News

Democracy is in danger, warns Theresa May - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 35

17 May 2024
©Hansard Society/Roger Harris
©Hansard Society/Roger Harris

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.

LISTEN
Subscribe

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.

Listen on our YouTube channel (auto-captioned)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

What we talked about on this episode

  • 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 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.

Our guest

©UK Parliament

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.

Resources

Hansard Society

Institute for Government

Hansard

House of Commons Commission

Transcript

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.

Read more

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.

Apple Podcast logo

Apple

©

YouTube Podcasts

Spotify logo

Spotify

More ways to subscribe
Parliament Matters homepage

Latest / Highlights

News / Former Prime Ministers: The role of Parliament in life after No 10 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 109

In this episode, we speak with Peter Just, author of a new book, Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street. Peter explores how Thatcher reinvented herself after her departure to maintain her status as an international figure, and how she remained a parliamentary thorn in John Major’s side. We also compare her parliamentary afterlife with that of other Prime Ministers, and consider the value that former leaders can bring to the institution of Parliament. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

03 Oct 2025
Read more

News / What are the Usual Channels? A short history of Westminster whipping - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 108

In this episode, we talk to political journalist Seb Whale about his new book, The Usual Channels, which reveals the hidden world of Westminster’s whips. Seb charts how party discipline has evolved – from the stormy politics of the 1970s and the Maastricht battles of the 1990s to the legendary “black book,” the Brexit showdowns and the short-lived Liz Truss premiership. He explains how the whips’ office has adapted to a modern Parliament – especially with the influx of women MPs – and why, even today, whips still wield decisive influence over MPs’ careers and remain indispensable despite the pressures of contemporary politics. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

26 Sep 2025
Read more

Blog / Treaty scrutiny: addressing the accountability gap

In this guest blog, Lord Goldsmith KC, Chair of the House of Lords International Agreements Committee (IAC), sets out the findings of the Committee’s latest report urging reform of Parliament's outdated system for scrutinising treaties. The report warns that Westminster lags behind other legislatures in overseeing these vital policy instruments. Rejecting successive governments' defence of the status quo, it argues that government objections to reform are unconvincing and meaningful accountability is overdue.

23 Sep 2025
Read more

News / Assisted dying bill - special series #17: Peers give the Bill a Second Reading, but progress is paused for committee evidence - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 107

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has cleared another key hurdle: it was given a Second Reading in the House of Lords without a formal vote. But Peers have agreed to set up a special select committee to hear evidence from Ministers, professional bodies and legal experts before the Bill goes any further. That decision pushes the detailed clause-by-clause scrutiny back to mid-November and could shape the Bill’s prospects in unexpected ways. In this episode we explore the procedural twists and political manoeuvring behind that decision. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

20 Sep 2025
Read more

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
Read more

Categories

Themes

Contact

Legal

Fundraising Regulator logo