Beyond Westminster

Episodes

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20090221Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament. Andrew Rawnsley discovers how political parties are appealing to more mature voters and asks if the Tories' apparent advantage with that section of the electorate will persist. Among Britain's population, older people are more likely to vote than younger ones and are more inclined to favour the Conservatives. But will the 1960s generation change this?

Andrew Rawnsley discovers how political parties are appealing to more mature voters.

20090411Looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament. Elinor Goodman examines a 'Green New Deal' which has been promised to fight global warming and the recession at the same time. She discovers, however, that tensions between short and long term priorities are making green politics a challenge.

The 'Green New Deal' which is promised to fight both global warming and the recession.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090418Iain Martin looks at how politicians are facing up to the prospect of deep spending cuts.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090530How voters and candidates for the European elections are reacting to the expenses crisis.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090801Elinor Goodman asks if gypsies' needs can ever be reconciled with those of local residents

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090808Jim Hancock and a panel of MPs discuss the recession in the West Midlands and North West.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090815Looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

The average student debt is now almost 22,000 pounds, and is set to increase as universities look to raise the cost of tuition. Jim Hancock visits Leeds, a city with one of the largest student populations in the country, to talk to undergraduates who in some cases will see fees go up by 60 per cent.

With 100,000 students registered to vote in Leeds alone, could the issue of tuition fees determine the outcome of some seats in the next general election?

Jim Hancock visits Leeds to talk to undergraduates about the rising cost of tuition fees.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090822Ben Wright asks if public anger over MPs' expenses could pave the way for a change to politics in Britain. He looks at new ways of connecting voters and politicians, from wiki-bills to twitter.

The programme also explores the growth of direct democracy, including referendums and a scheme that gives voters power over budgets. We hear from Prof James Fishkin, a pioneer of Deliberative Democracy, a new method inspired by ancient Athenian models. We also hear from YouGov's Peter Kellner, a critic of referendum politics, and the former health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, a fan of Citizen Juries.

Plus a discussion about how to revive representative democracy, with contributions from Conservative MP Douglas Carswell, Labour MP Kerry McCarthy and Austen Ivereigh from the grassroots organisation London Citizens.

Ben Wright explores the growth of direct democracy.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090829Looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

Crowded roads, trains and airports blight our transport system, so politicians with bright ideas for sorting out the mess could be vote winners. But with budgets tightening and environmental worries rising, Iain Martin asks how radical the main political parties will be.

Iain Martin investigates the political parties' plans for improving the transport network.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090905Mark Devenport examines the track record of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090912As trade unions gather for the TUC Congress, Jim Hancock examines calls from some activists to end the political levy to the Labour Party. They claim that the party has not done enough to protect jobs and services. What impact would reducing or even ending their political funding have on the government, just months away from having to call a general election?

Jim Hancock examines calls from trade union activists to end their payments to Labour.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090919Ten years after Labour introduced the ASBO, anti-social behaviour is still a worry to many voters. With both government and opposition promising a crackdown, Ben Wright asks how much power politicians really have over our behaviour and hears claims that too much interference by the state is damaging society.

Trying to make us behave better has been one of the Labour government's missions. Nuisance neighbours, troublesome teenagers, yobs and louts have been in the sights of successive home secretaries and the government has legislated with zeal. It is ten years since the first antisocial behaviour order - or ASBO - was issued. Since then the government has built up a vast arsenal of measures to combat a wide number of problems, from crack houses to high hedges. But have the dispersal orders, behaviour contracts, parenting orders and noise notices made any difference in the worst-affected areas? And how has the ASBO industry that has developed over the past decade affected our ability to resolve disputes among ourselves? Have we become too dependent on state mediation? And are we less tolerant of other people's behaviour? Ben Wright goes to Gorton in east Manchester to talk to people in an area where the police and council have used a wide range of measures to tackle antisocial behaviour.

He speaks to Assistant Chief Constable Constable Garry Shewan of Greater Manchester Police, to Paul Cullen from Manchester City Council and to Eric Allison, a long-time Gorton resident and the Guardian's prisons correspondent. We also hear from the Labour MP Frank Field, who wants communities to be given more power to deal with nuisance neighbours directly, and from sociologist Stuart Whaiton, who thinks politicians who call for more crackdowns on antisocial behaviour are indulging in a 'politics of fear'. Finally, Home office minister David Hanson and Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling debate current policy on the issue.

Ben Wright asks how much power politicians really have over anti-social behaviour.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20090926Andrew Rawnsley investigates how radically the nation's defences will be reshaped when public money is tight.

The parties face internal splits over Trident and future strategy, while service votes and the jobs of contractors across the UK mean that politicians tread carefully when it comes to defence spending.

Andrew Rawnsley asks how UK defence will be reshaped when public money is tight.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20091003As David Cameron puts his case to the Conservative party faithful and the electorate at the Conservative Party conference, Iain Martin asks what lies behind the Tory leadership. Is Cameron purposely fudging his beliefs in his bid to win the next election? And, if he wins, how will he marry his breed of 'caring conservatism' with cuts in public spending?

Iain Martin asks what lies behind David Cameron's Conservative Party leadership.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20091010Are personalities eclipsing politics? Andrew Rawnsley investigates.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20091226A special edition of the programme to mark the bicentenary of Gladstone's birth.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100102Looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

The 2010 general election is likely to be marked by the biggest turnover of MPs since the Second World War. There will be lots of new faces, but what about those backbench MPs who have already announced their intention to stand down in the wake of what has been a miserable year for the House of Commons? Jim Hancock considers what lies in store for a former parliamentarian in the world beyond Westminster and talks to some of those who are saying goodbye about what has gone wrong in Parliament and what needs changing.

Jim Hancock considers what lies in store for a former parliamentarian outside Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100220Politicians in Northern Ireland face unprecedented levels of criticism from an increasingly sceptical public. Sinn Fein and the DUP in particular know they need to prove that the Assembly and Executive can work and reconnect with voters. It's an uphill struggle. Dismay with politicians at Westminster pales into insignificance compared to voters' disgust with Stormont.

So what are the issues that matter? Parades and policing? Or are voters more concerned with education, health and welfare?

Denis Murray takes a journey across Northern Ireland to find out what voters there really think about their representatives and if a done deal really is a done deal for the electorate.

Denis Murray finds out what Northern Irish voters really think about their representatives

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100403Opinion polls suggest that Britain could be heading towards its first hung Parliament since the fall of James Callaghan's Labour government in March 1979.

Few politicians at Westminster have first-hand experience of the back-room deals and nail-biting votes that characterised that last minority Government.

But for the Scottish Parliament, such dramas are only a vote away. Last year, Alex Salmond's Scottish Nationalist Party government came within an ace of falling, when Labour and the Lib Dems joined forces to vote down the Budget.

The arrangement has forced the nationalists into uneasy compromises, and uncomfortable alliances. But the business of government has continued.

The BBC's Scottish Political Editor, Brian Taylor charts the impact of minority government in Scotland, and asks what Westminster can learn from Holyrood.

What can Scotland's government teach Westminster about hung parliaments?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100807How can political parties sell themselves to the public? Party membership in Britain is falling and is now one of the lowest in Europe. So how can parties attract more supporters and why do people still become card-carrying members today? Anne McElvoy examines how the internet has affected the way people network - has it made us less tribal and less ideological? And she investigates some of the new techniques being used by parties to bring people into their fold and to re-energise the parties' grassroots.

Anne McElvoy looks at ways of pepping up political parties to attract new members.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100814Cuts in public spending are coming and, according to a recent opinion poll, a majority of voters accept that they will have to happen if the budget deficit is to be reduced.

But what happens when people realise that cuts may affect them personally? The coalition government has asked voters for feedback about how and where the cuts might bite. How else can voters make their voices heard beyond Westminster, short of going on strike? How will lobbyists argue their case for protecting certain elements of society from their effects? Some union leaders predict a return to the 1980s when a mass movement was mobilised against the cuts imposed by Margaret Thatcher's government. But others see a new politics about to emerge, beyond political parties and beyond ideology, a new agenda that may lead towards an unpredictable political future across the country. With Westminster in its summer recess, these are key issues for voters around the country, whatever their view of the need for cuts may be. Elinor Goodman assesses the mood of the electorate

Presenter: Elinor Goodman

Producer: Paul Vickers.

As public spending cuts loom, how can voters influence where the axe may fall?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20100821As the coalition reaches its first 100 days in government, John Kampfner looks at how coalitions really work. What are the limits of what they can do - and what are the unintended consequences? John travels to Derby to meet local councillors who've had to work together in recent years - and finds out if there are lessons that can be learned by the new government.

John will also get advice from unexpected quarters on how coalitions can stick together -- and how they're perceived by the public.

Producer: Alicia McCarthy

Presenter: John Kampfner

Editor: Sue Ellis.

John Kampfner asks what makes a perfect coalition.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20101002Ahead of the Conservative Party conference, John Kampfner asks what it means now to be a Tory, what defines the party & what impact sharing power with the Lib Dems is having.

The programme goes beyond Westminster to Sunderland Central and Hexham to meet new Tory voters, disappointed Tories and a new breed of young, MPs who are as much at ease connecting with their constituents via their blogs as their surgeries. How well are they going down with their more traditional supporters? And what will the North East make of the coalition government's cuts?

Producer : Rosamund Jones.

Ahead of the Conservative Party conference, John Kampfner asks what it means to be a Tory.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20101009After three remarkable party conferences and with the Comprehensive Spending Review, a referendum on a new voting system for the Westminster Parliament and elections to the devolved administrations important for all UK political parties in the coming months, Andrew Rawnsley looks at how the main UK parties are positioning themselves in unchartered political waters. He looks at the language and labels of the much-vaunted "new politics". He also discovers what voters in the West Midlands think of the political cross-dressing the parties have indulged in since the general election. And in discussion with former Conservative cabinet minister, Peter Lilley; just-appointed Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Douglas Alexander; and the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Simon Hughes, he explores what is really new in the new politics.

Andrew Rawnsley on how the main parties are repositioning in unchartered political waters.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20110423As part of its plan to reduce the budget deficit, the coalition's Strategic Defence and Security Review last year envisaged radically slimmed-down military forces for Britain, with controversial cuts to numbers of troops, naval vessels, aircraft and weapons. Yet within weeks the prime minister led calls for intervention in Libya.

Mary Ann Sieghart explores the apparent contradictions between the high-minded rhetoric of the Government's foreign policy and the planned cuts in defence spending. Do British prime ministers too often will the ends of foreign policy while lacking the means to deliver them? Are financial pressures finally forcing Britain to match its defence forces to its diminished power in the world? Or is a more modest UK role in international affairs dangerous and too rigid for a fast-changing world? And what is the state of the relationship between politicians and the military?

She talks to former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Guthrie; the leading historian of British politics, Peter Clarke; and the defence minister, Gerald Howarth; and discusses the issues with three parliamentarians with diverging views: the former Conservative minister, David Davis; the former Labour defence secretary, Lord Hutton; and the opponent of Libyan intervention, Barry Gardiner, MP.

Producer Simon Coates.

Mary Ann Sieghart asks if the coalition's foreign and defence policies are contradictory.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20110604The political map of Scotland has changed dramatically following the resounding success of the Scottish National Party in the May 2011 elections. Michael Buchanan goes behind the scenes at the SNP and the Scottish Labour Party to find out how the SNP achieved its victory and what the result means for Scotland's future. The election pitted the use of modern campaigning techniques against more traditional politics and marked a transformation of the argument for independence. But what are the forces at work behind the campaign rhetoric and why were so many in Scotland surprised by the extent of the SNP's success?

~Beyond Westminster visits Scotland to find out how the SNP won the election.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20110730Can campaigners exert too much power with modern techniques? David Grossman looks at how they try to influence government and corporations. He visits the fierce battle over high speed rail, and explores how internet based campaign groups mobilise their supporters. And he looks more broadly at who has achieved campaign success and why?

Presenter: David Grossman

Producer: Chris Bowlby

Editor: Jane Ashley.

Can campaigners exert too much power with modern techniques? David Grossman reports.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20111001Anita Anand asks what impact the government's plans for free schools and new academies are having on the ground. Is our education system becoming more divided? She travels to the Bristol Free School, near Westbury-on-Trym, and asks what impact its arrival has had on its neighbours. She also asks what impact the new academy programme has had on those schools which are still in the state-maintained sector. Have academies benefited financially from opting out of the state sector? And how are disadvantaged pupils likely to be affected by coalition education plans?

Contributors

Blair King, Chair of Governors, Bristol Free School

Barbara Janke, Lib Dem leader of Bristol City Council

Linda Tanner, Bristol Evening Post

Zenna Atkins, MD Wey education

Richard Brown, Headteacher, Urswick School

Melissa Benn, Local Schools Network

James Groves, Policy Exchange

Nick Gibb, Schools Minister

Producer : Rosamund Jones.

Anita Anand asks what impact the government's plans for schools are having on the ground.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20111008With the party conference season over, MPs are preparing to return to Westminster for the start of a new political year. Yet despite the efforts of their spin doctors and the apparent confidence of their members, Andrew Rawnsley discovers that all of the main political parties at Westminster face problems with their political strategies.

For the Conservatives, the hope that the pain of austerity early in the Parliament would soon give way to growth and prosperity is fading as clouds gather once again over the global economy. For Labour, there are doubts whether the leadership's apparent positioning of the party to the left of its Blairite and Brownite past will resonate with voters. And for the Liberal Democrats, there is uncertainty about whether efforts to differentiate themselves from their partners in government will end up destabilising the coalition.

First in 'Beyond Westminster', Andrew Rawnsley talks to Graeme Cooke, the author of an eye-catching new pamphlet which argues that the way most politicians view the electorate is outdated, suggesting an alternative approach to understanding today's voter. Then, in discussion with three influential figures from the three main UK parties, we discover how receptive politicians are to this advice - and how their parties will tackle the problems they face during the coming months. Taking part are the universities minister, David Willetts MP; the shadow foreign secretary, Douglas Alexander MP; and the Liberal Democrat peer, Baroness Kramer.

Producer Simon Coates.

Andrew Rawnsley looks at the political strategies of the main parties at Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

20120407Direct democracy is meant to transform our politics, giving voters more power. Voters are meant to exercise that power through devices like petitions and referendums. There are also proposals for the recall of MPs by popular vote in between general elections. But how far will these measures really make a difference? Is government managing to resist more voter influence, or using referendums, imposed from the centre, as a new weapon of central power? Or is direct democracy a bad idea in principle, exposing representative democracy to populism? David Grossman investigates.

Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Direct democracy - transforming or undermining our politics? David Grossman investigates.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

4-6. The Blue Line Thins201108204/6. This month's street disturbances in England provoked outrage and soul-searching. But what are their lasting lessons for politicians and those involved with policing? John Kampfner explores, in a studio discussion, politicians' more considered reflections on the rioting and looting. Is British society 'sick', in the Prime Minister's words? What do we need to change in our approach to the policing of public order to restore public confidence? And what steps do we need to take over the next twelve months to ensure next summer is trouble free? Joining him to tackle those questions and more are the MPs, Margot James, Chuka Umunna and Tom Brake, as well as social policy expert, Dr Marion Fitzgerald.

Producer: Simon Coates.

John Kampfner finds out the lasting lessons of the English street disturbances this month.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

A Touch Of Ermine20100828Michael Dobbs, former adviser to Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and author of 'House of Cards', explores whether political patronage is alive and kicking in our political system. Is it a medieval relic or is it a useful tool managed and manipulated by modern prime ministers and party leaders to offer carrots and rewards to those towing the party line? He goes in search of its different forms. He takes tea on the terrace at the House of Lords and asks whether patronage oils the cogs of our upper chamber or whether it creates a 'cosy corruption' unique to the UK. And he goes on the trail of Lord Prescott, travelling up to Kingston upon Hull to find out if this city of the north gains anything from Lord Prescott's recent appointment to the Lords, or whether only the newly ennobled member benefits. And lastly, Michael debates in greater depth how patronage works, and whether it's a good thing, and compares how it operates in other countries around the world with his guests Mehdi Hasan from the New Statesman, Dr Meg Russell from the Constitution Unit at University College London and Lord Mancroft, one of the last remaining hereditary peers in the UK.

Producer: Kirsten Lass

Presenter: Michael Dobbs

Editor: Sue Ellis.

Michael Dobbs asks how much patronage influences our political system.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Controlling The Past20111231The flow of books by former New Labour ministers and insiders has continued this year as more and more key players give their accounts of their time in government - and out of it. In Beyond Westminster, Anne McElvoy looks at the way in which political diaries and memoirs shape our view of the past.

She asks how much these books contribute to our understanding of governments, their policies and the relationships between their principal figures. What have we learnt about Tony Blair's government from the recent outpourings? And how do the diaries and memoirs from those who served in earlier governments contribute to our political understanding?

In interviews with a range of political diarists and memoirists, Anne McElvoy considers how far those who rush into print soon after leaving government influence public perceptions. Do those who get in first shape our view of the political history or are those politicians who wait, reflect and consider more likely to add lasting insights?

And how much can we learn from these books compared with those of seasoned journalists and historians who write allegedly more objective accounts based on a range of sources for the full picture of what really happened?

Talking to those who have published both diverting and definitive diaries and accounts of their time in office, Anne McElvoy asks how far politicians can control our understanding of the past and their own part in it.

Among those taking part are: Chris Mullin, Edwina Currie, Gyles Brandreth, Alistair Darling, Nigel Lawson and David Blunkett.

Producer Simon Coates.

Anne McElvoy asks if politicians use memoirs and diaries to control our view of the past.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Delivering Devolution20110416As voters in Scotland and Wales prepare to go to the polls, Sheena McDonald takes stock with a panel of experts of more than a decade of devolution and asks what it means for the UK as a whole. Highlighting policies which are strikingly different from those of the government in Westminster, in Wales she looks at higher education and the decision to shield Welsh students from large tuition fee increases; in Scotland she looks at health and patients' benefits such as free prescriptions and free personal care. What will be the impact of the recent increase in law making power for Wales and imminent greater tax raising power for Scotland and what are likely to be the tensions between the different nations in the UK at a time when public spending is being squeezed?

Producer: Sheila Cook.

Sheena McDonald takes stock of devolution in Scotland and Wales ahead of the elections.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Devo Max20120218The Prime Minister David Cameron wants the referendum on the renegotiation of Scotland's relationship with the rest of the UK to offer a simple yes or no choice on independence. But the Scottish National Party have said that, if they are convinced there is sufficient public support for it, in addition to a 'clean break' question, they would also like a second option on the table involving significant new powers for the Scottish Parliament but falling short of independence. This has been dubbed - 'devo max'. But what exactly is 'devo max'? What would it mean for the people of Scotland and what would be the consequences for the rest of the UK? Michael Buchanan tries to find out.

Producer Jane Beresford.

Michael Buchanan looks at what 'devo max' would mean for Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Humour In Politics20120609In the final Beyond Westminster, Mary Ann Sieghart explores politicians' use of humour.

Politicians are in the business of communication, and many work hard at their jokes and one liners. Party leaders often employ joke writers to help them engage with their audience, make them seem more charismatic, or score hits on their opponents. In Parliament, in the media, and at live events, humour can be an effective way of deflating opponents and connecting with the audience, but can also backfire.

This programme looks at the best and the worst of politicians' attempts to use humour. It asks whether it can contribute to political success and how its use has changed over the years.

Producer: John Murphy.

Mary Ann Sieghart examines the role of humour in politics.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

In Search Of The Big Society20110108This year the coalition government will put into practice one of the most radical political ideas in a generation. It hopes that the Big Society will see the withdrawal of the state from many aspects of life beyond Westminster and the encouragement of voluntary organisations, local government and individuals to involve themselves in community care in a totally new way. Mary Ann Sieghart finds out how it might be put into practice across Britain and what it might cost.

Presenter: Mary Ann Sieghart

Producer: Sue Davies.

Big Society is the most radical idea in politics in a generation, but what does it mean?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Inside The Star Chamber20100904The Coalition's much-vaunted Comprehensive Spending Review is entering its critical stage, with some government departments contemplating budget cuts on a scale never seen before in peace time. In this special edition of Beyond Westminster, Andrew Rawnsley probes the role of the secretive body where the critical decisions are being taken: the Star Chamber. He asks what it is, how it works, who sits on it - and which ministers will succeed and which fail in the ferocious battle for money.

Andrew Rawnsley talks to key insiders and leading figures across the political spectrum who have been involved in the most difficult and most celebrated Star Chamber spending battles. He finds out which strategies work for ministers trying to get money for favoured projects. And he discovers what tactics the Treasury uses to make sure departments stick to agreed plans.

He reveals the story of why Star Chamber has become so powerful and why its decisions matter so much - not just in the cockpit of politics but to all of us and not just now but for years to come.

Among those appearing in the programme are the former Chancellors of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling and Nigel Lawson; Michael Heseltine, Deputy Prime Minister in the 1990s and leading spending minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major; the former Conservative Cabinet ministers, Gillian Shephard, Norman Fowler and Virginia Bottomley; and two top ex-Treasury officials intimately involved with the secret workings of Star Chamber, Rachel Lomax and Andrew Turnbull.

Producer: Simon Coates

Presenter: Andrew Rawnsley

Editor: Sue Ellis.

Andrew Rawnsley on the Star Chamber, which decides where the public spending axe falls.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Lessons Learned From Coalitions Past20110101In a special New Year's Day edition of 'Beyond Westminster', Andrew Rawnsley considers the lessons of history for Britain's coalition government - and its opponents.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers are busily advancing their ambitious political and economic agenda - albeit amid parliamentary revolts and embarrassing comments to undercover reporters. Exactly a hundred years ago too, no party had an outright majority at Westminster, and a Liberal government relied on Irish Nationalists and a fledgling Labour Party to enact reform of Parliament, a radical budget and social changes.

Lloyd George continued in coalition with the Conservatives after World War One only for peacetime tensions within the government to culminate in the ejection from Downing Street of Britain's last Liberal prime minister, amid mass disaffection with Liberal splits. Can Nick Clegg avoid a similar fate befalling today's Liberal Democrats? And can the present Conservative leadership prevent tensions at Westminster - and across the country - from undermining David Cameron's and Nick Clegg's 'new politics'?

For Labour too, past coalition experience is ambiguous. Some aims were achieved, but the 1930s National Government and its break-up left a legacy of bitterness that has long endured. How savvy will Labour be in opposing the coalition parties not just at Westminster but in this year's polls for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly and in local government?

Seven months into 'new politics', Andrew Rawnsley explores with historians Juliet Nicolson and Martin Pugh the record of past coalitions. And he discusses with The Rt. Hon. David Davis MP, Simon Hughes MP and Tristram Hunt MP the lessons of the past and if this coalition will re-shape British politics.

What do past coalitions tell us about how politics may develop in and out of Westminster?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

New To The Lords20110226Four new peers from beyond the world of politics talk about their first impressions of life in the House of Lords: Joan Bakewell, Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, Raj Loomba and Tony Hall describe the experience of being appointed and getting to grips with the culture, customs and working environment. How do they see their role and influence at a critical moment in the history of the Lords? As the coalition government prepares to publish a bill to change the House radically by introducing elections, how do these new members see the future for themselves and their fellow peers?

Presented and produced by Sheila Cook

Editor: Sue Ellis.

Four new peers from outside politics talk about their first impressions of the Lords.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Northern Ireland20110813How do you govern a divided society? Nick Watt travels to Northern Ireland to find out.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Police Commissioners20110806Direct election of police commissioners in England and Wales is a key part of the coalition's police reforms. The government argues that giving voters power to choose one person to oversee their local police force will increase accountability. And although the Lords have tried to stop the provision in the larger police reform bill, ministers have vowed to push forward with the plans.

In London, the Met Police Commissioner is a high profile job appointed by elected officials. The Commissioner is accountable to the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London. But do Londoners feel they can hold the police to account any more than people outside the capital?

Meanwhile in Leicestershire, a debate is starting about how one person could oversee policing in a hugely diverse county. Anita Anand also hears from experts in the United States, where directly elected police officials are common.

Producer: Harbinder Minhas.

Anita Anand asks if elected commissioners will make the police more accountable.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Sport Policy20120602The 2012 Olympic Games will be the biggest sporting event ever held in the United Kingdom, costing billions of pounds of public money. The Government says there will never be a better opportunity to transform the nation's sporting culture.

Away from the glitz and the glamour of the Games, former England cricketer and now journalist and author, Edward Smith, assesses the Government's sports policy. Increasingly sport is seen by policy makers as a vehicle for behavioural change to achieve for better public health and improved social cohesion. But how successful is it?

And how far should sports policy be designed to deliver community objectives rather than glory on the field?

Ahead of the Olympics, Edward Smith asks what the government's sports policy delivers?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Talking Straight20110827Why can't politicians speak their minds? Instead of giving honest interviews, all too often politicians end up regurgitating the same soundbite over and over. What would be the consequences of greater openness? To what extent are the voters and the media responsible for driving this behaviour? Would the public prefer politicians to be more open? While voters often warm to a maverick, would they ever elect a government of mavericks? How do politicians themselves feel about having to be evasive? And has coalition government changed the rules of the game? Tim Samuels looks at what happens when politicians do speak their minds. He talks to voters, journalists, experts and politicians about whether it would be desirable for this aspect of our political culture to change, and whether it could ever happen?

Tim Samuels asks why politicians can't speak their minds and what consequences this has.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

The Data Tsunami20110903From councils releasing all spending over £500, to crime maps which show what type of crimes have been committed by in each area, to detailed information about individual schools, the public are to be given more access to information about public services than ever before. The government hopes to create an army of armchair auditors to oversee whether public money is well spent and hopes that the release of huge amounts of data will empower citizens to drive down costs and drive up quality of public services. Mary Ann Sieghart visits the West Country to investigate what use this data will be to individuals and asks how they will make sense of it. Will it put citizens in the driving seat as never before? Or might it distort service public service provision in undesirable ways? And will it leave the public indifferent or baffled?

Among those taking part are the Cabinet Office Minister, Francis Maude, and his Labour shadow, Tessa Jowell. We also hear from leading figures in local government in England as well as those involved in policing and in using data on schools.

Mary Ann Sieghart discovers if new government transparency is all that it claims to be.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

The Men's Vote20120107There's been much political talk recently about attracting the women's vote. The Tories are said to be losing their traditional strength among women. Labour have been trying to exploit this. It's the latest episode in a contest for women's votes visible in the last election, as leaders courted the so-called Mumsnet vote and addressed issues said to concern women in particular.

But what about the male vote? Why is that never talked about in the same way? Do men vote differently to women? Can they be won over by particular language, certain policies and so on? Why don't parties spend their energy trying to appeal to men? Or do they privately plan how to improve their appeal to male voters, but avoid trumpeting it for fear of alienating women?

In this programme Anita Anand investigates how a party might go about trying to attract more of the male vote. She visits a group in Brighton trying to put men's issues on the policy agenda, and explores how political advertising, which has always treated men and women differently, might be used. And she discusses with pollsters and political experts why there is still such a difference in the way the different genders are approached by the parties and their campaigners.

Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Anita Anand looks at how parties could woo the men's vote.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

The Perils Of Planning20110430This week's Beyond Westminster looks at one of the most controversial elements of local politics: planning. Planning decisions for new developments are usually fraught and most people agree there needs to be change.

In the latest budget, the Chancellor, George Osborne announced he wants to see a 'presumption in favour of a yes to sustainable development in future planning decisions'. At the same time, the government has introduced a localism bill which will empower local communities to have more say in planning decisions. Can the two approaches work together?

John Kampfner visit the Copmanthorpe Wind Action Group, battling against wind turbines and Paul Vickers reports from Merseyside where a controversial new development, the Mann Island project has polarised opinion.

Producer: Paul Vickers.

John Kampfner examines what the Coalition's proposals for planning mean for 'localism'.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Vying For Asian Voters20120414For both Labour and the Conservatives achieving an outright majority in the Westminster Parliament will require winning over many voters who have not previously supported their causes. In particular, both parties need to do more to win over voters among Britain's ethnic communities and especially voters with an Asian heritage.

Labour, shocked by its recent defeat in the Bradford West by-election, needs to reconnect with these voters it has too often taken for granted. The Conservatives, meanwhile, struggle to win greater support among aspirational Asian voters without whom it is unlikely to be able to govern on its own. And for the Liberal Democrats - who have no MPs from Britain's ethnic communities - maintaining a sizeable presence in the House of Commons will require stronger backing from Asian voters than they have won at previous elections.

With all the parties needing to connect, Mary Ann Sieghart visits Blackburn in Lancashire - a constituency similar to Bradford West and just forty miles away - to ask how our politicians are going to appeal better to voters from the United Kingdom's Asian communities. Can they exploit at a national level the successful campaigns individual MPs have run locally with their diverse electorates? What are the issues which matter And what changes will we be seeing in how the parties present themselves to voters as the battle to win votes hots up?

In discussion with Seema Malhotra, the Labour MP for Feltham & Heston; Paul Uppal, the Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South-West and Issan Ghazni, chairman of the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats, she asks how well-placed the main UK parties are to address the issues Asian voters have at the forefront of their minds.

Mary Ann Sieghart asks how the UK political parties can win more British Asian voters.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

What Makes A Good Political Leader?20100925As Nick Clegg tries to reassure his party, and as Labour is poised for a new supremo, what is the essence of good political leadership? Beyond the debate about policy specifics, what human qualities are essential? Can these be taught or learned over time or do some individuals just have them while others never will? Is luck essential or can adversity be the best way to improve leadership skills? Is what's required changing or is it timeless? And are all our political leaders becoming more similar, all formed in the same Westminister bubble?

John Kampfner talks to those who've been at the political sharp end, and quizzes leadership experts on whether they could make a political difference. Political biographers will add their thoughts on the key moments and characters in leadership past and present.

Producer: Chris Bowlby.

As Labour's new supremo emerges, John Kampfner asks: are great leaders born or created?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

Where Next For Miliband's Labour?20110924As Labour conference approaches, Beyond Westminster explores different views within the party on what Ed Miliband needs to do to strengthen the party and build a successful electoral strategy. Inspired by Barack Obama, Miliband is enthusiastically adopting the notion of community organisers as the way forward. Gisela Stuart managed to hang onto her Edgbaston seat against the odds in the last election by recruiting campaign workers from outside the Labour Party. But how much can grass roots politics alone achieve? What positioning and policies need to lie behind it? And do any of these concepts matter if Labour is no longer trusted to run the economy? Anne McElvoy discusses the different philosophies now being developed by those who call themselves blue Labour, purple Labour and red Labour, and asks if Miliband is following a clear path or fudging the hard decisions he has to take.

Purple, blue or red - Beyond Westminster asks how Ed Miliband should rebrand his party?

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

010120080726Andrew Rawnsley presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

He looks at the impact of new media on politics. Political blogs have been around for a while but Barack Obama is blazing a new online trail, seeking finance as well as voters via the internet. Research suggests,however, that our MPs may be a little slower in their uptake of new media.

Andrew Rawnsley looks at the impact of new media on politics.

010220080802Andrew Rawnsley presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

010320080809Elinor Goodman presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.

She looks at the effect of current economic conditions on green politics. Will potential voters welcome eye-watering petrol prices as just another another reason to drive less or will they resent being told to change their behaviour while the Treasury devises new and ever more demanding green taxes?

Elinor Goodman looks at the effect of current economic conditions on green politics.

010420080816Sheena MacDonald presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

010520080823Elinor Goodman discovers how well bottom-up politics works and what lessons can be drawn.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

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010720080906Andrew Rawnsley presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

010820080913Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.
010920080920Elinor Goodman considers the purpose of party conferences.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

011020080927Andrew Rawnsley presents the series looking at politics beyond and outside Westminster.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

011120081004Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament.
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Fighting child poverty has been a major political crusade for the Labour Party. Andrew Rawnsley asks if much has changed in the last ten years, and whether the government can achieve the lofty ambition to eradicate it by 2020, even as we are in the grip of the worst recession for decades.

Andrew Rawnsley considers the potential for action on fighting child poverty.

020220090103Elinor Goodman discovers what membership of the euro might mean for UK jobs and prices.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament

020320090110Andrew Rawnsley finds out whether or not immigration will slip down the political agenda.

Series looking at politics beyond and outside the Westminster parliament