National politics

National Politics

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Reporting & Writing

National politics Covering Parliament History The press gallery Sources of stories Parliament visit

The House of Commons

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Parliament & the press Before 1771, reporting debates

in Parliament was a crime punishable by fines or imprisonment

Publications resorted to subterfuge – disguising reports as if they were letters, or the proceedings of fictitious societies

In 1771, judges refused to hear a case against a printer who published a report from the Commons after he was locked in the Tower of London, and coverage of Parliament began. Parliament by JMW Turner

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Hansard: official record William Cobbett started to

write Parliamentary Debates in 1802, published by Thomas Curson Hansard.

In 1812, Hansard bought the publication. From 1829, reports of the day in Parliament were printed with the name “Hansard” on the title page.

In 1889, Hansard was subsided by Parliament to ensure there was always a permanent record of debates, and in 1909 it took over publication entirely.A bound volume of Hansard

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The press gallery In 1803 the public gallery was

so full to hear Pitt speak on the Napoleonic Wars that reporters lost their seats. The speaker ruled a part of the public gallery would be reserved for the press.

After the Second World War, MPs’ speeches were broadcast into the gallery so reporters could clearly hear what was being said. Telephone kiosks, enabling reporters to file copy directly to their news desk, were added.

The press gallery, above the speaker’s chair

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Women in the gallery

Nancy Astor, the first female MP

Not until 1919. In 1890, a request from the

Women’s Penny Paper was declined with the warning: “the consequences were too difficult to conceive”.

When they were finally given access, it was to cover the arrival of the UK’s first woman MP, Nancy Astor.

But it was not until 1945 that women could take up permanent posts in the gallery. The first was Eirene Jones, of the Manchester Evening News.

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The modern press gallery About 170 journalists work in

the press gallery today. They file from the cramped

upper gallery of the house. Members include every national

daily & Sunday newspaper, major broadcasters, websites including Conservative Home and Politics.co.uk, magazines including the Spectator, the Economist, the Muslim News and Middle East News – plus major regional papers.

Adam Boulton, Sky News politics correspondent

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Reporting on Parliament

The headline-stealers: Prime Ministers questions (30

mins every Wednesday, 12pm) Question Time (One hour

Monday to Thursday, 2.30pm) Major scheduled debates

Cameron at PMQs

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Question Time Ministers called to answer

questions in a rota, known as the Order of Oral Questions.

Questions must be submitted in advance.

MPs who are called to ask their question can then ask a supplementary question, which is not revealed in advance.

The last 15 minutes is reserved for “topical issues” – i.e. that day’s news.

Jeremy Hunt answers questions

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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Jan 14-17 Defence Health Prime Minister& Wales

Transport

Jan 21-24 Education Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Prime Minister & Northern Ireland

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Question Time rota

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Prime Minister’s Questions The leader of the opposition can

ask up to six questions of the PM Others must submit questions

by 12.30pm the preceding Thursday

But these questions tend to be bland inquiries about his diary and engagements

These are tabled so that MPs can ask their real question as a supplementary – without giving the PM warning of what they want to bring up.

PMQs tend to be a pantomime

Order of business – Jan 811.30am PrayersThen PMQs12.10pm Attorney General Qs12.30pm Ministerial statementsThen Regulation of Bailiffs (10

minute rule)Then Welfare Benefits up-

rating bill (2nd reading)Then Funding of Newcastle

City Council (adjournment debate)

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Private Members’ Bills

Most bills are proposed by government ministers

But any MP can attempt to change the law by introducing a Private Members’ Bill

Very few are published in full, and even fewer pass into law

But they can raise important issues, and often influence future debate and legislation

Examples of successful PMBs

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Private Members BillsCurrent proposals:

To ban smoking in cars when children are present

Alex Cunningham (Lab)Restore standing at football grounds (banned after Hillsborough)

Don Foster (Lib Dem)Create an offence of causing death or injury by reckless cycling

Andrea Leadsom (Con)A dangerous cyclist

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Private Members’ BillsBallot BillsEvery MP that wants to put forward a Bill can enter a lottery held at the start of every year. Seven lucky winners earn a day’s debate of their issue.

Ten Minute RuleMPs get 10 mins after Question Time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to introduce a Bill. An opponent has 10 minutes to argue against it. Very rarely become law. Politics is a lottery


Early Day Motions A formal motion submitted by an

MP for debate in the Commons They are a tool generally used by

backbench MPs to highlight specific issues they feel are important

Very few are actually debated Other MPs that support the

motion can add their signature to it – like a petition

They can be a good tool for journalists to find burning issues.

EDMs have a strict format

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Early Day Motions Go to this web link, where you

can search current Early Day Motions and see how much support they have.

Find one that interests you as a story.

Think of three sources you could use to turn it into a news story or a feature.

Website to search latest EDMs


Adjournment debates MPs use them to discuss issues

in their constituencies, or to raise broad policy points where there is not yet a firm proposal to vote or decide upon.

They get a response from a government minister.

There is 30 minutes at the end of every day reserved for these debates in the Commons.

MPs are selected by ballot each day.

Adjournment debates last week

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Written questionsOrdinary questions By convention they are

answered within 7 days.House of Lords questions Can table up to six a day, and

expect an answer in 14 days“Named day” questions Only in the Commons. The MP

can specify a date for the answer to be given, but must give two days’ notice before asking it. Limit of five per day per MP. Finding stories from questions


Select committeesCommons Select committees examine the

work of specific government departments

They focus on spending, policies and administration

They have a minimum of 11 members who decide topics of inquiry and carry out interviews and research

Findings are reported to the Commons and published, and the government has 60 days to reply

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Select committeesLordsInvestigate specialist areas. There are currently five:

The European Union Committee

The Science and Technology Committee

The Communications Committee

The Constitution Committee

The Economic Affairs Committee


Modern day coverage

Political announcements made to the media, not to Parliament

Emphasis on press briefings, PR events

Announcements timed for Today Programme, BBC Breakfast etc.

It means political reporters spend less time in Parliament than before.

Nick Robinson, the BBC’s political editor

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Speech to the press gallery, 1945

“The long fight which the House had against being reported is succeeded by the long fight which it is having and going to have over being reported at all.”

Churchill


Rehman Chishti

MP for Gillingham and Rainham. Conservative.

Member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Justice Select Committee.

Rehman Chishti

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Dianne Hayter Labour, member of the House of

Lords Opposition whip Opposition spokeswoman for

business and skills and the cabinet office

Chair of the Labour Party, 2007 to 2008. A former chair of the Financial Services Authority Consumer Panel.

Good issue: Lords reform

Dianne Hayter


Adam Boulton Sky News political editor Started out as political lobbyist Presents Boulton & Co 1-2pm

every weekday Presents PMQs on Wednesday

evenings, assessing performance during the Commons

Watch PMQs on Wednesday. Watch his show at least once

this week.Adam Boulton

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Parliament trip Tuesday, January 22 Must be there by 8.50am to sign

in. The 07:08 train from Gillingham

will get you to Victoria by 8.17am

The 07:12 train from Gillingham gets you to Charing Cross by 8.36am

Both cost £31.60 return

We will meet at St Stephen’s Gate, opposite Westminster Abbey at 8.45am.

Map from Westminster Underground station

National politics

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