About this episode

The episode discusses the behavior of MPs during Parliamentary sessions and the role of retired politicians on Question Time.

Following Green MP Hannah Spencer’s comments on drinking culture at Westminster, Ed Balls and George Osborne answer whether MPs should be better behaved in general during Parliamentary sessions. They make the case for heckling and jeering, comparing it to more civilised Parliaments and systems to explain how it helps hold our leaders accountable.  They then reflect on their experience on Question Time, and whether they would follow Michael Gove’s move and go on as retired politicians. This sparks a trip down memory lane, and there may be more to come in the summer… Things get serious with a listener posing Adam Tooze’s argument that the Bank of England is instilling fear in governments following the Truss fiasco. They explain their objections to this, and explain how the Bank of England has kept things in check for Britain, particularly post-2008. Finally, they answer the ultimate question: are Centrist Dad playing the Trinity College Oxford ball? Ed reveals the process behind the band’s booking, and they recount the bands that played their own balls. George also recounts his encounter with a literary legend that he’d really rather forget… We love hearing from you, so please…

People in this episode

Guests: Ed Balls, George Osborne

Topics covered

• Parliamentary behavior
• Question Time
• Bank of England
• political accountability
• retired politicians
• drinking culture
• listener questions

Keywords

• Parliament
• heckling
• drinking culture
• political accountability
• Bank of England
• Question Time
• retired politicians
• listener questions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bank of England

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