Main content

Elinor Goodman looks behind the scenes at Westminster.

Elinor Goodman looks behind the scenes at Westminster
Housing benefits cuts announced this week lead to emotive exchanges in the House of Commons. Ministers were accused of everything from outright unfairness, to social cleansing of the poor from big cities.
Two London MPs, Labour's Siobhain McDonagh and the Conservative Bob Blackman, discuss the implications of this major reform of the welfare benefit system, with Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George.

On Thursday the government produced a White Paper on Local Growth, following on the better than expected figures for economic growth. But how will growth be achieved given the size of the spending cuts? Conservative MP Simon Hart and Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop consider the consequences of these measures for their constituencies in Wales and the North East.

Ed Miliband gave shadow ministerial positions to a large number of his party's new young MPs, raising questions about how much basic parliamentary experience MPs should have, before sitting on the front benches.
Catherine McKinnell got the most senior of these posts- shadow Solicitor General. Did she think she was up to it?

From the new intake to the "leavers". In the week when details of former MPs resettlement payments were published Lembit Opik and Tom Levitt (formerly Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs respectively) talk about what has been happening to them since the election.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 30 Oct 2010 11:00

Chapters

  • Heated exchanges over Benefit cuts

    London MPs Siobhain McDonagh (Labour) and Bob Blackman (Conservative), plus MP for West Cornwall Andrew George (Lib Dem) talk about implications of major reform in the welfare benefit system

    Duration: 09:30

  • The impact of spending cuts

    How will local growth be achieved with big spending cuts? Conservative MP Simon Hart and Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop consider the consequences for their constituencies in Wales and the North East

    Duration: 06:32

  • Too young for a shadow ministerial position?

    Catherine McKinnell is one of many new, young MPs who were given shadow ministerial positions. This has raised questions over the experience these MPs have to hold such roles. Is she up to the task?

    Duration: 03:48

  • Life after being an MP

    One minute you鈥檙e an MP, the next you鈥檙e unemployed. That鈥檚 the reality in the wake of every election. So what does a recently unemployed MP do? We hear from former MPs Lembit Opik and Tom Levitt

    Duration: 06:14

Broadcast

  • Sat 30 Oct 2010 11:00

Download: Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

High-powered discussions that explore the big themes which are shaping our politics.

Podcast