News

Select Committee chair elections: who won and can they work together? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 47

13 Sep 2024
©UK Parliament (Individual portrait photos - CC BY 3.0)
©UK Parliament (Individual portrait photos - CC BY 3.0)

In this episode, we explore the outcomes and implications of the latest Select Committee Chair elections in Parliament. The newly elected chairs will play a pivotal role in scrutinising the government, but can they effectively work together? We talk to Dr. Marc Geddes, a leading expert on Select Committees, who highlights how this year’s competitive elections compare to previous parliaments and what that could mean for committee dynamics in the future.

LISTEN
Subscribe

What did the candidates promise in their nomination papers? We discover the unique candidacy of one MP who ran on a platform of "Stop this Nonsense," railing against the flood of campaign emails and leaflets during the election process (or what she described as the “Select Committee Chair silly season”). Another newly elected chair is proposing weekly summaries of public hearings in a "crop and drop" format, allowing colleagues to easily communicate updates to their constituents.

Throughout the episode, we tackle listeners' pressing questions:

  • how much influence do party leaders wield in Select Committee elections?

  • which committee chairs are likely to make it to the government frontbench before the next election?

  • how do Select Committees decide which inquiries to prioritise?

  • what role does public engagement play in their inquiries?

In addition, Ruth and Mark dissect the latest Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session. Despite the influx of new MPs, PMQs remains a spectacle of soundbites and jeering, with little progress on substantive debate. They discuss how newer MPs seem to be following in the footsteps of the old guard, continuing the orchestrated shouting matches led by party whips.

One key issue raised during this PMQs was Rishi Sunak’s focus on whether the government will publish an Impact Assessment related to the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Allowance. Ruth explains the significance of Impact Assessments and why they matter for government transparency and accountability.

The episode also explores the political dilemma faced by Labour MPs who abstained from the Winter Fuel Allowance vote. Voting against the motion would allow the wealthiest to continue receiving the benefit, while voting for it would mean supporting means-testing, potentially disadvantaging struggling constituents. Ruth and Mark debate whether constituents will understand the nuances behind MPs' decisions to abstain and how this might impact their future support.

Listen on our YouTube channel (captioned)

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

Our guest

©

Dr Marc Geddes

Marc Geddes is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Edinburgh and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Parliamentary Research in Berlin. Marc's research focuses on the role of parliaments and their place in democratic politics. In 2020, he published Dramas at Westminster: Select Committees and the Quest for Accountability, which offers a detailed analysis of the work and dynamics of Select Committees in the UK Parliament. He is the former Co-Convenor of the Political Studies Association's Parliaments Group and the former Co-Director of the Centre for Science, Knowledge and Policy at Edinburgh.

What we talked about on this episode

  • Prime Minister's Questions: how are the new MPs performing?

  • Winter Fuel Allowance vote: did we learn anything from the debates in the House of Commons and Lords?

  • Impact Assessments for legislation: why do they matter?

  • Select Committee chair elections: how do the results compare with previous years?

  • Select Committee scrutiny: will it be siloed or more strategic?

  • Select Committee candidate nominations: who promised what?

  • How much influence do party leaders wield in Select Committee elections?

  • Are Select Committee chairs likely to make it to the government frontbench before the next election?

  • How do Select Committees decide which inquiries to prioritise?

  • What role does public engagement play in their inquiries?

  • The Liaison Committee: how will its chair be chosen?

  • The Modernisation Committee: how much institutional knowledge do its members have?

Resources

Hansard Society

Marc Geddes

House of Commons

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.

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. And

Mark D'Arcy: I'm Mark D'Arcy.

Ruth Fox: Coming up. Meet the new kids on the committee corridor. What are the challenges facing the newly elected chairs of the Commons Select Committees? We'll be talking to parliamentary expert Mark Geddes, who's been crawling through the detail of the elections.

Mark D'Arcy: No change for the better at PMQs. The Commons Weekly Highlight is still as trivial and shouty as ever.

Ruth Fox: And the gathering financial storm. We're a month away from the budget, and everything in politics is now about the money.[00:01:00]

Mark D'Arcy: But let's start, shall we Ruth, with Prime Minister's Question Time....

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 / 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.

02 Nov 2025
Read more

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.

31 Oct 2025
Read more

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.

24 Oct 2025
Read more

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.

17 Oct 2025
Read more

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.

15 May 2025
Read more

Categories

Themes

Contact

Legal

Fundraising Regulator logo