Do we even need politicians?

11/10/23 • 37 min

Armando Iannucci: Westminster Reimagined | a New Statesman podcast

Does change happen because of politicians, or despite them?

Armando and Anoosh speak to two campaigners addressing issues of inequality to discuss whether it's people or politicians who change public opinion - and whether activists are letting the government off the hook.

Guests

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah launched her grass roots campaign to improve London's air quality after her daughter became the first person in the world to officially die from air pollution. Find out more about the Ella Roberta foundation for clean air: https://www.ellaroberta.org/

Gary Stephenson is a former interest rate trader who made his fortune betting on the fallout of the 2008 market crash, before leaving the City to campaign against wealth inequality. See his YouTube channel, GarysEconomics, here: https://www.youtube.com/c/garyseconomics

This episode was originally published in the New Statesman podcast feed on April 20, 2022.

Listen to the New Statesman podcast here: https://podfollow.com/new-statesman

Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis.

Get your first month free: www.newstatesman.com/30daytrial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does change happen because of politicians, or despite them?

Guests

This episode was originally published in the New Statesman podcast feed on April 20, 2022.

Listen to the New Statesman podcast here: https://podfollow.com/new-statesman

Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis.

Get your first month free: www.newstatesman.com/30daytrial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Parliament: the ultimate old boy's club?

Archaic, exclusive and impenetrable - is there any way parliament can be dragged into the 21st century?

Anum Qaisar - at the time of recording the SNPs newest Westminster MP - and Emma Crewe, professor of anthropology at SOAS, join Armando and Ailbhe Rea to explore what’s prevented parliament from evolving into a modern, 21st-century legislature and why it’s still a tough place for MPs from non-traditional backgrounds.

Guests

Anum Qaisar is a female, muslim, Scottish Pakistani former school teacher elected as the SNP MP for Airdre and Shotts in 2021.

Emma Crewe is a professor of anthropology at SOAS who has studied the workings of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

This episode was originally published in the New Statesman podcast feed on April 13, 2022.

Listen to the New Statesman podcast here: https://podfollow.com/new-statesman

Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis.

Get your first month free: www.newstatesman.com/30daytrial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Dominic Grieve: Britain's ramshackle constitution

Britain doesn't have a written constitution. Is it time we did?

Armando and Anoosh are joined by former attorney general Dominic Grieve and the head of UCL's Constitution Unit, Meg Russell, to discuss Britain's "ramshackle" constitution - and whether democracy can continue to thrive in Westminster after Brexit without a codified system of government.

Guests

Dominic Grieve is a barrister and former Conservative MP who served as Attorney General for England and Wales from 2010 - 2014.

Meg Russell is professor in British and comparative politics and director of the Constitution Unit at University College London.

This episode was originally published in the New Statesman podcast feed on April 27, 2022.

Listen to the New Statesman podcast here: https://podfollow.com/new-statesman

Subscribe to the New Statesman for full access to all our reporting and analysis.

Get your first month free: www.newstatesman.com/30daytrial

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.