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? 3-5 November 2025

The Defence Secretary and Chancellor face MPs questions, and David Lammy stands in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs. The Commons will debate the “Hillsborough Law”, as well as the Employment Rights and Public Authorities Bills. Peers will examine the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Border Security Bill, and Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The Conservatives will choose Tuesday’s Opposition Day topic. Committees will hear from senior officials about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US Ambassador, from George Osborne and Vince Cable on the Budget, from journalists on the Afghan data breach super-injunction case, and from former CIA and GCHQ directors John Brennan and Professor Sir David Omand about the UK–US relationship. The Lords assisted dying committee hears from the Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer.

News / Why did Nigel Farage's Ten Minute Rule Bill fail? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 112

Nigel Farage’s legislative bid to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights failed but Labour’s hesitant response has raised questions about its strategy against Reform UK. We also discuss Lucy Powell’s election as Labour’s new deputy leader and what it means for the party’s budget battles ahead. Guest Sofia Collignon explores the growing abuse faced by MPs and candidates, and the need for tougher safeguards. Finally, a listener’s question prompts a discussion about the history and purpose of Westminster Hall, the House of Commons’ parallel debating chamber. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

News / Parliament vs. Prince Andrew - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 111

This week, we explore how far Parliament can go in holding members of the Royal Family to account, as pressure grows for MPs to scrutinise Prince Andrew’s finances and royal titles. We ask whether Nigel Farage should get a right of reply at Prime Minister’s Questions amid his growing prominence, and examine Labour’s reshuffle of select committee posts and calls for greater transparency in how they’re filled. Plus, a look back at the rebuilding of the House of Commons Chamber, 75 years after its postwar reopening. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

News / Parliament’s spying scandal: Why was the China case dropped? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 110

It’s been a tumultuous week in Westminster, with three ministerial statements on the China spying case and fresh questions about the collapse of charges against two alleged spies. We are joined by Cambridge public law expert Professor Mark Elliott to untangle the legal and political fallout, from espionage claims inside MPs’ offices to confusion over whether China was ever designated an “enemy state.” We also explore looming government challenges — the Budget, Afghan data leak, local election setbacks — and the membership of the new Select Committee to consider the assisted dying legislation in the House of Lords. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

Briefings / Assisted dying - The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Rolling news

Stay informed with updates and analysis on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it moves through Parliament. Learn about the debates, procedures, decisions, and key milestones shaping the assisted dying legislation.