The Cabinet Manual: Why Britain's constitutional "highway code" needs updating

More from Parliament Matters

1. 

   S1 · E148 · 25 Jun 2026 · 47 min

   The Burnham question: A new approach to whipping Westminster?

   What would an Andy Burnham government actually look and feel like? This week we explore how Andy Burnham might govern, drawing on his experience as a Cabinet minister, his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and his own writings on constitutional reform. We ask whether a Burnham government would take a fundamentally different approach to Parliament – particularly the use of the party whip – and what that could mean for MPs and the balance of power at Westminster. We also explore why dozens of Presentation Bills were introduced this week, how this legislative procedure works, and whether any…

2. 

   S1 · E147 · 19 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

   Andy Burnham’s March on Westminster: How Could He Become Prime Minister?

   Three by-elections delivered three very different results this week. To discuss the implications, we are joined by Professor Philip Cowley, a leading expert on MPs, party discipline and the realities of parliamentary power. The Conservatives secured their first Scottish by-election victory since 1967, taking Aberdeen South from the SNP. Meanwhile, the SNP held on in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, limiting the damage from what could have been a bruising night. But it is Andy Burnham’s Labour victory in Makerfield that could have the biggest long-term consequences for British politics. We…

3. 

   S1 · E146 · 11 Jun 2026 · 52 min

   Brexit, 10 years on: Parliament and the democratic crisis

   This month marks the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum – a vote that unleashed four years of extraordinary political turmoil. Judges were branded "enemies of the people", MPs denounced as "saboteurs", political parties fractured, and Prime Ministers rose and fell amid relentless parliamentary drama. Historian Dr Robert Saunders of Queen Mary University of London has written a new paper arguing that Brexit was more than a bitter political dispute: it amounted to a full-blown democratic crisis. In this episode, Robert joins Ruth and Mark to explore why Britain’s political system…

4. 

   S1 · E144 · 28 May 2026 · 22 min

   The £5m question: Who funds our politicians?

   In this episode, we explore the rules governing MPs’ financial interests, gifts and donations, as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces questions over a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. Ruth and Mark are joined by Duncan Hames, a former MP and now Director of UK Policy at Transparency International, to ask whether the current transparency regime is working, whether a requirement to declare large gifts is enough on its own to protect public confidence, and whether a fixed cap on donations should also be put in place. At a time when political donations, gifts…

5. 

   S1 · E143 · 21 May 2026 · 1 hr 10 min

   Is the Government censoring the Mandelson Papers?

   The row over Lord Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s ambassador to Washington flared up again this week after the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) accused the Government of improperly redacting documents linked to his appointment. Back in February, ministers were forced to release papers under a Humble Address to the King, with the ISC tasked with deciding what could be withheld on national security or diplomatic grounds. But the Committee now says material has been removed for other reasons not covered by the agreement. Senior ISC member Sir Jeremy Wright MP challenged ministers…

6. 

   S1 · E142 · 15 May 2026 · 1 hr 14 min

   Labour’s leadership tangle: What does it mean for Parliament?

   A battle for Downing Street touched off by a ministerial resignation, a chunky new King’s Speech, and an increasingly unpredictable political environment provide plenty for us to discuss with our special guest, Professor Meg Russell, the former Director of the Constitution Unit. We begin with the Labour leadership contest, which was unfolding in real time as the podcast was recorded. With Labour Party rules, parliamentary rules and election law tangling together in the intricate battle to be Prime Minister, we explore how Labour’s rulebook could shape the outcome and the prospects for the…

7. 

   S1 · E158 · 1 Oct 2026 · 40 min

   This is No Way to Run a Country: A conversation with former veterans minister Johnny Mercer

   Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer joins us to discuss his new book, No Way to Run a Country: An Outsider’s Journey into the Heart of our Broken Politics , and his struggle to change veterans’ policy from inside Westminster and Whitehall. Mercer entered Parliament after serving in Afghanistan, determined to improve support for former service personnel. He recalls arriving with little knowledge of parliamentary politics, the unexpected impact of his maiden speech, and how he used his role on the Defence Select Committee and the media to press for change. He takes us behind the scenes at…

8. 

   S1 · E157 · 17 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

   PMQs: Parliament Matters Questions

   Recorded at Queen Mary University of London as part of Student Week, welcoming students at the start of the new academic year, this special live edition features three expert guests: historian Dr Robert Saunders; Private Members’ Bill specialist Dr Daniel Gover; and historian Dr Catherine Haddon, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former Queen Mary student. The panel begins by assessing the new Burnham Government. Has the Prime Minister’s more optimistic, personable style marked a substantive break with Keir Starmer or merely improved the presentation? They consider the…

9. 

   S1 · E156 · 11 Sep 2026 · 54 min

   MPs reject the assisted dying bill: What happened, and what next?

   MPs have rejected the assisted dying bill – but why did a proposal they had previously supported lose this time, and what happens now? Andrew Lewin MP, a supporter of the bill, hot-foots it from the Chamber to give us his immediate reaction. He describes the atmosphere when the result was announced, offers his explanation for the bill’s defeat and considers whether and how the campaign to change the law might continue. Back in the studio, Hansard Society researcher Matthew England joins us to crunch the numbers. Turnout proved crucial to the final result: was the bill defeated because MPs…

10. 

    S1 · E155 · 3 Sep 2026 · 56 min

    Andy Burnham’s rewired state: Can Parliament provide the circuit breaker?

    Andy Burnham made his despatch box debut as Prime Minister in the House of Commons this week with one of the longest ministerial statements on record and a promise to strengthen the Prime Minister’s grip on Whitehall while transferring power and resources away from it. We examine the new Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and No. 10 North. Are they instruments of genuine decentralisation or a more powerful prime-ministerial centre with a Manchester outpost? If Burnham wants Parliament to become the country’s “circuit breaker”, what powers, information and resources will MPs need to do…

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