In a powerful Churchill Attlee Lecture commemorating the Hansard Society's 80th anniversary, former Prime Minister Theresa May delivered a stark warning about the state of democracy. She expressed grave concerns about the waning trust in democratic institutions, particularly among young people.
Theresa May emphasised the urgent need for a culture of service in politics, criticizing the culture of exceptionalism at Westminster and the notion that MPs are above the law. She called for politicians to diligently serve their constituents and criticized career politicians lacking experience outside Westminster. May also stressed the importance of ministerial responsibility, urging politicians to refrain from blaming civil servants when policies encounter issues. Furthermore, she highlighted areas where the legislative and parliamentary process could be improved to ensure MPs are more effective representatives in the future.
This week, we also got a tantalizing glimpse of Labour's parliamentary strategy in a speech by Lucy Powell MP, the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. Powell outlined Labour’s plans for legislative processes if they come to power, revealing insights into the workings of a shadow Parliamentary and Business Legislation Committee designed to stress-test legislative proposals. She hinted at potential reforms in parliamentary procedure and advocated for greater use of pre-legislative scrutiny.
A dramatic Commons vote at the start of the week shifted the threshold for excluding MPs from Westminster accused of serious crimes from the point of charge to the point of arrest. Labour MP Jess Phillips delivered a powerful speech, sharing victims' voices and emphasizing the need for stronger safeguards.
The pivotal moment came with Lib Dem Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP’s amendment, which passed by one vote. This amendment proposed earlier exclusion to protect the safety of those on the parliamentary estate. Chamberlain reveals the behind-the-scenes efforts and cross-party collaboration that led to the successful amendment. We discuss the implications of the vote and why it's likely that the House of Commons will need to revisit the rules for proxy voting by MPs because of this week’s drama.
What does former Prime Minister Theresa May MP think about the state of our democracy, politics and Parliament?
What are Labour's plans for Parliament if they win the next election?
When and how will MPs be excluded from the parliamentary estate if they are accused of serious violent and sexual offences?
How did MPs across parties combine to lower the threshold on the House of Commons Commission's proposal to exclude MPs from the estate at the point of arrest rather than charge?
Why might the House of Commons need to revisit the rules for proxy voting because of the decision on risk-based exclusion?
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.
Wendy Chamberlain is the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for North East Fife. She was first elected to Parliament at the 2019 general election and has served as the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip and Spokesperson for Work and Pensions since 2020. She currently sits on the Scottish Affairs Select Committee and on the Speaker's Conference, which was set up in 2022 to consider the employment conditions of MPs' staff. Wendy is also the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ending the Need for Foodbanks. During her time in Parliament she successfully sponsored a Private Members' Bill - the Carer's Leave Act 2023 - which created an entitlement for employees to be absent from work to provide or arrange care for a dependent. Before entering Parliament, she spent 12 years serving as a police officer.
Hansard Society
Institute for Government
Hansard
House of Commons Debate on Risk-Based Exclusion (13 May 2024)
House of Commons Commission
A risk-based exclusion policy for the House of Commons – updated proposals (14 December 2023)
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.
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, Theresa May warns democracy is in danger in the inaugural Hansard Society Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture. Suddenly, people are asking how Labour would govern. And this week we got a couple of glimpses of their strategy for Parliament. 00:00:40:22 - 00:00:57:01 And behind the scenes in the Commons knife edge vote on excluding MPs accused of violent or sexual crimes. "I've only been on the side of a winning vote, maybe once, maybe twice, since I was elected." 00:00:59:11 - 00:01:23:12 But first, Ruth, I think we really do have to talk about Theresa May's warning about confidence in democracy in the Churchill-Attlee Lecture. This is the start of the Hansard Society's 80th anniversary celebrations, and the former Prime Minister was actually rather downbeat about the state of our democracy at the moment, about particularly the lack of trust for democratic institutions amongst younger people. And the figures that she was producing were really quite alarming.
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The UK Spending Review outlines how Government funds will be allocated over several years. Unlike the Budget, which raises revenue, the Review decides how it is spent. But how is it approved? What role does Parliament play if it doesn’t vote on the Review itself? This blog explores how the Spending Review works, how it differs from the Budget, and how Parliament holds the Government to account through the Estimates process.
On Friday 13 June, the House of Commons will once again debate the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. Specifically, it will hold a second day of Report Stage, during which the whole House will debate and vote on amendments. This briefing explains the structure of Report Stage, what happened on the first day of Report Stage, how amendments are selected and grouped, on which amendments a decision can still be taken, and the likely sequence of events this Friday, including whether a final vote will take place.
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, will deliver a statement on the Spending Review. MPs will resume Report Stage of the assisted dying bill and debate key legislation on football governance, mental health, and planning and infrastructure. Peers and MPs are expected to resolve their standoff over AI and copyright in the Data (Use and Access) Bill. The Commons Defence Committee will hear from the lead reviewers of the Strategic Defence Review, while a Lords Committee will examine the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty issue. The Hansard Society’s Director will give evidence to the Modernisation Committee about access to the House of Commons and its procedures.
In this episode, we explore why ministers keep bypassing Parliament to make major announcements to the media — and whether returning to the Despatch Box might help clarify their message. We unpack the Lords' uphill battle to protect creators’ rights in the Data Use and Access Bill, challenge claims that the Assisted Dying Bill lacks scrutiny, and examine early findings from a Speaker’s Conference on improving security for MPs, as threats and intimidation against politicians continue to rise. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.
Our evidence on treaty scrutiny has been published by the House of Lords International Agreements Committee. Our submission outlines the problems with the existing framework for treaty scrutiny and why legislative and cultural change are needed to improve Parliament's scrutiny role. Our evidence joins calls for a parliamentary consent vote for the most significant agreements, a stronger role for Parliament in shaping negotiating mandates and monitoring progress, and a sifting committee tasked with determining which agreements warrant the greatest scrutiny.
