Audio interviews for Women’s Parliamentary Radio
Conducted by Boni Sones with contributions by Jackie Ashley, Deborah McGurran and Linda Fairbrother
Showing 1 - 25 of 103 Records
Women MPs Of The World Debate: A First for the House of Commons
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/53
-
Date : - 2018-11-08 (creation)
-
Description : - Five women MPs who brought about change in their countries tell the stories of their parliaments. Over 100 women from over eighty countries and five continents took part in a special debate in the House of Commons Chamber - it was the first time women from around the world had sat and spoken in the UK Parliament. Sones heard from Linda Fairbrother.
Wednesday: anger outside Westminster
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/5
-
Date : - 2019-05-15 (creation)
-
Description : - Sones interviews three individuals - Nicola Kingaby, Gareth Clayfield and Ruth Friar about protesting for Remain whilst Theresa May conducted PMQs. All three discuss their reasons for attending the protests. Sones interviews some 'Leave' protestors outside Parliament, one outlines her reasons for protesting - despite having voting Labour and Green previously. Another contributor is angry about the possibility of a Customs Union, she describes it as 'war'.
WASPI: Interviews with Karen Glynn, Janet Rhodes, Julie Delve, Christine Austin, and Prafula Shah: Women's State Pension Rise Injustices Rally in Westminster #WASPI #Backto60 #OneVoice #LondonRally10thOctober2018
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/46
-
Date : - 2018-10-10 (creation)
-
Description : - Hundreds of women marched from Hyde Park to Westminster from all over the country, in protest again at the rise to their state pension age. Carrying banners, and bringing traffic to a standstill outside Parliament several of the campaign groups associated with the SPA rises for women joined together #ShoulderToShoulder to raise the issue yet again with politicians and Theresa May's government.
Vicky Ford, Conservative MP for Chelmsford and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group MP interviewed by Jackie Ashley on Theresa May's legacy for Women
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/8
-
Date : - 2019-05-22 (creation)
-
Description : - Ford thinks her impact has been 'massive' in getting more women to stand for Parliament. Ford talks about Theresa May's support in her constituency. Ashley asks about May's cabinet and the proportion of women and speaks about the chances provided to her.
UK Parliament Week: Why you need to persevere in politics
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/54
-
Date : - 2018-11-14 (creation)
-
Description : - Dame Caroline Spelman, the Conservative MP for Meriden and former Secretary of State for the Environment in David Cameron's 2010 government, hosted an event in Westminster to explore ways of encouraging more women to enter the Church.
Thursday: The Cambridge European Elections and Vox Pops
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/6
-
Date : - 2019-05-27 (creation)
-
Description : - The event is being recorded live from St Mary's Church for the Election Hustings - candidates include the Brexit Party (Edmund Fordham), Change UK (Neil Carmichael), Greens (Catherine Rowett), Labour (Alvin Shum), Conservatives (Tom McLeren), Liberal Democrats (Lucy Nethsingha) and UKIP (Stuart Agnew). Each candidate talks through why they should be the choice for Cambridge. Sones then speaks to some attendees after the event.
Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement falls to a historic defeat in the House of Commons, interview with Justine Greening MP, Nicky Morgan MP and Stella Creasy and their solutions to the Brexit crisis
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/64
-
Date : - 2019-01-15 (creation)
-
Description : - On January 15th 2019, Theresa May's Withdrawal Bill was defeated by 230 votes. It was the biggest defeat for any government bill in modern political history. Sones spoke to Conservative MP Nicky Morgan who voted with her government and Justine Greening MP. Sones also hears from Labour MP Stella Creasy who voted against as did most of her Labour colleagues. Morgan wants a Common Market 2.0 while Greening supports a second referendum. Theresa May is expected to survive a no confidence vote.
Speaking up for Fathers and why Westminster Hall is such a good debating Chamber
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/66
-
Date : - 2019-01-30 (creation)
-
Description : - Tracey Crouch, Conservative MP for Chatham and Aylesford and former Sports, Civil Society and Loneliness minister led the Fathers debate. Several of her male colleagues chipped in to say how left out they felt and often lonely as various health procedures made them feel 'outsiders' in the birth of their own children. The health minister responded to these after PMQs. Crouch was the first Conservative Minister to take maternity leave and welcomed the introduction of Proxy Voting, allowing Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, who delayed giving birth to attend the Brexit-deal vote two weeks before. Crouch talks to Sones about her Fathers debate and other campaigns. Crouch and her other half took shared parenting and she says her partner found it intimidating to go into any toddler and baby group not least because it was mostly badged mother and baby groups, or that they were mostly women.
Sones hears from Dame Vera Baird QC Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and former Labour MP and Solicitor General
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/65
-
Date : - 2019-01-22 (creation)
-
Description : - Baird welcomes the publication of the government's new Domestic Violence Bill said she would like to see it go further and for the government to ensure that funding streams to DV support services are restored. The Bill, launched by Prime Minister Theresa May who said that throughout her political career she had 'worked to bring an end to domestic abuse and support survivors'. This looks to introduce a ban on the cross-examination of victims by their abusers in the family courts, the introduction of domestic abuse protection orders, which will place restrictions on offenders, and the introduction for the first time of a definition of domestic abuse to include economic abuse and controlling and manipulative non-physical violence. Baird ended by saying that if the government are serious about this Bill and they understand what it is costing day-to-day and properly fund and support services.
Remembering Baroness Tessa Jowell MP
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/26
-
Date : - 2015-05 (creation)
-
Description : - This is a recording of a documentary made in May 2015 by Parliamentary Radio in which Jowell and her Labour Cabinet colleagues talk about their achievements in government for Labour. Jowell is interviewed by journalist Jackie Ashley and reflects on women in Parliament and #SureStart and #Olympics2012. Jowell passed away on 12 May 2018 after a heroic struggle with a brain tumour during which she fought for better treatment for cancer patients. The Government said that they would double brain cancer research funding to 40 million pounds a year. Jowell talks about the working hours in Parliament as MPs. Jowell talks about her experience with Prime Minister Tony Blair. Sones and Jowell discuss working in Parliament and the work-life balance and carrying on working on the Olympics even after she was not in The Cabinet. Sones asks about whether the amount of female MPs in 1997 had changed the environment in Parliament, Jowell thinks it has and this is evidenced by changes around the working hours, simple changes such as to the amount of toilets and changes to the Smoking Room as female MPs occupied the room every Tuesday.
Personal Independence Payments: A Westminster Hall Debate with Sharon Hodgson MP and Ruth George MP
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/7
-
Date : - 2018-01-31 (creation)
-
Description : - Hodgson and George discuss the impact of new rules introduced for Personal Independence Payment and the impact this will have on constituents. The same week, the government said it would review every person receiving PIP after the Department for Work and Pensions decided not to challenge a court ruling saying that PIP changes were unfair. Hodgson and George were shocked about the response from the Conservative Ministers when asked about PIP as they ignored the evidence put forward by MPs. They discuss how the claims assessment process is not made for claimants and the aggressive environment it has created. This recording ends with a comment from 'Disabled People Against Cuts', they criticise the Conservative Government's response to PIP changes and austerity.
Monday: The Green Surge in the East
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/4
-
Date : - 2019-05-13 (creation)
-
Description : - Green Party event in Cambridge, Caroline Lucas MP speaking about the membership of the Green Party and the upcoming European Election. Lucas discusses the People's Vote campaign and Remain. Sones then talks to Lucas and Catherine Rowett - lead Green Party Candidate, outside the Guildhall in Cambridge. Lucas talks about their chances in the European Elections in the East about the green and European Union issues. Sones and Lucas talk about political commentators and their predictions of a victory for the Brexit Party. Rowett and Sones discuss her chances of being elected as an MEP. Rowett says that people she meets are talking about Extinction Rebellion and the Children's Strikes on Climate Change. Sones asks about a possible splintering of the Remain vote in the Election, Rowett rejects that the Green Party are similar to the Liberal Democrats. Sones then talks to Naomi Bennett, Green Candidate in Cambridge, Sones asks her about the key issues. Bennett thinks that people are disillusioned by the 'bully boy' tactics in Parliament and that there is a struggle in getting people to vote at all. Bennett talks extensively about 'door-knocking' and the importance of it in comparison to social media. The Greens in Cambridge have not been putting out social media adverts. Bennett talks about Cambridge being one of the richest cities in the country, but has nine food banks and hidden homelessness.
Maria Miller, Conservative MP for Basingstoke and Chair of the influential Equalities Select Committee on Theresa May's legacy
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/10
-
Date : - 2019-06-20 (creation)
-
Description : - Miller talks about maternity discrimination which has not been tackled since a review in 2016, Sones asks about the new Domestic Violence Bill. Miller is chairing the scrutinising process of this Bill, which aims to set out in law a definition of Domestic Violence to provide redress for sufferers and stop it in the first place. Miller believes May can be proud of this achievement.
Interview with two women at Womens State Pension Rally representing shouldertoshoulder and onevoice
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/47
-
Date : - 2018-10-10 (creation)
-
Description : - #ShoulderToShoulder hears from Timandra French and Leilah Leak from East Kent Waspi and #BackTo60 talk to Sones about their march to Westminister to protest pension age increases for 3.5 million women.
Interview with economist Vicky Pryce - 50 years on and still NO equal pay in #Vote100 year
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/15
-
Date : - 2018-03-15 (creation)
-
Description : - Pryce begins explaining why she thinks women do not get paid equally; stating that it is either because of the culture of organisations or because they have children. She states that women in their 20s earn more than men in many professions, but into their 30s, they do not. Often, organisations are not prepared to allow anyone to work flexibly. Many organisations lose women too early for them to end up in senior positions. Sones asks about the attitude of women in corporate situations, Pryce agrees it to be an issue in how women are educated but that the evidence does not suggest this. Women do better at University and earn more in their 20s, there must be wrong with the way private sector organisations are managing this as they think too short-term. Pryce argues that we need to ensure women are treated in the same way as men and quotas for senior positions in an array of sectors.
Interview with constituents after Heidi Allen, MP for South Cambridgeshire holds a public meeting - Do Voters like TIGs?
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/68/7
-
Date : - 2019-03-16 (creation)
-
Description : - Sones interviews David, Rebecca, Bruce, Vivienne and Emma as they attended a public meeting in Cambridge to hear from Allen discuss why she decided to leave the Conservatives to join the new Independent Group of MPs. Four support her and one is not sure about any of the political parties. Nearly 150 people attended the meeting, with the majority in favour of Allen's decision.
Interview with Vicky Pryce, economist at CBR, on Philip Hammond's statement to the Commons and Brexit
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/14
-
Date : - 2018-03-15 (creation)
-
Description : - Pryce discusses Brexit and the economy, modest growth at the bottom of the G7 and G20. Hammond was optimistic in his speech about employment and the economy, Pryce questions how low paid these jobs are and supporting these with benefit payments. The fall in the pound and the Bank of England's expenditure to ensure that banks are lending has kept the economy going, but productivity has suffered. Sones asks about whether the country could have got to this point without austerity, Pryce argues that we need higher productivity and growth in many industries, the UK has undertaken the wrong 'type' of austerity. Sones asks about a World Trade Organisation/Hard Brexit, Pryce cites evidence that the UK would not be able to adequately trade especially as WTO Rules do not cover the service industry. Pryce is optimistic that Brexit will be a success and a 'soft' Brexit, despite losing 2% of GDP.
Interview with Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Advisor at CBR
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/26
-
Date : - 2019-11-14 (creation)
-
Description : - Sones interviews Pryce at the Royal Society of Arts for the launch of Pryce's new book, 'Women vs. Capitalism: why we can't have it all in a free market economy'. Pryce does not believe that there are enough incentives for organisations to put women and men on the same level in terms of pay and conditions, so government needs to intervene. Pryce discusses the book, the wage gap between men and women and education.
Interview with Vicky Ford MP: #AskHerToStand, Proxy Voting, Brexit White Paper and on her Prime Minister Theresa May
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/39
-
Date : - 2018-07-19 (creation)
-
Description : - Ford, Conservative MP for Chelmsford, chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the House of Commons, this week with others she laid a wreath at the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst to commemorate Pankhurst's birthday. Ford had been attending Pankhurst parties and she is part of a movement which is encouraging women from all parties to come forward and stand for parliament with the campaign group #AskHerToStand. Sones asks about the week's events in Westminster as the government got its amendments to the Brexit White Paper through when four Labour MPs voted with it.
Interview with Vicky Ford MP on #Abortion in Northern Ireland
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/32
-
Date : - 2018-06-06 (creation)
-
Description : - Ford speaks about her speech in the recent debate on reforming the abortion laws in Northern Ireland and amending the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 proposed by the Labour politician Stella Creasy. The debate was brought forward after a referendum in Southern Ireland [Ireland] where the vote was in support of abortion reform leaving Northern Ireland out of step with the rest of the UK. Ford talked to Sones before Supreme Court ruled whether or not the UK in contravention of the Human Rights Act on this.
Interview with The Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Shirley Williams and former Labour foreign office minister Denis McShane
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/23
-
Date : - 2018-04-23 (creation)
-
Description : - Williams and McShane speak to Parliamentary Radio about the @TutuFoundation #PeaceSummit2018 @RegentsUni in London. Sones and Williams are talking from the Desmond Tutu Peace Summit 2018, Sones asks about nationalism and Brexit. Williams agrees that we're going through a period of nationalism, but that the hope is the creation a global system of law. Williams and Sones discuss the importance of Brexit and the willingness to say that the process is not working. McShane is asked about mediating conflict with discussion, he talks about England's approach to treaties and solving conflict through discussion. McShane was said to have created the term 'Brexit', Sones asks about the conflict associated with it and McShane questions what 'negotiations' mean in this context in reference laws and regulations. McShane argues that the Government and Jeremy Corbyn have failed to mediate with the British public. Sones asks about 'Remainers' and McShane responds arguing that they are not true positions to hold and is sad that younger generations will not have the same rights as him to travel and live, just because Rupert Murdoch and Nigel Farage wanted it.
Interview with Suella Braverman, Conservative MP for Fareham
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/12
-
Date : - 2019-07-17 (creation)
-
Description : - Sones asks about Proxy Voting and how it will help, Braverman thinks that it is a huge improvement to guarantee that Braverman's constituents are represented accordingly in Parliament. Braverman does not agree that those on maternity leave should get extra funds to operate as an MP and disagrees with Harriet Harman, the Mother of the House. Braverman brought up a local constituency issue during Prime Minister's Questions regarding a pedestrian crossing and parking near a local primary school. Sones moves onto ask about the Conservative Leadership Election, Braverman is backing Alexander 'Boris' Johnson. Braverman talks about Jeremy Hunt but is supporting Johnson because the country requires someone who acts and does not simply talk. She also supports Johnson because he has 'boldly committed to Brexit' in 2016 and his resignation over the Chequers proposals. Braverman thinks Johnson is the one to win an election and beat Jeremy Corbyn. Sones asks Braverman on the odds of a 'no-deal' Brexit under Johnson, she believes Johnson is bound to October 31st as 'Brexit Day'.
Interview with Siobhan McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/68/6
-
Date : - 2019-03-15 (creation)
-
Description : - McDonagh speaks about Brexit, the Labour Party, antisemitism and knife crime
Interview with Siobhain McDonagh MP: housing and the National Trust rent rises, proxy votes, Brexit and Antisemitism in the Labour Party
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 1/40
-
Date : - 2018-07-24 (creation)
-
Description : - McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden speaks about being concerned with the National Trust's plans to increase their tenants' rent to market levels, believing that this will impact those with disabilities. Sones asks about the proxy voting row over the breaking of Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson's pairing arrangement while she was on maternity leave, McDonagh calls it a 'breach of trust'. On Brexit, McDonagh believes in a Peoples' Vote when the deal is known.
Interview with Sharon Hodgson, Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West and Shadow Public Health Minister on standing up for just causes
-
Reference Code : - SOBA 2/11
-
Date : - 2019-06-27 (creation)
-
Description : - Sones begins by welcoming Hodgson and introducing her, Hodgson has been campaigning on access to medicines. Hodgson talks about the postcode medicine lottery and speaks about some medicines that are not available at the moment. Sones asks about previous scandals with a range of medicines including Vaginal Mesh and Education, Health and Care Plans. Sones moves the conversation onto the BBC License Fee because of the proposal to cancel the free License Fee for Over-75s, Hodgson wants the Government to act. Sones and Hodgson discuss the jobs lost from Nissan Factories being closed in relation to Brexit, speaking about Gordon Brown's scrappage scheme after the last economic downturn, she thinks that the Conservatives are acting too slowly. Sones asks about Jeremy Corbyn's position on Brexit and whether it is clear enough. Hodgson discusses how she manages a desire to remain with representing a leave constituency. The pair discuss anti-semitism and the actions that need to be taken.