Inside the Commons
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- Episode
- Episode Four - Reinventing the House
- Broadcast Info
- 2015 (59 mins)
- Description
- In the final part of reporter Michael Cockerell’s behind-the-scenes series with unprecedented access to the House of Commons, battles break out over the future of the House. The controversial Speaker John Bercow runs into trouble with his own plans for reforming it. Wealthy Tory backbencher Zac Goldsmith tries to give voters the power to sack their MPs and the Establishment tries to stop him. We see the ongoing struggle to conserve the Victorian mock Gothic palace and anticipate the challenges of carrying out a multi-billion pound programme of restoration work whilst the House is sitting. We follow David Purdue of the Events and Banqueting team who is part of a new initiative to raise money for the upkeep of the House by hosting fashion shows and film premieres inside the House.
At the end of a remarkable year, conflict continues between those who celebrate the Commons’ historic traditions and those who believe it needs to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century as MPs gear up for the general election. Many face the prospect of losing their jobs. The ever-changing House of Commons will soon have a new intake of MPs, and new challenges to face. - Genre
- History; Law; Architecture; Politics; Government
How to cite this record
The Open University, "Inside the Commons". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/217667 (Accessed 09 Jan 2025)