House of Comments

Episode 122 - The Long Short Campaign

March 28, 2015 17:00 - 48 minutes - 23.8 MB

Mark is joined by Lib Dem Voice editor Caron Lindsay as the "Short Campaign" begins to discuss the Cameron/Miliband interview with Paxman, the impact of Scotland on the upcoming election and how mental health problems are being portrayed in the media following the Germanwings tragedy. And they find time to speculate about Lib Dem prospects.

Episode 121 - Debating the Debate about the Debates

March 15, 2015 22:01 - 49 minutes - 24.7 MB

Mark is joined by Conservative activist and former House of Comments co-host Nick Denys to discuss the debate about the TV debates, housing targets and the perniciousness of political jargon.

Episode 120 - The Sting and Other Stories

March 01, 2015 21:35 - 43 minutes - 20.7 MB

Mark is joined by former House of Comments co-host and contributing editor of Labour List Emma Burnell to discuss the sting that brought Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind low on outside interests, Labour's new tuition fees policy and the government's decision to devolve healthcare to the Manchester region.

Episode 119 - You Say Avoidance I Say Evasion

February 23, 2015 12:32 - 59 minutes - 29.1 MB

Mark is joined by former Lib Dem activist Sara Scarlett to discuss tax avoidance/evasion, Peter Oborne's resignation from The Telegraph and how enlightenment values or the lack of them can play a part in extremism.

Episode 118 - Tragedy and Crises

January 12, 2015 08:46 - 32 minutes - 15.9 MB

Mark is joined by the Editor of Politics.co.uk Ian Dunt to discuss the Charlie Hebdo killings, the NHS crisis, Angela Merkel wagging Cameron's immigration dog and whether the PM is chickening out of the leader debates.

Episode 117 - Reviews and Predictions

January 05, 2015 13:45 - 36 minutes - 18 MB

Mark is joined by Left Foot Forward editor James Bloodworth to discuss the political highlights of 2014 and to look forward to what 2015 has in store. Topics include the rise of UKIP (inevitably), Labour's diminishing poll lead, the Scottish referendum and aftermath and Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Episode 116 - The Douglas Defection

September 01, 2014 19:44 - 28 minutes - 20.7 MB

Mark is joined by Mark Wallace from Conservative Home to discuss the ramifications of Douglas Carswell's defection from the Conservative Party to UKIP

Episode 115 - On a Knife Edge

June 23, 2014 20:05 - 37 minutes - 26.8 MB

Mark is joined by co-hosts Emma Burnell and Nick Denys to discuss the Commons recent vote on knife possession, Labour's potential new approach to welfare and the latest benefits fiasco. The podcast will now be taking a break for a few months but we will be back so keep subscribed!

Episode 114 - May vs Gove

June 09, 2014 22:24 - 41 minutes - 27.9 MB

Mark is joined by Labour PPC Uma Kumaran and freelance journalist Bobby Friedman to discuss Gove vs May, the BBC license fee and whether we're ever going to get proper parliamentary recall.

Episode 113 - Not So Mighty Oakeshott

June 02, 2014 19:58 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MB

Emma Burnell and Caron Lindsay of Lib Dem Voice discuss leadership challenges, changes to politics, the Newark By-election, Global violence against women and the travesty of Tower Hamlets.

Episode 112 – The Good (Ukip), the Bad (Conservative and Labour), and the Ugly (Lib Dems)

May 26, 2014 19:33 - 26 minutes - 16.8 MB

Nick and Emma are joined by Mark Pack (political author, Lib Dem blogger and activist) to pick through the election results. What, if anything, do they tell us about the state of the main Westminster parties?

Episode 111- What’s the point of politics?

May 19, 2014 13:29 - 41 minutes - 27.7 MB

On this week’s podcast, Nick Denys talks to Carl Packman (Labour writer) and Nick Tyrone (author of upcoming book on the AV referendum and the Coalition) about the apathy and anger there is towards mainstream politics.

Episode 110 - Small is Beautiful

May 12, 2014 20:09 - 45 minutes - 32 MB

Mark is joined by Green Party activist Sian Berry and leader of The Pirate Party UK Loz Kaye to discuss Cameron's pledge to resign if he can't get an EU referendum, Fracking, copyright law and how the UK political system treats small parties.

Episode 109 - Should Government Intervene?

May 05, 2014 19:21 - 36 minutes - 24.7 MB

Emma is joined by Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley and Lib Dem blogger Charlotte Henry to discuss intervention is the housing market and foreign takeovers.

Episode 108 – Ukip aren’t racist, but…

April 27, 2014 19:18 - 46 minutes - 29.4 MB

This week the 3 co-hosts – Nick Denys, Emma Burnell and Mark Thompson – discuss the political news from the last few weeks. Have Ukip gained a harder and nastier edge? If Boris returns to Westminster politics, will he improve the Conservative’s appeal? What does the appointment of David “Oh Sweet Child of Mine” Axelrod tell us about UK politics?

Episode 107 – What is England?

April 20, 2014 08:50 - 41 minutes - 32.1 MB

In the week of St George’s Day, Nick tries to find out what England and English is. He talks to Sunder Katwala (Director of British Future), Caroline Kent (feminist columnist for the Telegraph) and Julian Baggini (philosopher and author of “Welcome to Everytown”). Sunder is interviewed at the beginning, Caroline at around 14 minutes, and Julian from 26 minutes 20 seconds.

Episode 106 - The Miller Tale

April 14, 2014 21:23 - 46 minutes - 34.7 MB

Mark is joined by Labour PPC Jessica Asato and Lib Dem commentator Mark Pack to discuss the fallout from the Maria Miller resignation, power and harassment in politics and they address the question: "What are the Lib Dems for?".

Episode 105 - Europe: the other way around

April 07, 2014 21:52 - 45 minutes - 30.2 MB

Emma discusses the European question with the Centre Right pro European Dirk Hazell of the European People's Party and Left winger Max Shanly of Young Labour.

Episode 104 - The In or Out Debate Round One

April 01, 2014 20:12 - 32 minutes - 23.2 MB

Emma and Mark discuss the first EU In/Out debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage focusing on the domestic ramifications and also the latest climate change report and how it's likely to affect politics.

Episode 103 - Full House

March 24, 2014 18:58 - 49 minutes - 35.9 MB

Mark is joined by Labour PPC Uma Kumaran and Max Wind-Cowie an associate at the think-tank Demos to discuss the budget including pensions and inevitably bingo, student loans and whether there is nepotism in parliament.

Episode 102 - What is the EU Parliament for?

March 16, 2014 20:15 - 31 minutes - 20.1 MB

This week Nick is joined by three MEP candidates to talk about whether to have an In/Out EU referendum and to try to pin down what the purpose of the EU Parliamentary is. Annesley Abercorn (Conservative), Ivana Bartoletti (Labour), and Paul Oakley (Ukip) discuss.

Episode 101 - Wot No Bus Pass Elvis?

March 11, 2014 21:32 - 33 minutes - 17.9 MB

Emma Burnell is joined by Isabel Hardman of the Spectator and Helen Lewis of the New Statesman to discuss the Lib Dem spring conference, immigration and the situation in the Ukraine.

Episode 100 - 100th Episode Extravaganza

March 02, 2014 22:13 - 39 minutes - 28.8 MB

Mark is joined by Emma and Nick as well as former House of Comments co-host from way back Stuart Sharpe and our first ever guest from back in 2009, LBC presenter Iain Dale to celebrate our 100th episode. Topics discussed this week are the Harriet Harman and Jack Dromey NCCL/PIE story, Labour's special conference (which Emma spoke at) and the move to One Member One Vote and also whether the Conservatives and Labour would be wise to rule out potential coalition in 2015 as a manifesto commitmen...

Episode 99 - Free Syria, free speech, and why the Conservative’s should tackle the wealthfare issue.

February 23, 2014 20:29 - 42 minutes - 31.9 MB

This week Nick talks to Rafif Jouejati (Syrian Opposition Coalition) about the Geneva peace talks and the future of Syria, James Delingpole (Executive Editor – Breitbart London) about free speech and the launch of Breitbart’s new London website, and Peter Franklin (Editor – Deep End, Conservative Home) about why right-wingers need to stop talking about how much income tax the richest pay.

Episode 98 - Money is no Object

February 17, 2014 17:33 - 1 hour - 45 MB

Mark is joined by Lib Dem PPC for Guildford Kelly-Marie Blundell and Former Labour PPC and councillor Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest political fallout from the floods, the recent petition urging the government to review drugs policy and they ask whether voter recall is now dead for this parliament. Spoiler alert - it is.

Episode 97 - Ever closer union?

February 11, 2014 06:04 - 48 minutes - 32.4 MB

What can and should be done about flooding? Would the Tories be happy to see Scotland go? And just what is their problem with women? Emma is joined by Mark Wallace of Conservative Home and Hopi Sen.

Episode 96 - Smoke and Mirror, Signal Manoeuvres

February 04, 2014 12:37 - 52 minutes - 37.1 MB

This week regulars hosts Emma Burnell, Nick Denys and Mark Thompson come together to discuss the Tories and the EU, Labour and the Unions, the split between Laws and Gove and smoking in cars.

Episode 95 - Protest Movements and Protest Parties

January 29, 2014 00:24 - 56 minutes - 41.2 MB

This week Nick speaks to Christian May about the Ukrainian protests and Donna Edmunds, editor of Ukip Daily, about the political news and Ukip’s growing pains. Subjects covered include, raising the upper tax limit to 50p, Ukip’s appeal, Syrian refugees, and the treatment of women in politics.

Episode 94 - Cash4Fracking

January 19, 2014 22:35 - 55 minutes - 35.8 MB

Mark is joined by Labour activist and council candidate Claire Spencer and Ruth Porter of the centre-right think tank Policy Exchange to discuss Ed Miliband's banking reforms, Osborne's £7 minimum wage intervention, cash incentives to councils for fracking and the continuing fallout from the Lord Rennard case.

Episode 93 - It's Complicated

January 13, 2014 21:52 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MB

Emma is joined by Lib Dem Charlotte Henry of Total Politics, David Skelton, Director of Reform and justice campaigner Ellie Cumbo to discuss the Lib Lab Love in, Minimum wage and the fall out from the Mark Duggan Inquest

Episode 92 - Down in the Flood

January 05, 2014 18:22 - 52 minutes - 37.3 MB

Mark, Emma and Nick discuss the newly released revelations about the miners' strike, the debate around Romanian and Bulgarian immigration, the recent floods and the politics of the Environment Agency and flood defences funding, the latest Lord Ashcroft "Mega Poll" and they make their political predictions for the coming year.

Episode 91 - Winter Special - Emma talks to Sue Marsh

December 29, 2013 22:58 - 29 minutes - 20 MB

Emma interviews disability activist Sue Marsh about her campaigning including use of social media and the difficulty of getting the mainstream media interested in the subject

Episode 90 - The Rise of Food Banks

December 22, 2013 21:32 - 50 minutes - 36.2 MB

Mark and Emma are joined by Conservative member and political podcaster Rupert Myers to discuss food banks, IDS criticising The Trussell Trust, why Simon Hughes has decided to join the government and who his replacement as Lib Dem deputy leader might be and finally have we seen the end of Tigger as Conservative Party Chair?

Episode 89 - 2 Unlimited

December 15, 2013 21:35 - 44 minutes - 31 MB

Emma is back! Recovering well from her recent operation Emma talks to Mark about the recently floated "two child benefit and no more" policy from a close Cameron advisor, the gender pay gap rising and the BBC's policy on promotion and non-promotion of charities.

Episode 88 - Forever Autumn

December 09, 2013 20:46 - 45 minutes - 33.1 MB

Mark is joined by LabourList's Mark Ferguson and freelance journalist and Lib Dem activist Charlotte Henry to discuss Nelson Mandela's legacy, the aftermath of the Autumn Statement and whether MPs deserve an 11% pay rise.

Episode 87 - Reforming Sir Humphrey

December 02, 2013 20:37 - 49 minutes - 35.1 MB

Mark and Emma discuss potential reform of the Civil Service, the Government's ideas on reducing energy bills and the increase in food banks.

Episode 86 - The Day of the Reverend

November 25, 2013 11:55 - 45 minutes - 33.9 MB

Mark and Emma are joined by Conservative activist Nick Denys to discuss the fallout from the Co-op Bank and Paul Flowers scandal, Dominic Grieve's comments about a "favour culture" within some ethnic minority communities and should there be a new National Liberal party? Oh and they also discuss Doctor Who's 50th anniversary. Well two of them do.

Episode 85 - Leaving the Lib Dems

November 18, 2013 19:19 - 55 minutes - 39.5 MB

Mark and Emma are joined by co-editor of Lib Dem Voice Caron Lindsay to discuss how politics works with respect to Mark's decision to leave the Lib Dems, Tory web history deletion shenanigans and the Ed Balls "Nightmare" e-mail.

Episode 84 - Universal Discredit

November 10, 2013 19:44 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MB

Mark and Emma are joined by the editor of The New Statesman blog The Staggers George Eaton to discuss the latest Universal Credit debacle, the NHS A&E crisis, the latest on an EU referendum, the ending of shipbuilding in Portsmouth and whether there's a link to Scottish independence and finally oversight of spending on the monarchy. Warning - contains republican ranting.

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