Interesting changes to FMQs, now held twice a week with a session for backbench MSPs and one for party leaders.
A separate session for backbenchers is unique internationally in terms of how parliaments organise the questioning of heads of government in the plenary.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just reposting the blog on 'Government by WhatsApp' by me and @mrosenbaum.bsky.social for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social
politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/governm...
www.bbc.co.uk
Two first ministers question times will be held each week, one for party leaders and one for backbenchers.
I think a story like this would land harder if everyone — government, opposition, press gallery — hadn't devalued question period as a meaningful forum for accountability.
BREAKING: The government has announced that it will update the Cabinet Manual.
See the Written Statement: questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat....
@lisajames.bsky.social wrote about the urgent need for updating last year 👇
Rest Well, Raul Pacheco-Vega
Our community lost the inimitable Raúl Pacheco-Vega this week. Someone who knew him better than me should write a more definitive remembrance and maybe they have in some other corner of the internet. But, I haven’t seen a longer treatment yet (here is a terrific one!),…
I'd like to say I've been a a productive researcher this week. Instead I've created MandelsonMail.com 👀
View 1,500+ pages of the Peter Mandelson files as his email box and WhatsApp chats.
Today's @politico.eu London Playbook described it as "a lot of fun, so it should probably be avoided".
Ben Worthy
The Cabinet Manual is an important guide to the workings of the UK’s uncodified constitution, providing an accessible roadmap for ministers, officials and the public. But the document has not been …
While Stephen Harper showed up to take questions from MPs 65 per cent of the time, Mark Carney has been present for just 26.8 per cent of question periods in the House of Commons.
Our community lost the inimitable Raúl Pacheco-Vega this week. Someone who knew him better than me should write a more definitive remembrance and maybe they have in some other corner of the internet. But, I haven’t seen a longer treatment yet (here is a terrific one!), so I thought I’d have a go at a remembrance. Raúl lived his life…
The Covid Inquiry revealed that there were ‘substantive discussions’ of important policy decisions through texts and messages. Is this ever acceptable?
