John Bercow's Absolute Power
The Spontaneity Shop
Deborah Frances-White quizzes former speaker John Bercow about how British democracy really works.
The instruments of power in the UK are often arcane, confusing and bizarre – but understanding how they operate is key to wielding them effectively – and as citizens, we need to be aware of what those in power can and can’t do. With a governing party which is using those instruments more ruthlessly than any government in recent memory, it’s more important than ever to appreciate how we got here and what we can do about it.
Former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow is an ideal guide through this dense thicket of tradition, legislation, convention and constitution. But rather than giving a lecture, we will present this guide in the form of a conversation between him and Deborah Frances-White.
Familiar from her hit podcast The Guilty Feminist as well as her award-winning BBC Radio 4 show Rolls the Dice and countless other TV and radio appearances, Deborah has a keen interest in human rights and how governments use and abuse their power. But, raised in Australia, and not having spent a career in parliament she – like most people – doesn’t know in detail how a lot of these aspects of government actually work. By asking the questions likely to be in the mind of the audience, she can engage the listeners as they go with her and John on their journey through the corridors of power.
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Top 10 John Bercow's Absolute Power Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best John Bercow's Absolute Power episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to John Bercow's Absolute Power for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite John Bercow's Absolute Power episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
1.08 Statutory Instruments
John Bercow's Absolute Power
02/09/22 • 35 min
Statutory Instruments. What are they and can we trust Priti Patel to weild them on our behalf?
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1.09 The House of Lords
John Bercow's Absolute Power
02/16/22 • 41 min
John and Deborah tread through the secret corridors to get to one of the strangest and most misunderstood elements of the British Political system, The House of Lords! What do they do? How are they allowed to still be doing it? Are they worth it, or just born with it?
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bonus episode - Partygate
John Bercow's Absolute Power
01/15/22 • 28 min
Join John Bercow and Deborah Frances-White as they consider the Prime Minister's position following the revelations surrounding Partygate
Find us at...
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bonus episode - John responds to bullying allegations
John Bercow's Absolute Power
01/17/22 • 48 min
Join John Bercow and Deborah Frances-White as John responds to allegations that during his time as Speaker of the House he bullied people he worked with.
Find us at...
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trailer
John Bercow's Absolute Power
11/24/21 • 3 min
Coming soon from The House of the Guilty Feminist... John Bercow's Absolute Power
https://absolutepowerpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1.5 Private Members Bills
John Bercow's Absolute Power
01/19/22 • 37 min
Deborah Frances-White and John Bercow consider the issue of Private Members Bills - what are they, do they ever become laws and what has Chris Chope got against them?
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1.07 Backbenchers
John Bercow's Absolute Power
02/02/22 • 35 min
John Bercow and Deborah Frances-White go all the way to the back bench to discover how Parliamentary our system really is. What’s the point in staying in the shadows? Why does getting close to the PM’s family not always work out? What do the Backbench hold over the PM?
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1.1: The Speaker
John Bercow's Absolute Power
12/08/21 • 35 min
Join John Bercow and Deborah Frances-White as they unpack the role of The Speaker - a position that John held for over a decade and made famous (or infamous). Find out the fundamental place that beheadings, coffee and coups have in the role of Speaker. Discover how John managed to keep ORDER in the chaos of the British Parliamentary system.
Read the transcript: https://absolutepowerpod.com/2021/12/01/1-1-the-speaker/
Further links:
- Dawn Butler MP is removed from the chamber: https://youtu.be/O2aafrWpsKg
- Ian Blackford accuses Theresa May of lying: https://youtu.be/jW5cTdvYABo
- John Bercow in action: https://youtu.be/Xn5THTi6Zbg
Find us at...
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Listener
Teaser
John Bercow's Absolute Power
11/23/21 • 5 min
Coming soon from The House of the Guilty Feminist... John Bercow's Absolute Power
https://absolutepowerpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1.3 The Whips
John Bercow's Absolute Power
12/22/21 • 38 min
Deborah Frances-White and John Bercow look at the party enforcers whose role is to ensure that MPs vote the way they are supposed to. How much power do they really have and why on earth are they called "whips"?
Find us at...
- Website: https://absolutepowerpod.com
- You can send us an email: [email protected]
- We’re on Twitter as: @bercowpowerpod
We're taking a couple of weeks off over Christmas but Deborah and John will be back with more Absolute Power in the new year.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does John Bercow's Absolute Power have?
John Bercow's Absolute Power currently has 16 episodes available.
What topics does John Bercow's Absolute Power cover?
The podcast is about News, Podcasts, Politics and Government.
What is the most popular episode on John Bercow's Absolute Power?
The episode title 'Bonus episode - John responds to bullying allegations' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on John Bercow's Absolute Power?
The average episode length on John Bercow's Absolute Power is 32 minutes.
How often are episodes of John Bercow's Absolute Power released?
Episodes of John Bercow's Absolute Power are typically released every 6 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of John Bercow's Absolute Power?
The first episode of John Bercow's Absolute Power was released on Nov 23, 2021.
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