Author Archives: The Speaker

A Conversation with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons

This week, Editor-in-Chief Oli. A sits down with Nigel Evans, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means. Read for a truly insightful and insider perspective on life at Westminster from one of the men closest to the podium. Interviewer: Have you found the constraints of the Speaker’sContinue reading “A Conversation with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons”

Anarchist Aunt – Betsy Freedman – 5th March

Dear Anarchist Aunt, I am writing to you today in a seemingly inaudible rage. Why is it that those in power continue to exercise their authority, all the while being consumed by the apparently infectious disease of selective hearing, blocking out any talk of equality? I was outraged when I read women were 47% moreContinue reading “Anarchist Aunt – Betsy Freedman – 5th March”

‘Draining the swamp’ or political opportunism?

By Justin K Kevin McCarthy’s botched (but ultimately successful) bid to become Speaker of the House has shown that the Republican Party of today is far from the united entity that it seeks to portray itself as. Of particular note – and perhaps concern – was the disproportionate influence that more conservative members of theContinue reading “‘Draining the swamp’ or political opportunism?”

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try again!

By Lyndon C After fifteen ballots between January 3rd-7th, Kevin McCarthy, from California’s 20th congressional district, finally won the election to be the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Personally, I found it quite easy to sit back and laugh at McCarthy’s second through fourteenth attempts to gain the speakership that arguably shouldContinue reading “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try, try again!”

The 2022 US Midterms – What Happened to the ‘Red Wave’?

By Alastair Thompson Going into the night of the 2022 US midterm elections, spirits in the Republican camp were high – and this optimism was certainly justified. Republican candidates across the country had been picking up considerable momentum in the polls and Joe Biden had achieved a historically low job approval rating of only 38%Continue reading “The 2022 US Midterms – What Happened to the ‘Red Wave’?”

Jacinda Ardern – a new type of leader?

By Angus M According to the UN’s Global Parliamentary Report, the average age of parliamentarians around the world is 53. Under 9,000 of the 46,500 MPs around the world are women, which is just under 20%. One can therefore argue that in the spirit of Hanna Pitkin’s concept of ‘descriptive representation’, where a group electsContinue reading “Jacinda Ardern – a new type of leader?”

Will stop and searches protect or polarise our society?

By Orlando V In June 2020, a 13-year-old black British boy was stopped and searched by police in South London. Now 15, this same boy has been stopped and searched over 30 times by police. He has since expressed his fear of leaving home and recounts both physical and verbal abuse from police officers. SimilarContinue reading “Will stop and searches protect or polarise our society?”