matters is supported by a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic accountability.

©UK Parliament

Alison Thewliss MP is the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Central. Elected to Parliament in 2015, she is now the Scottish National Party's spokesperson for home affairs, leading its response to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill in the House of Commons. She is also a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee. She was previously the SNP's Treasury spokesperson between 2017 and 2022 and has served on both the Treasury Select Committee and the Procedure Committee. She stood against Stephen Flynn MP in the SNP's Westminster leadership election in 2022. She serves as the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Immigration Detention and on Infant Feeding and Inequalities, and as co-Chair of the APPGs on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax and on Fair Business Banking.

Legislation.gov.uk

House of Commons

The Times

House of Commons Library

Institute for Government

BBC

Please note, this transcript is automatically generated. There are consequently 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. Timestamps are provided above each paragraph.

00:00:15:24 - 00:00:59:20 Welcome to Parliament Matters, the podcast about the institution at the heart of our democracy, Parliament itself. I'm Ruth Fox and I'm Mark D’Arcy.

Coming up, finally, at last, the deed is done. The Rwanda bill scrapes over the parliamentary finishing line, but not without some last minute drama. We talk to the MP behind the surprise procedural ambush.

And what on earth is going on in the minds of MPs after another in a succession of sleaze scandals hits the fan.

And farewell to Frank, the backbenchers’ backbencher Frank Field, one of the most extraordinary parliamentarians of the last 40 years.

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? 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
Read more

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
Read more

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
Read more

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
Read more

News / 2024: The year our party system finally broke? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 118

This week we spotlight our new book Britain Votes 2024, featuring research by leading political scientists such as public opinion expert Professor Sir John Curtice. We explore how Labour secured a landslide on just a third of the vote, why the election broke so many records, and what these reveal about the fragility of UK democracy. We also cover the Budget fallout, the role of the Treasury Committee in the appointment of the new head of the OBR, more backbench dissent, ex-MPs shifting to the Greens and Reform, and a brewing row over delayed mayoral elections.

05 Dec 2025
Read more