House of Lords Podcast: Lord Speaker's Corner

‘The demand for journalism is unprecedented in the whole of human history. But what's got much harder is to work out what the best media for it is, and where the money lies and where the future lies.’

Former editor of the Daily Telegraph, Lord Moore of Etchingham, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

Charles Moore, now Lord Moore of Etchingham, also previously edited the Spectator and the Sunday Telegraph and is th...

‘The US is just so obsessed about being big, it doesn't understand that by others becoming bigger, the US can become wealthier.’

Jim O’Neill, Lord O’Neill of Gatley, is an ex-Treasury Minister, former Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs and Crossbench member of the House of Lords.

In this latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner, Lord O’Neill shares his perspectives with Lord McFall of Alcluith on a range of topics, from China ...

Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, speaks about why she is campaigning on topics including salmon farming and water company pollution in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.

‘We’ve seen water companies polluting our waterways, our beaches, our lovely fishing streams… our chalk streams that are very rare and precious. And yet, we still can’t stop them doing it.’

Baroness Jones is one of two Green members of ...

Former leader of the Labour party Neil Kinnock, Lord Kinnock, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

‘I guess that's what gave me my politics basically. The idea that many people working together could produce and provide at the level of quality that would've been absolutely impossible for the individual or the family.’

Lord Kinnock speaks about growing up in south Wales and what drew him to politics, his early years...

Former top diplomat Simon McDonald, Lord McDonald of Salford, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

Lord McDonald shares his views on a range of current international issues from President Trump and Greenland to the Chagos Islands and British soft power, plus changes to the global approach of the USA, China and Russia:

‘For most of my career, the reasons why the institutions of the late 1940s were fraying were because...

From politics to comedy to campaigning against anti-social behaviour, broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

Baroness Hazarika grew up in Coatbridge, Scotland and is the first person of Indian Assamese heritage to join the House of Lords. She rose to become a senior adviser to Labour figures including Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband, playing a crucial role preparing them for PMQs:

‘I think Pr...

From the Foreign Office to National Security Adviser to Cabinet Secretary, Mark Sedwill – Lord Sedwill – is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

‘It comes down in the end to the quality of the individual and then they'll get the best out of the best civil servants.’

In this episode, Lord Sedwill shares his perspectives on the relationship between ministers and officials, reforming the Civil Service and what his advice w...

From education to government, Northern Ireland to Hong Kong, organising a Papal visit to leading a university, Chris Patten speaks about his life and work.

‘You engage them, first of all, without the sort of mushy feeling that you can't do business with them unless you accept their political narrative… we should talk to the Chinese, but we should do so in a pretty clear-sighted way.’

In a wide-ranging discussion, outgoing Cha...

‘I'd heard bombs before, so I knew it was a bomb.’

Forty years ago this month, Robin Butler - Principle Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher - was in the room with the prime minister when the Brighton bomb exploded nearby in their hotel.

‘This is our opportunity to show that terrorism can't defeat democracy’

Now Lord Butler of Brockwell tells the Lord Speaker about his experience, from their initial reaction to the blast...

‘This morning, even this morning, I was in my prayer saying to God, "What am I doing here?”’

Justin Welby, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, senior bishop in the Church of England and leader of the bishops in the House of Lords, speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith.

‘Growing up was pretty complicated to put it mildly.’

In this expansive interview, he speaks to the Lord Speaker about his early life, what drew him to the chur...

Lord Speaker’s Corner returns for a new Parliament and Lord McFall of Alcluith’s first guest is former Director General of MI5 and Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Jonathan Evans, Lord Evans of Weardale.

‘MI5 in those days was very secretive, had a very low public profile… it was only on day two of my initial training course that I realised I'd actually joined MI5.’

In this episode, hear from Lord Evans abo...

Sovereignty, tackling terrorism and even Macbeth are on the agenda in the latest Lord Speaker’s Corner as David Anderson, Lord Anderson of Ipswich KC, speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith.

‘You were inventing effectively a new system… that had to be common to all the difference countries of Europe… It seemed to me much better to do it that way than to be fighting each other as we had been for hundreds of years.’

King’s Counsel L...

Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

In this episode, Baroness Young speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about her work tackling modern slavery, race and inequality in the creative sector, and why consumers should challenge companies to do better when they source materials.

Baroness Young has extensive experience telling truth to power. From challenging the workplace dress code of...

Should Mars be our plan(et) B?

Should we continue with manned spaceflight?

Hear from the Astronomer Royal, Lord Rees of Ludlow, in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.

‘Now that robots can do the things that humans were needed for 50 years ago, the case for sending people is getting weaker all the time.’

In this episode, Martin Rees - astrophysicist, former President of the Royal Society, and now...

Peter Mandelson - former Cabinet minister, leading figure in New Labour and now Lord Mandelson - speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about his life in politics.

‘Born into the Labour Party’, Lord Mandelson began a career of campaigning at school, where he was reprimanded by his grammar school headteacher for advocating for comprehensive education.

‘It was very difficult in the 1980s. It made me, of course wonder whether I could...

Former top diplomat Lord Ricketts speaks to Lord McFall of Alcluith about the conflicts in Israel/Gaza and Ukraine, the impact of Brexit and more in this episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.

Peter Ricketts, an expert in international relations and now a crossbench member of the House of Lords, has previously served as the UK’s ambassador to France and representative to Nato. He has been chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, wa...

Lord Lamont talks tackling inflation, controlling interest rates and growing up in Shetland in the latest episode of Lord Speaker’s Corner.

‘Although I personally would not have joined the ERM and although I personally didn't think it was a disaster when we had to leave, I think the period we were in the ERM for two years did actually do the economy a huge amount of good.’

Norman Lamont, now Lord Lamont of Lerwick, was Chance...

Hear from Lord Forsyth as he warns of a 'presidential' style of government that he believes has weakened Parliament’s role in scrutinising and improving laws.

'The House of Commons is failing in its function. It’s just abandoned its function of considering legislation properly.'

In this new episode of Lord Speaker's Corner, Lord Forsyth tells Lord McFall of Alcluith that he wants to see 'root and branch' reform to cut the use of time...

'I think I've learned from all of the campaigns, a simple message gets through, complex messages don't.'

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff is a leading doctor, a professor and pioneer in the field of palliative care. 'Always wanting to change the world', Baroness Finlay has often been ahead of the curve in campaigning for change on topics such as smoking, organ donation and protecting young people. Hear about her work in medicine and in t...