American Reacts to Prime Minister's Questions | Margaret Thatcher

Wow - I really enjoyed watching this. Not only did I get more insight into Margaret Thatcher's governing style, I also learned more about how the UK government works. It's a really amazing tradition and I kind of wish the U.S. did this with our Congress and the President. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe!
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[@SoGal_YT]

Which Prime Minister should go next? Like and subscribe if you enjoyed this video 👍🏻 Follow me on social media, and join my Discord & Patreon: ❤️ Patreon: www.patreon.com/sogal_yt?fan_landing=true 🐕 Instagram: instagram.com/sogal.yt/ 🏀 Twitter: twitter.com/SoGal_YT ⚽️ Facebook Page: facebook.com/SoGal-104043461744742 🏖 Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/238616921241608 💥 Discord: discord.gg/amWWc6jcC2

[@brucewilliams4152]

Pms questions is when the mps hold the pm to account

[@virthanki902]

You should go through the PMs chronologically (After Thatcher = Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron, May and Johnson). It would help you understand the developments in British politics over time

[@steved6092]

The guy in the wig is the Speaker of the House of Commons ... his/her job is to preside over the House's debates & maintain order ... the current Speaker has recently hosted the G7 Speakers Summit in his constituency of Chorley, Lancashire where he welcomed the US Speaker of House of Representative Nancy Pelosi & others.

[@CRINOTH]

@@virthanki902 Yes, and from Blair onwards the PMQs sessions switched to once a week for 30 minutes rather than twice a week for 15 minutes each.

[@karenblackadder1183]

I didn't always agree with Maggie but admired and respected her guts. The Despatch Box is representative of the fact the people voted for her. In Britain we put a cross against a piece of paper and post it in a little box. These are later counted to see who won. The poll tax was based on every adult paid a set amount towards all social services; police, street lighting, cleaning etc. A much fairer system than now where it is based on how much a house is worth.

[@neilcampbell9383]

Generally debate in the Commons is much more sober when discussing actual legislation. PM Questions is more of a weekly blood sport to allow MPs to see their leaders being tested for their wit, eloquence, ability to deal with pressure and 'command the house' . Usually failing to perform at PMQs means you don't last long as leader of your party.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

and poll tax is way fairer than council tax ! the cons are more screwed on than labour , why should i pay band B council tax rates for a 1 bedroom flat when 5 asians in a crappy band A 3 bedroom terrace pay band A yet they produce 5x more bin waste and uses more city facilities than myself ,this socialism has to stop

[@lewis123417]

What a brilliant summary of PMQs

[@wwciii]

The big difference between Parliment and Congress is that the Prime Minister is a member of the House of Commons while the President is from a seperate branch of the government.

[@petermizon4344]

Yes the military complex part lol

[@RB747domme]

Not only that, but he also has a fear of entering complicated structures. He has a complex complex complex.

[@TheShanklyGates]

3:36 - The despatch (not dispatch, a common misspelling) boxes are the boxes on the table in the middle. They are mostly just for show but I believe they contain bibles and other stuff that is used for swearing in ceremonies. 4:50 - It's worth noting that the PM will usually know in advance what questions are going to be asked from members of their own party which allows them to be fully briefed on the detail beforehand - ah, Thatcher refers to this at 16:15. 5:25 - The man in the chair in the middle wearing a wig is the Speaker of the House of Commons. It's his job to preside over the debates, call members to speak and maintain order (hence the regular cries of 'Order!' when things get a bit too rowdy!). Speakers haven't worn wigs since Betty Boothroyd (elected speaker in 1992) chose not to. 7:12 - The poll tax was a regressive tax that levied a flat-rate tax on every taxpayer irrespective of wealth or income. It was hugely unpopular and led to widespread riots. It pretty much finished off Thatcher's premiership. 7:15 - Thatcher was a Conservative politican. The man opposite her is Neil Kinnock who was the leader of the Labour party and leader of the Opposition. The government party sits on the benches to the Speaker's right and all opposition (non government) parties sit to the Speaker's left. The golden object on the table is The Mace which symbolises the Queen's authority in the House. 10:03 - There is a set list of people who are guaranteed to be called to ask questions. These include the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of third largest party plus others who have had questions they submit in advance chosen to be asked - you'll often hear an MP say, for example, 'Question number 4, please' which refers to the 4th question of those submitted and selected in advance. The others are standing up and down to try and catch the Speaker's eye in the hope he'll notice them and call them to speak. 20:44 - The House of Commons is always like that at Prime Minister's Questions which, in my view, is largely performative these days and not an effective way of scrutinising the government. Backbenchers like to make a lot of noise so that anyone watching is under the impression that the PM has a lot of support and is winning the arguments. At other sittings, where fewer people are watching, it's often more serious and much less rowdy. The House of Lords is nothing like the Commons, it's much more quiet and civilised, although this probably has a lot to do with the average age of the Lords being over 70!

[@LonKirk]

Very well put.

[@TimeyWimeyLimey]

An excellent commentary sir.

[@joed7691]

Very well put. The poll tax was later replaced a few years later with the current council tax. Basically what you call property tax, except even those to rent pay it.

[@ReachForTheSky]

Does that mean the Speaker has to recognise and know all of the names of the people in the House when they choose someone standing?

[@keithdouglas4581]

The reason why the proceedings in the House of Lords is done in a more quiet way is because most of the Lords are old men and women and a lot of them are asleep!!

[@kevinshort3943]

I always like the fact that the lines they aren't allowed to cross, are far enough apart so you can't stab someone with a sword.

[@TrashskillsRS]

You are also not allowed to enter in knights armour

[@davesy6969]

Which is why if I become an mp I'm taking my spear.

[@TheGarryq]

Urban myth, the lines didn't appear until the middle of the 19th century

[@michaelfoster5577]

And the only Prime Minister to be assassinated - Spencer Perceval in 1812 - was actually shot not stabbed!

[@michael_177]

SoGal comments might be split here, she was a very controversial figure, so just keep that in mind

[@Malky24]

"Controversial" is definitely one way of putting it!

[@pendleeldnep]

Controversial enough to be prevented from defending the UK from the move of European trading block into a European government. - she didn't lose an election - she was removed by her own party of pro-Euopean Babelites

[@nunya2171]

The modern left-wing environmentalists should be praising her. One of their biggest issues is global warming and carbon emissions, she shut the coal mines, ahead of her time.

[@Jay-in6dl]

@@nunya2171 shut up

[@nunya2171]

@@Jay-in6dl whoosh!

[@floorticket]

One reason for the rowdiness that's been pointed to is the benches face each other, whereas here in the US they do not.

[@TrashskillsRS]

In the rest of the world they do not*

[@G_Stan]

@@TrashskillsRS Actually, they do in most countries that followed the Westminster system (a.k.a most of the world).

[@johnwoods7650]

Deliberately a sword's length away.

[@moodyb2]

And may it NEVER change. 👍

[@markpstapley]

The "dispatch box" are the boxes that the two speakers stand over, next to the mace. People regularly try to hijack the mace, as parliament cannot do anything unless it is present. The "speaker of the house" who is wearing the wig, is an elected MP who tries to be neutral, and facilitate the smooth running of the chamber. The most controversial speaker of the house in its history is probably John Bercow.

[@zarabada6125]

I think there is an element of recentism in your comment there. Bercow was the previous speaker, so sits in the public consciousness. For most controversial, I'd have to opt for William Lenthall.

[@laurencefraser]

Parliament was already being a complete disaster over a major issue even before you argue one way or the other about Bercow's personal biases anyway. He became rather popular (as an individual) internationally due to youtube videos of his more witty and/or iconic moments dealing with the idiocy.

[@dickyt1318]

I thought that Betty Boothroyd was a good Speaker and she was a Labour MP while Bercow thw Conservative was a disaster !

[@moodyb2]

@@laurencefraser He was quite entertaining, until he forgot what his job was and allowed his personal views to direct his actions, and in doing so almost broke our very democracy. The spectacle of the Remainer majority unseating the elected government, facilitated by Bercow breaking every convention, to take control of the House, and de facto, the nation (a COUP in other words!) will never be forgotten, or forgiven.

[@TheGarryq]

@@moodyb2 melodramatic nonsense. The speaker has no whips to force his supporters through the lobbies

[@andrewdoubtfire4700]

The Cameron PMQ’s were usually good. For all his faults Cameron usually had one or two witty retorts.

[@fookdatchit4245]

The biggest laughs I got from Cameron, was when he ate a hot dog with a knife and fork, the other was, when he said he was a West Ham fan instead of Aston Villa. No fan would get those mixed up

[@Jamieclark192]

You might notice that no one directs questions directly to each other. All proceedings must go through the chair/speaker which is why each speaker starts with ‘Mr Speaker’.

[@davidbernard5021]

I would strongly recommend watching the popular British comedy TV show Yes Minister if you are enjoying British politics. BTW this show won more awards than any other.

[@mlittlemlittle2966]

And "yes prime minister" that came before

[@nealokelly]

@@mlittlemlittle2966 Yes Prime Minister cam after Yes Minister. Obvs.

[@mlittlemlittle2966]

@@nealokelly you right. When I read the comment I realized I was the that got confused about the order, not you. Sorry

[@vectorifix3218]

One of the best comedy series of all time

[@gillcawthorn7572]

@@vectorifix3218 And Mrs. Thatcher herself was said to be a fan of this TV programme

[@adamlakeman7240]

The gentleman in the wig is the Speaker of the House of Commons, who at the time was Bernard Weatherill. Their job is to preside over the debates, decide which MPs gets to speak and which amendments on bills are to be considered for votes. This is supposed to be a neutral post, although the fact that Speakers are promoted from the ranks of MPs means accusations of personal bias are not unheard of. Sadly the wig was ditched in 2009 by then-Speaker John Bercow and his successor and current office holder Lindsay Hoyle has not seen fit to bring it back. A tragic loss I'm sure everyone will agree.

[@zarabada6125]

I don't recall a speaker of the UK parliament using the wig since Betty Boothroyd was elected speaker in 1992. I don't think its loss is particularly important. Parliament existed for centuries before it was fashionable to wear a wig and is likely to exist long afterwards.

[@alansmith1989]

@@zarabada6125 Indeed. For me- good riddance to the wig.

[@chriscann7627]

it was hoped that the excellent Speaker Hoyle would restore the wig, but unfortunately not yet. Bernard Weatherill was a scion of the famous family of tailors and always carried a thimble in his waistcoat pocket as a reminder of his humble origins.

[@zarabada6125]

A small correction to my previous comment; I was talking about the UK House of Commons. I have seen speakers of the House of Lords wearing wigs after 1992.

[@TrashskillsRS]

Wearing a fake wig like that just makes it weird.

[@ericevans4040]

The thing i most admired about Maggie was, while she was plunging the knife into your chest she would look you in the eyes and tell you why. no back stabbing,

[@grantpaterson1016]

....but that makes up for her giving Saville and Cyril Smith knighthoods does it? Mi6 TOLD her about Saville....and she THEN forced through his knighthood....yeah, very admirable.

[@marvinc9994]

@@grantpaterson1016 "very admirable" She was a politician - not a candidate for Sainthood ! Tony Benn himself said - in conradistinction to bisexual crossdresser 'Miranda' Blair - that everything she did (politically), she did openly. And even that other well-known Tory-lover Michael Foot described her as a 'diamond' (in the sparkling sense). As for her knowledge of Savile's disgusting antics - that IS a Black Mark, I agree. But she is scarcely alone in THAT department (which is still no excuse, I know). But, compared to Heath's taste for young boys.................................. And Churchill's lies to the British People about Hitler's plans to invade the UK. Where do we stop, frankly ?

[@grantpaterson1016]

@@marvinc9994 So, just to make this clear...you are using 'whataboutism' and defending her rewarding child rapists. She was the prime minister and unlike others, she used her personal power to force through his knighthood...and that of Cyril Smith, so to belittle the children who were torn apart inside, those who killed themselves and those who were forever more traumatised by his vile actions, is a stain on YOU. How dare you try to minimise her RAPE of children, how dare YOU even attempt to smooth over it...how dare YOU attempt to fog the horror that LITTLE CHILDREN went through at her grasping claws. what a truly disgusting reply you have made... you might as well have said 'All for the greater good' and have done with it.

[@marvinc9994]

@@grantpaterson1016 "you are using 'whataboutism' " A meaningless observation, given my use of the expression _Black Mark_ . Didn't you see it ? if you were capable of reading _dispassionately_ , you would have understood that I was making a _general_ point about the moral imperfections of those who seek political power - not building a defence case for the lady. Doubtless, you will deny Maggie T _any_ virtues whatever, despite the testament of literally scores of people who knew her personally (to say nothing of her unpublicised work over decades for (ironically) Save the Children). In addition, you obviously have NO idea EXACTLY what was revealed to her about Savile, apart from the fact that he was highly sexually active, as well as being 'a strange and complex man'. Nowhere - so far as I know - is there any _documentary_ evidence in any papers released under FOI requests (eg by _The Sun_ ) that 'children' were ever mentioned. You give the sorry impression of yet another of those tedious Thatcher-haters, eagerly seizing upon any hook upon which to hang your contempt. Try and be a little more impartial - if you can. "to belittle the children who were torn apart" Now you're getting hysterically sanctimonious. Nowhere in my comment have I 'belittled' the suffering of anyone. Calm down, Dear - you're making yourself look silly ! (And I have NO intention of starting a tennis match with you, by the way)

[@grantpaterson1016]

@@marvinc9994 again you are defending her....am I not allowed to hate someone who facilitates the RAPE OF CHILDREN... the fact you think that RAPING CHILDREN and NECROPHILIA is something that can be 'balanced' to form a judgement of character says more about your abominable mind. It does not matter what people 'thought' about her, it does not matter that she 'correctly' brought about the curbing of out of control unions, it does not matter that she was an excellent narrator, a tough leader etc etc....what matters is that she helped the SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN...ffs....

[@markwilliamson2864]

Prime Ministers Questions used to last for 15 minutes twice a week but when Tony Blair was elected in 1997 he changed it to 30 minutes once a week, but these days it sometimes lasts for more than 45 minutes.

[@moodyb2]

The British House of Commons is a glorious expression of a vibrant, living democracy, and infinitely preferable to the mausoleum like foreign parliaments we see abroad.

[@TheWaveGoodbye-Music]

A democracy that's cracking down on basic rights such as the right to assemble

[@seansmith445]

There is only a show of democracy for the public. Behind the scenes our elected representatives take orders from the one percent.

[@CRINOTH]

This was her last full day as Prime Minister before John Major took over the following day and, therefore, not a particularly typical example of her tenure... but the House of Commons was only first televised around a year before so there's not a lot to choose from really.

[@marycarver1542]

32 years ago now ! Great to see lots of once familiar faces again, many of whom are no longer with us !

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

PMQs is every Wednesday at noon while Parliament is in session. It wasn't until 1881 when a specific time for the PM to answer questions was introduced; before then, the PM answered questions as and when they attended the House. It evolved over time to it's current format, where members can submit a question to ask in advance, which the PM can prepare an answer for, and they can also ask related supplementary questions, which do not require to be submitted, and thus the PM and their aides will have to attempt to predict where these are going and prepare accordingly. The community charge, as the Government called it, was a 'poll tax', a form of tax also known as a 'head tax' or 'capitation'. Essentially, it changed local government funding from the previously existing 'rates' (a property tax) to a levy on each adult living in a property. It was poorly received, as it was regarded as placing the tax burden on the poor. Local governments are curretly funded by 'council tax', which is again based upon the value of each property.

[@drssexy2142]

at the time of this PMQs, PMQ's were still held on Monday and Wednesday at midday for 15 minutes each. Blair (cretin) changed it to a 30 minutes slot on Wednesdays only.

[@markhutton6055]

The Poll Tax as it was called, think local taxes, was an attempt to reform the unfair taxation that preceded and succeeded it. The taxation tried to make every individual responsible for paying their own local services. It was objected to, not because it was unfair, but because people who had previously got a free ride, now had to pay their own way. The policy had protections for those who were of low income and who might have difficulty in paying. Protections that the previous system didn't have. The replacement system had the.same flaws that the previous system had, which places the onus on the head of the household, and which was coated on the worth of the property NOT the income of the householder. So am old lady with limited income could well pay ten times more than a household with five or six (or more) incomes.

[@DropdudeJohn]

Worth checking out a compilation of Dennis Skinners finest moments in the House

[@jetblack.7186]

Did he have any. Can’t think of anything this blokes ever done.

[@DropdudeJohn]

@@jetblack.7186 Dennis Skinner on Black Rod kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXW3hIesrtNri9k

[@Jamieclark192]

PMQ’s is a good introduction to parliamentary proceedings however, a Commons debate is usually a little more measured. Members can give speeches and discuss legislation or issues for time limited periods with other members able to request interventions. These are more debate like and less adversarial tha PMQ’s. Every Government Head of Department can be called to questions by the House of Commons. It’s the main way of the opposition holding the government to account.

[@m_h_1988]

Just in case you're interested in checking it out, Gillian Anderson did a brilliant job of portraying Margaret Thatcher in Netflix's The Crown (Season 4).

[@archiebald4717]

Maggie Thatcher was the first woman PM in the UK. The best PM since WWII. The chap in the wig, is Mr. Speaker. The Dispatch Box is the box on the table before which the PM is standing. The Ceremonial Mace represents the authority of the Monarch. Those MPs are standing because there are not enough seats for all the MPs. It is this rowdy only during Prime Minister' Questions. It is a test of the PM's wit, mettle and stamina.

[@johndododoe1411]

Many consider her the worst. Note the celebration of her death.

[@archiebald4717]

@@johndododoe1411 Of course, she had her detractors. It does not mean that they are right and even if I believe them to be wrong, they are entitled to their opinion. She was elected 11 times by her Constituency and she did win three elections as Prime Minister, so somebody liked her!

[@capablancauk]

Personally if you want some real impertinence Dennis Skinner is the man.

[@peterweaver1248]

I am a staunch Conservative, but Dennis Skinner is a legend I could listen to daily.

[@jamesmcleesh2688]

DENNIS SKINNER !!! THE BEAST OF BOLSOVER ( DERBYSHIRE)

[@capablancauk]

@@jamesmcleesh2688 the very same!

[@Waterford1992]

10:12 No not Scottish he is Northern Irish. His name is James Molyneaux and he was the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party at this time and MP for Lagan Valley.

[@bambazonke1013]

Watch The Falklands Play it's on amazon prime atm (well at least in the UK). it's based on the minutes of meetings and information from those involved at the time... Thatcher at her finest.

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

Never agreed with her politics and never liked the persona she presented to the world. But she deserves respect for her elan and ability to match any opponent blow for blow. She was a tough and skilled politician.

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

The most downloaded song in England the week when Thatcher died, was "Ding dong the witch is dead" so a large group of people certainly disliked her.

[@greyhound2401]

The Despatch Box is the lecturn the PM stands at to answer questions and make statements. In previous centuries was used to house military and civil despatches and letters.

[@DaveF.]

The 'first past the post' joke: National elections in the UK are held via a majority-wins system - You get more votes than anyone else, you win. . The MP asking the question was from a party who wanted that changed to a proportional voting system. The irony she's alluding to is that the internal election to decide who ran the Tory party did not operate like that, but was a more complex system requiring the winner pass a certain threshold, else more rounds of voting took place. Thatcher won the most votes in the first round, and if it'd been a national election - which she supported for national elections - she'd have won - but she didn't do well enough to avoid a second round of voting.

[@batman51]

That is not quite right. It is first past the post in each constituency but is possible for the government to get both more or less votes overall than the opposition depending on the way votes have been cast. One MP may win by a single vote, another by 20.000 majority.

[@andrewclayton4181]

It creates unbalanced ruling parties. The situation frequently arises where the govt party has more MP 's even though the opposition parties gained more votes.

[@laurencefraser]

First Past The Post is, in fact, what the USA uses for it's congressional elections (well, to my understanding). ... they don't have an independent body to draw the constituency boundaries, it is done by whoever is in power at the time when the results of the census come in (I'm not sure if it's just 'census came in, redraw accordingly' or 'census indicates it's off by too much, redraw it'. either way.)... Yes, this leads to Exactly the nonsense you'd expect. I don't know Exactly how Britain does things, but in New Zealand, the body responsible for that task is one of several governmental bodies that does NOT answer to parliament (well, beyond the inevitable budgetary issues, but any budget that doesn't include appropriate funding for basic governmental functions like that would struggle to pass the house and would probably cause a constitutional crises when ascent was denied if it did... something pretty much everyone involved is borderline paranoid about and thus avoids at all costs.)

[@rnsc8342]

Of course the problem with PR is that it means the voters dont get what any party offered or coherent policies. They can get policies that the small parties insist on even if the vast majority of voters dont want them. Or you get an inability to agree action as seen in the UK the 2010 to 2015 period when Liberals didnt get what they wanted and protested by cancelling overdue boundary changes needed to keep seats in line with population changes. Or you get the minor partner saying it wants something, but it wants not to be seen to agree and upset some of its vote - so it insists on irresponsible delays - as with the UK nuclear deterrent. PR became a dead issue in the UK after voters rejected it in a referendum and the Liberals upset so many of their voters making some really necessary but hard decisions, that those voters didnt like. The voters rejected the principle and Liberal voters deserting made it clear that small party voters didnt like politicians who made the compromises needed in coalitions. The US has first past the post elections for Congress and President- but with gerrymandered House seats and a Senate which gaves the same representation to tiny states as ones with 50 times more people.. And that voting system, the Constitution, 2 year election cycle and Senate rules, now ensure logjam and inability to do much at all , has become a near norm - as agreement between the 2 main parties has become rare. Far better to have an executive that relies on majority legislative support and can carry out a manifesto over 4 to 5 years - unless it manages to lose support among its own MPs.

[@spielboy6931]

@@rnsc8342 The probllem with first past the post is that parties can get around 35% of the popular vote and get a majority in parliament and therefore get to govern with no reference to the opinions of the other 65% - both Labour and Conservatives have managed to do this in the past. The problem with first past the post is that parties that a significant part of the national vote ( 10%+ ) end up with negligible ( ie 1 or 2 seats ) presence in parliament - this has happened to both UKIP and Green parties in recent years. The problem with first past the post is that if you live in a constituency where a party you do not support regularly get close to or over 50% of the vote in that constituency your vote means nothing and contributes nothing to getting your views represented in parliament - this of course leads to disenfranchisement and disengagement from politics as you literally cannot affect anything. None of the above is really democratic. And Obviously PR works - as many highly functional democracies use it - Germany is using right now to elect its government. The referendum during the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition was for AV ( Alernative Vote ) not PR. The Conservatives knew that AV would only lose them a few seats and would not really stop them forming a government with a minority of the popular vote - hence why they agreed to it. The thing about PR is no country that has moved to it from first past the post has ever gone back to first past the post system. I am not certain the PR debate is dead - the smaller parties want it- and there is increasing demand within the Labour Party for it to adopted as policy - which suggests only the Conservatives are 100% happy with the current voting system - I suspect it is coimg though it might take another 20 years. I will just be happy when my vote actually contributes something for the first time in almost 40 years of voting. I really don't like not having my and others views ( even those different from mine ) not being properly represented in parliament.

[@djin81]

Watching an American watch this makes me imagine Prime Minister Frederick North taking questions from opposition leader Charles James Fox, who supported Washington, during the American Revolution.

[@vaudevillian7]

And used to attend Parliament in a Continental ‘uniform’ - the ‘Americans’ had fairly notable support (and representation) in Parliament, there was a solid American lobby notably headed up by Pitt. Shame that side of things gets missed out on the popular narrative in the US.

[@langdalepaul]

Jim Molyneaux was the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, so Northern Ireland, not Scotland.

[@crose7412]

@langdalepaul It'd have been helpful for context if you'd pointed out that it starts at 9:59.

[@Mike-James]

There is a box in front of her. called the dispatch box. It all depends on the speaker whether he can control the house, you need to check out some video's on KZbin about the speakers.

[@Jamieclark192]

The prime minister is briefed on the scheduled questions before hand, they have time to prepare detailed answers.

[@neilgriffiths6427]

...and then they can ask ANY follow-up question for which the PM is not briefed on. Imagine Joe Biden doing this, once a week? Nah, me neither.

[@GenialHarryGrout]

@@neilgriffiths6427 Both George W Bush and Donald Trump would have been like lambs to the slaughter if they had to do something like this.

[@simonsaunders8147]

@@GenialHarryGrout And Biden who seems to struggle with line of thought and questions from his own party!

[@Malky24]

@@GenialHarryGrout Person, Woman, Man, Camera, TV

[@markwilliamson2864]

I recall that before Prime Minister's Questions was first broadcast live on the radio in 1978 there was quite a lot of concern that MPs would ‘play to the gallery’, and the same was said again before it was first televised live in 1990.

[@EricIrl]

And those fears have been confirmed ever since.

[@johndododoe1411]

Have their been recordings in non-written form from prior decades. It could be interesting to hear some of the famed appearances of PMs like Churchill. Obviously they lacked the equipment for most of the prior centuries.

[@EricIrl]

@@johndododoe1411 ALL Parliamentary proceedings have been recording in writing for well over 100 years. The proceedings are put together into a book known as "Hansards" and you can check back and read full official records dating back to 1903. Older records exist back to 1803.

[@markwilliamson2864]

@@johndododoe1411 I’ve heard that the PMQ exchanges between Heath and Wilson were quite poisonous due to the levels of personal animosity between them.

[@johndododoe1411]

@@EricIrl I specified non-written records. Like tape or lacquer records.

[@generaladvance5812]

Feel free to start this as a series. I always enjoy PMQ's too.

[@jovianr9498]

I think you would enjoy learning more about Margaret Thatcher. Although I abhor her politics, she should be remembered not only as the first female British Prime Minister, but also as one of the more learned and intelligent holders of that office, particularly when compared to more recent ones. She is also unusual as having been a scientist before going into politics. She was also one of the first world leaders to promote the need to act on climate change. Here are three quotes from a speech she made in 1990 - more than thirty years ago: “The danger of global warming is as yet unseen, but real enough for us to make changes and sacrifices, so that we do not live at the expense of future generations,” and “Our ability to come together to stop or limit damage to the world's environment will be perhaps the greatest test of how far we can act as a world community,” she said. “We shall need statesmanship of a rare order.” and “Our immediate task is to carry as many countries as possible with us, so that we can negotiate a successful framework convention on climate change in 1992,” she said in that 1990 speech. “To accomplish these tasks, we must not waste time and energy disputing the IPCC's report or debating the right machinery for making progress.”

[@ericthemauve]

She was also one of the most evil women ever to have walked on this earth.

[@TheQeltar]

Shame that her politics makes it impossible to address climate change.

[@jovianr9498]

The gold thing is the Mace. It represents the powers of the monarch exercised by Parliament. It is necessary for it to be present in order for the House to meet and pass laws. The upper House (the House of Lords) also has to have a mace present for them to meet. The exception for the House of Lords being during the state opening of parliament when the house of lords mace is replaced by the Monarch herself.

[@nickgrazier3373]

I think the Desk in from of Maggie is called the Dispatch Box. The bloke in the wig is the Speaker who everyone speaks through

[@keith6400]

It is all skillfully organised, the same as in court, that everything is directed at "The Speaker" (in lieu of a judge) so direct arguments do not occur. The Members of Parliament voice their opinions, jeers etc. the same as in a Pantomime. The more senior party members sit near the front, "The Front Benchers" whereas the less senior member sit in the back benches.

[@Jamieclark192]

Thatcher was the UK’s first female PM, Teresa May was the second.

[@ajt22]

I forgot about May .... LOL

[@stevecooke355]

Yes, Thatcher was our first female PM and in some ways, the most controversial. Also, I congratulate you on summing up the situation as organised chaos. Thats exactly what the commons is and is my chief criticism of democracy in our country. They bicker like children and yet are expected to run the country. It's madness imo. And it's not specific to Thatcher or the times, it hasn't changed much over the years

[@TrashskillsRS]

It is a legacy from when it truely was the common people, they would drag in their bickering from pubs and tea houses and yell at eachother in parliament instead. Sort of what Football does today.

[@stevecooke355]

@@TrashskillsRS it's a legacy of incompetence. Shouting at each other so no one can hear anything is how to run a country? Football has nothing to do with it. If things go really badly in football, nobody ends up in a nuclear war.

[@joealyjim3029]

Its half an hour once per week, hardly likely to hold up any major legislation. Its also far better than the US system where The President doesnt have to answer to congress or know their own policies.

[@stevecooke355]

@@joealyjim3029 it's a typical day in parliament. Pmq or not, it's exactly how they act every time it's open. Watch bbc parliament sometime

[@joealyjim3029]

@@stevecooke355 it isnt, during a debate on a legislative bill there are often far less MPs in the house and they often concede to each other. It also doesnt particularly matter as they are all whipped into their votes for the most part so its not as if theyll persuade each other to switch sides. Changes made to bills are largely made through the comittee stage.

[@juliebarker7025]

🇬🇧 The guy in the wig is the speaker of the house he is in charge of the whole house and keeps order. Maggie Thatcher was a remarkable woman who was the UKs first woman prime minister. A lot of people didn’t like her but she was no fool she put the UK first, if she was here now you differently would not see boats full of young men crossing the channel onto our shores. She would have told Macron what he could do with himself and would not think twice about turning the boats back no matter what 🇬🇧

[@sandrahilton3239]

margaret Thatcher was the first female prime minister and she was known as the Iron Lady due to her handling of the russians and the argentinians.

[@quacksalverextraordinaire4706]

When is my Right-honorable friend from the great State of Tennessee going to post the second episode of Sharpe on Patreon? 😂🤣😂🤣

[@Davey-Boyd]

Hear hear!

[@Bill-2203]

Hear hear!

[@Waterford1992]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@davidbernard5021]

When I was younger,I use to go to Parliament to watch Question Time with Thatcher as often as possible. There is a viewers gallery above everyone. It was the best entertainment, for free, available for me. She was amazing with her answers. When George Bush was coming to Britain for a visit he turned down the opportunity to address Parliament, mostly because he didn't want to answer any questions that would be put to him as is the right of the British politicians to ask them. I am sure this was a smart move on behalf of the Americans.

[@dickyt1318]

normally a foreign dignitary might be invited to address the Houses of Parliment [there are two chambers in one building] usually not from the House of Commons but from the House of Lords. There is no Q & A's on these occasions. More recently on occasions held in 10 Downing Street [or its Rose Garden] between our Prime Minister & foriegn Leaders Q & A's have been allowed but very little if anything comes out or is off-script !

[@TheGarryq]

A foreign dignitary might be invited to to give a speech from the neutral Westminster Hall, but it is a speech, not a question-and-answer session

[@davidhyams2769]

The guy in the wig is Mr Speaker. He essentially controls the debate and attempts to keep order and ensure that the rules of the House (of Commons) are obeyed. He is an elected MP and is voted into the position of Speaker by all MPs, not just the party in power. The speaker then holds that position for as many years as they wish, until they decide to step down. The Speaker effectively takes themselves out of partisan party politics while holding this position. The Dispatch Box is essentially just a box file, although it doesn't contain any documents. There is one on each side of the table in front of the Speaker, one in front of the government side (the Government benches) and one in front of the Opposition (the Opposition Benches.) Whereas any MP can address the House (when called on by the Speaker) from their seat on the "benches" a Prime Minister or Minister or their equivalent opposition "Shadow Minister" will address the House from their respective Dispatch Box. The senior ministers and shadow ministers sit on the front row on their respective sides and are known as "Front Benchers." or collectively as "The Front Bench." And yes, Margaret Thatcher was the UK's first woman Prime Minister. The "poll tax" or more formally the "community charge" was mean to be a tax of a fixed amount per adult, irrespective of income or ability to pay, even including students still in full-time education with no income. It led to riots in many UK towns and cities and was the cause of Mrs Thatcher's downfall. A poll tax had previously been levied in England in 1377, but by 1380 was 3 times higher and led to the Peasants Revolt in 1381. In the event, the Community Charge was never imposed and was replaced by "Council Tax" on a scale determined by the value of your house at a point in time. This tax is paid to the local authority to help pay for the police and fire services, street cleaning and trash collections, road maintenance, social services, etc. There are reductions in the amount paid for single occupancy homes and for people on social security benefits. The M11 mentioned is a motorway, a high-speed road between main centres. The M11 runs north-east from London to Cambridge. It's one of the shorter motorways in the UK. Stansted Airport, which is one four serving London, is about half-way along it.

[@marycarver1542]

The PM is always chosen by the party in power. In this case it is the Conservatives. Labout, the next largest party is the "opposition" but at Question time, all the parties get a chance to speak and ask questions. They are the Welsh , the Northern Irish, and the Scottish Nationalist party.

[@AtheistOrphan]

The House of Lords IS more formal. Most of them are asleep!

[@chrisholland7367]

And they get paid for it .🙄

[@madabbafan]

Are you sure they are only asleep?

[@freefolkofthenuminousoccid9054]

This is wonderful. Love seeing you react to UK stuff. 🙂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@marycarver1542]

I agree, and like the young lady, but I think things in the USA must be very different. We consider it very rude to keep filling ones face with food and drink while presenting a show! Not necessary surely !

[@ravenmasters2467]

i love your wholesome, intelligent videos. The success that you have is a credit to you and your subscribers.

[@marycarver1542]

I agree, but wonder why suegal has to constantly eat and drink throughout!

[@kimi17171]

if you're interested you can watch crown on Netflix. Gillian Anderson killed it as Margaret Thatcher in S4. I liked it even more than Meryl Streep.

[@carlhartwell7978]

It wasn't a bad portrayal, though it did seem as if she was portraying her to be far older and frailer than she actually was at the time.

[@carlwebster4217]

We have a similar system in Australia which is the Westminster system. I absolutely love question time

[@jazzx251]

Fun fact you might like: You'll notice a red line on the floor next to the opposition and government benches. These lines are set at a distance which means that, even while wielding a sword, you couldn't reach your opponent!

[@marycarver1542]

PMQs, Priminsters Questions take place for ONE hour ONCa week.

[@BlueShadow777]

Rules of Parliamentary debate is that the member stands, placing his order papers on his head to present for being called to question the PM.

[@Jamieclark192]

The parties usually try to shout each other down however in recent years the Speaker has tried to make the debates more cordial. However, the adversarial nature of the chamber makes this difficult at certain times when Members are debating controversial issues.

[@darrenjones5885]

Margaret Thatcher does the dead parrot sketch is well worth watching. It happened at a conference and she eviscerated her targets.

[@marycarver1542]

Every week the entire Parliament gather to question the PM !

[@MarkLKahnt]

Okay, the table between the two sides, in front of the Speaker, is called The Table, and the Clerk and his or her assistants, a longtime employee of the chamber rather than the government, handles the operation of the administrative aspects of conducting debate. In the middle of The Table is that gold thing - the calendar, which shows the month and date, nothing more, to the Members. The books are of the laws and procedures, which the Clerk (or usually an assistant) can consult and advise the Speaker on matters of debate at hand. At the end of The Table, away from the Speaker and the Clerk, is the Royal Mace, which gives the House of Commons the authority to conduct business. The Sergeant-at-Arms Carrie’s it into the Chamber each day ahead of the Speaker, and removes it at day’s end. There is a process where the House can resolve itself into “The Committee of the Whole” when it reviews bills clause by clause under less intense rules than normal debate, and during that time the Speaker leaves the Chair and a Deputy Speaker sits as Chair of the Committee. During that time, the Mace is removed from The Table and placed in a spot below it. When done as the Committee of the Whole, the Mace returns to The Table and the bill as revised in the Committee is reported to the House for a vote on whether to read it a Third Time. In Westminster Parliamentary procedure, all bills go through three readings, the first a title and very brief intro leading to a vote to have the actual bill printed for the Members to read, a second reading of the proposed text, and then the third reading is the final text. The two boxes on either side of The Table by the Mace are the Dispatch Boxes, one in front of the Prime Minister, the other in front of the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. When giving longer speeches, notes can be placed on them, but strictly reading a word for word pre-written speech is not done. Around an hour or so each day that the House meets is given over to Oral Questions, aka Question Period, with one day of those, I believe Wednesday, being for the Prime Minister’s Questions. Other days, the Cabinet Ministers handle questions that relate to their specific ministries. The questions are forwarded in general form in advance to the one to answer it so their staff can brief them on the pertinent information. So no, none of the ones answering questions know all of these things right off the top of their head. Because most of the rest of Parliament is rather dry and these questions and answers are much more sound bite length, newscasts tend to give Question Period much more attention than it really deserves. It does, however, keep the government far more on its toes than you have in the American system. This was also not as typical of a PMQ or any other Question Period as usually most of the questions come from the benches to the left of the Speaker, the Loyal Opposition. Meanwhile, the Government always are on the benches to the Speaker’s right. Two last points: Poll Tax and First Past The Post. Usually taxes for municipal governments were Rates - property taxes based on the perceived rental value of a property. Because Labour controlled many urban councils and people were in need, they stepped in and ran programmes at the municipal level that had been shut down at the national level. This meant the need for more tax revenue which resulted in those with better homes paying more. To stop these programmes, Thatcher introduced a flat, per person tax, which is known as a Poll Tax. That meant that the poor would pay a much greater share of what income they had - which did not go over well (riots et al) with pretty well anyone. The reaction caused the Tories to realise that Thatcher had gone too far, and she was forced out as Leader. First Past the Post is the same voting system as is used pretty well everywhere in the United States - voters vote for the candidates on the ballot for an office and the one with the most votes wins. Ranked Choice Voting is used in Maine and is coming to Alaska, and was being used to choose Thatcher’s successor - voters rank the candidates from One to whatever or some maximum number and the ballots are counted based on the first choice. If nobody gets 50%, the lowest placed candidate is dropped and their second place choices are used to assign their votes. This keeps being done until somebody breaks the 50% threshold. In Britain, ranked choice voting would wipe out most Conservatives, as the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Scottish National, Plaid Cymru, and Greens would likely hit 50% first in most of the countries. Hey, I salute you for looking to find out about these things as many don’t care to make the effort. In Canada, we have the Westminster Parliamentary system as well, so Question Period, the Mace (we have one as well - the one for the Ontario legislature was stolen by American troops in the War of 1812 and only returned about 50 years ago, but we went and raided the White House and Capitol in response - the White House wasn’t called that until after the raid and the burn and smoke marks were covered with whitewash) and Speaker, Clerk and Table are all part of our process as well. The Canadian Speaker’s Parade can be viewed if you search Kevin Vickers - the day after a gunman broke into Parliament he was honoured by the Members for saving them.

[@DaveF.]

Oh, and it's not usually that rowdy. PMQ's is almost wholly political theatre - it's an opportunity to confront the Prime Minister, and total time is strictly limited to (I think 15 mins, or possibly 30 mins nowadays) so each question is only seconds long and is an ideal opportunity to get on the evenings news. As such it basically guarantees the partipents will be grandstanding, making snarky sound-bites and generally trying to get one over on the PM as much as possible. Basically, it's twitter.

[@jazzx251]

yes - that's true You'll often see politicians grand-standing on "behalf of their constituents" over subjects that the Prime Minister would have no chance of knowing about: MP: "In my constituency of North-East Dorking-cum-Quy, this guy next to my house is doing DIY at midnight and keeping me and my family up all night. What is he going to do about it? And shouldn't ALL people be protected from a power drill at 2AM? ... something this ROTTEN GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO DO!"

[@alanmorris3601]

Thank you for this, I had forgotten how frigging awesome she was

[@sandrahilton3239]

on the desk is the Mace. its placed on the desk when the house is sitting. The books will be reference books and Hansard which records all parliament business.

[@MS-19]

Hello from the UK! Margaret Thatcher was indeed our first woman PM, and our longest serving, spending 11 years in office and winning three consecutive General Elections (1979, 1983 and 1987) with two of those elections producing landslide majorities of over 100 for the Conservative Party. She was also the first PM whose weekly Question Time sessions were televised. At that time, the sessions were relatively brief: two 15-minute sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When Tony Blair became PM in 1997, he altered the format to one 30-minute session held on Wednesdays; that remains the way it is done to the present day. In all cases, the format allows MPs of all parties to submit questions in advance. Those whose questions are selected will be given an opportunity to ask them during the session; those whose questions aren't selected may still try to ask them by standing up and trying to catch the Speaker's attention - this practice is called "bobbing" (as in bobbing up and down) and you will notice it in any video of PMQs. The custom is to alternate between questions from the government's own party and questions from the opposition parties. The leader of the largest opposition party - the Official Opposition - is permitted to ask 6 questions, whilst the leader of the second largest opposition party may ask 2 questions. Officially it is the means by which MPs can hold the government to account by questioning its leader about a whole range of issues, ranging from national policy to matters affecting an MP's own constituency. Unofficially it is one of our Parliament's biggest theatrical acts, giving MPs from the governing party an opportunity to praise and affirm the work of the government and "big up" the PM (in essence, pitching for their party to be returned to power at the next General Election) whilst putting down the Opposition. Meanwhile, the Opposition uses it as an opportunity to criticise the government, and indicate how they would propose to do a better job if they were in government instead. The desk in the middle of the Chamber contains transcripts of Parliamentary records and protocols, so that the PM and other Ministers and Shadow Ministers can be advised during proceedings. The Dispatch Box is the box at which the PM and Leader of the Opposition stand to dispatch the business of the day. You wondered about how the PM knows enough detail to respond to very precise questioning about infrastructure. Essentially, because most of the questions are submitted in advance, the PM can be briefed about them and can research, or be told by advisors, suitable information to form an answer. The PM will also be aware of the constituencies represented by MPs who are questioning - in the case of the first one here, Alan Haslehurst, she would have known that he represented the constituency covering Stansted Airport, and would have been aware of the developments under construction. If she hadn't known that, her answer might have been along the lines of "I will write to the Minister(s) responsible and find out more, but I agree with my Hon Friend and hope to assure him that the work will be done properly and on time." The reference to First Past the Post described the system used for counting votes at elections in the UK - the number of votes are totalled for each candidate and the one with the most votes wins the seat; the party winning the most seats (if enough to gain a majority of seats) gets to form the government and its leader gets to be PM. The joke was that, as pointed out by the Labour MP asking the question, the Conservatives were using a different system of preferential voting to elect Thatcher's successor, rather than using First Past the Post. You asked about the conduct of sessions in the Lords. Those do indeed tend to be more formal, akin to what you see in the US houses.

[@tonybaker55]

I was never that interested in politics when I was younger and particularly during Maggie's time. Since retiring, I find it fascinating. The sessions over Brexit and then other turbulent discussions were an eye opener. The drama is part of the tradition, when no one can use a name to address someone, but use honourable member or right honourable member, if they have held a senior post in Gov. The Speaker of the House we had before the current one was John Bercow. A real character in his own right, hated by some, but I loved his interaction with both sides of the House. A mini series of different sessions would be good to see. There is a dedicated BBC channel just for Parliament these days, which is on all day when they are in session. Some days it can be hardly anyone there, but if there is a motion to create or change a law, then it can be packed and the voting process is also fascinating to see.

[@steved6092]

The "Golden Chalice" is The Mace in the House of Commons it's a symbol of Royal authority ... the House of Commons can only operate lawfully when the Royal mace is present at the table ... laws cannot be passed without it being there

[@alanparkinson549]

"House of Representatives" ?

[@steved6092]

Ooops 😂 ... you picked up on the " deliberate " mistake ! 😂😂 ... Yes, meant the House of Commons

[@ryanfrancis827]

The Sun newspaper has a series of videos (MPs behaving badly) on here that you might enjoy! It’s basically a compilation of the wittiest, funniest, and weirdest moments in recent parliamentary goings-on. Great video, keep it up! :)

[@Jay-in6dl]

To add to this: Do not watch the sun. Do not give the sun exposure. Do not give them any kind of ad money. Don’t be a scab.

[@dawnhauton7543]

Lady Thatcher was the greatest PM since Sir Winston Churchill .... God rest her soul .....

[@catherinewilkins2760]

Parliament has been like this for years. There are standing orders on how things are conducted, they were written down by the Clerk to the Commons, Erskine May, during the Victorian era. If you think its very British you should look up Jacob Rees Mogg, who is a Conservative MP. He has a way with words and can be very funny. He is the Leader of the House and its his job to set the running order of debate. I often watch Parliament,

[@atorthefightingeagle9813]

You should look into the history of the poll tax going back centuries. There were riots about it that year in London in 1990.

[@Payne2view]

This was an unusual occasion 30 or so years ago, when Mrs Thatcher was leaving (forced by her own party), hence the tributes from her own party and jeers from the opposition parties. The guy in the wig "The Speaker" doesn't wear a wig anymore. The "Poll Tax" or "Community Charge" was a form of taxation which moved from a single charge for a household to taxation of every individual in a household. It was so unpopular that there were actual riots about it. It was changed a few years later.

[@jenniferhill1882]

Keep in mind this is televised so how they act during this time is contrived. Some questions she will have been notified of before hand and some she would have proposed be asked such as the ones inviting her to visit. Australia does Question Time in parliament too it gets televised so it’s quite contrived just like this.

[@michael_177]

Inb4 honk comments 😂

[@Jay-in6dl]

Honk

[@andyp5899]

The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is equivalent to the ranked voting system in the US. First Past The Post is simply the candidate who got the most votes.

[@folksinger2100]

Well they didn't get the most votes, as you can win an election on less than 40% of the votes cast, hence disenfranchising around 60% of the electorate,

[@andyp5899]

@@folksinger2100 My choice of 'most' was deliberate as unlike 'majority' it doesn't imply more than half the votes. In theory with FPTP, a candidate can win by one vote more than the number of valid votes cast divided by the number of candidates running

[@folksinger2100]

@@andyp5899 As explained a Labour voter in the seat I live in might as well not bother voting as even with all the opposition votes added up this gerrymanded seat would remain tory. My nearest Labour or Lib Dem MP is over 20 miles away and because of MP protocol will not engage with me. Something really stinks with FPTP

[@martinstensvehagen9161]

Watch Jay formans video on the parlament and priministers questions! Same guy who makes map men

[@philippankhurst6680]

The man in the wig is the Speaker (he no longer wears one). PMQs are only 30 minutes every Wednesday. The Conservatives had won 3 elections and were not expected to win a 4th, but Mrs T's successor John Major did win a 4th election in 1992.The Tories (Conservatives) remained in power until 1997. Love her or loath her, Mrs Thatcher will be remembered when everyone else there in the Commons that day have long been forgotten, maybe even for 1,000 years as the lady MP suggested. For me, she was the greatest Prime Minister in my lifetime, and I've seen 10 of them.

[@spikesimon]

She was the greatest British Prime Minister since WW2. That’s all ❤️

[@dio2702]

@spikesimon 2018 *worst

[@Ecthaelyon]

@@dio2702 Nooo, that accolade goes to Tony B'Liar.

[@matelot95]

She's been out if power for 30 years and swathes of the UK have still not yet recovered from what she did.

[@VonRichtburg]

Nah, I don't think Biden would survive that kind of "question time" thingy. :D Oh, and the movie about Thatcher you are referring to at the beginning is "The Iron Lady". Very good movie and very good performance from Meryl Streep.

[@anthonycuthbertson6545]

The mind boggles at how tRump would do. I think it safe to say that neither Biden or tRunp would become Prime Minister of the U.K.or Australia (where I Am ) for that matter.

[@johnmiller0000]

I think Reagan and Obama would have been very entertaining and possibly Clinton. But the Bush clan and Trump - nope.

[@watfordjc]

"I count my blessings for the fact I don't have to go into that pit that John Major stands in, nose-to-nose with the opposition, all yelling at each other." --President George HW Bush

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

biden wouldve be sleeping all the way through it lmao, thanks to biden all major usa cities is now a liberal ghetto where crime is allowed and free speech is now illegal

[@boothy201]

This was a very special and unique occasion. While PM's questions can get lively at times, it's rarely this bad.

[@dickyt1318]

interesting fact relevant to your last comments on your 'video' is that there are two lines drawn on the floor of the House Of Commons [in red I think] and that the spave inbetween those lines and the opposing benches are said to be two sword lengths apart so they were prepared for trouble !

[@ayeready6050]

The last British prime minister with a backbone

[@permets2apollox453]

Need another one like her. An actual Conservative, unlike the circus we have now

[@greyman3515]

The question about preferential voting is suggesting a system, like in Australia, where voters number candidates in order of their preference. If the candidate a voter placed as 1 isn’t in the running the vote goes to number 2 and so on until all votes are shared between the top 2 candidates. First past the post means the candidate with the most votes wins. US used preferential system in Alaska election that ousted Palin.

[@joescarecrow]

This will be a great series and I look forward to it. The speaker no longer wears a wig but the speaker before our current one (John Bercow) was absolutely hilarious. his put downs, insults, advice for rowdy members and presence in general was fantastic to watch. PMQ's is held every Wednesday at noon. The Prime minister generally dodges questions and deflects (that goes for every prime minister). Very entertaining though! I'd reccomend avideo on John Bercow's best bits, maybe a few... and also a video of Dennis Skinner's best bits.

[@markwilliamson2864]

I didn’t really like the job John Bercow did as speaker, he was far to eager to insert himself right into the centre of parliamentary proceedings and subjected MPs to his own very lengthy interruptions, which completely broke up the flow of debates and questions. A good House of Commons speaker should be like a good referee in football, when he’s doing his job well you don’t really notice him.

[@joescarecrow]

@@markwilliamson2864 That's fair enough. He was the longest serving Speaker since the second world war though and was speaker for over a decade. Even if you don't like him, he was funny.

[@stewartross1233]

Bercow was a disgrace, an insult to the position. A more bias narcissistic individual you could not find. A nauseating little man!

[@melkor3496]

Can you react to national anthems in their original languages with English lyrics?

[@BlameThande]

Seconded. For that matter, even English language ones benefit from subtitles.

[@stephencolvin7819]

This was a crap PM questions. Her "no, no, no" PM questions was a good one.

[@zarabada6125]

The majority of questions are submitted in advance and the civil servants in each department are asked to provide a briefing before the weekly question time. There may be some supplementary questions that the Prime Minister has no briefing on but there should be an answer to each person's first question in her notes. It is then down to the Prime Minister's memory of the briefing and style of delivery. A PM who did not have enough preparation time or just a bad memory may be seen sifting through notes for the correct answer.

[@ianprince1698]

saw a program about this and the prime minister will use what they know about the questioner to work out the subsequent questions so they are still prepared

[@bill_benjamin]

Once a week, on a Wednesday afternoon, the popcorn comes out and PMQs goes on.

[@millsy1861]

The greatest Prime Minister since Churchill. She wasn't called the Iron Lady for nothing. God rest her soul.

[@danddjacko]

Churchill and Thatcher were only useful during wars, apart from that they were both terrible

[@geoffwright3692]

The Thatcher years were amongst the most divisive in British history, with endless privatisation of public services, high unemployment and general rundown of manufacturing industry, typified by the Miners' strike, the longest industrial dispute in history. Without the massive general election win of 1983 following the Falklands War, they'd have probably struggled.

[@marksadventures3889]

Indeed, popping down and slapping the Argentine's really won the next election for the the "baby-milk snatcher", everyone got giddy due to win over a 4th rate fractured country run by a cabal of no more than gangsters; ridding high on this the Tories (conservatives) called an election and won. However, although quite eloquent, Neil Kinnock (Labour) was no match for Maggie Thatcher and would have been quite inept as PM. The wig denotes a judge - the Houses of Commons being the highest courts of the land, therefore the behaviour, or should I say traditions before the speaker and dispatch box are based upon a court of law. Personally I believe that the speaker should not come from any political party but rather should be elected from the Justice department of Crown courts and high judges this way neutrality could be assured. I think the rowdy behaviour has gone up a few notches since the cameras were admitted.

[@markgrant1176]

The House of Lords is where the monarch gives the Speech from the Throne for the annual Opening of Parliament.

[@Wulfsige-fd2hu]

I can't believe American politicians don't even get to question the president

[@RB747domme]

PMQs is somewhat light-hearted actually, although it looks like a bit of a bloodsport I agree. The general debates in chamber are much more relaxed, sober and intellectual compared to PMQs. The real actual debates on particular candidates for upcoming policy review, or policies in force, tend to go on a lot longer and are much more quiet and healthy on the whole. It was a great idea to televise pmq, and I'm glad they did, as it allowed the public into the chamber for the first time, although there were summaries on BBC Radio 4 for some years prior. EDIT: although I am not a committed voter to any wing in particular, I do have to laugh at one of the final questions tabled by a Labour MP about hardship in the UK. When the Tories came to power in 1979, they followed years of poverty karma strikes, production breaking down, Union control, homeless, rubbish piling up on the streets, and general discord among the public and disillusionment everywhere you looked. And of course after the spending spree that Tony Blair's Labour government went on when they came to power in 97 came to an end when Gordon brown left power, he left Britain completely broke, with the highest deficit since the Second World War - without a single penny left in the Treasury, so I thought it would be quite ironic foreshadowing on his part. Not that I'm against all of Labour's policies, and not that I'm for all of Conservative policies like I said. I just don't want another Blairite gov't with with their sense of morals covered in blood, and their sense of economics reading from Friedman and Keynes economics books at the same time - and achieving neither. As for the current Johnson government, which you would hope couldn't get much worse than Theresa May (worst PM since I've lived in the UK) , well, not really much good to say about that either. Maybe Scotland should introduce a first minister's questions, now that really would be a good watch.. The wicked witch of the North chills my bones. She really has polarized Scotland, in my view anyway. The Scottish people don't know whether to cheer her, or hate her. Now, who does that reminds me of.. hmmm..

[@tozmom615]

Yes the krankie has destroyed my country. She is wicked.

[@rnp497]

I recommend John Bercow Speaker of Parliament put-downs. Funny stuff

[@markmorris7123]

She was ultra Conservative. Her policies were terrible for the poor,, and she is the reason why housing costs are crazy.. She also signed off on the blood scandal in the 80s..however she was amazing when it came to the Falklands.. You should definitely watch something on the Falklands.

[@5imp1]

Another great reaction video. The Poll tax was very controversial and very unpopular. Before the poll tax there was a thing called 'Rates'. Rates was a kind of tax that every household had to pay to their local authority/council. It was used to pay for local council services such as rubbish (trash) removal, street cleaning, emergency services etc. Rates was stopped and Poll tax took over. Every person aged 16 and above was then required by law to pay the new poll tax. I was now required to pay almost all of my earnings (as an apprentice motor mechanic I didn't earn much) to the new poll tax. This change almost overnight left me working full time and giving pretty much all of my money away to the local council. This scenario happened to millions of people all over the country and we rioted. Boy did we riot. When it was the old Rates tax, my parents just paid it for the whole household. Anyway, they kind of changed it back to what it was previously, with only one charge per household but called it Council tax. This is still a thing today and I pay it and it covers our household, so that my 16 y.o son and 18 y.o daughter do not have to pay. Incidentally, London has some of the highest council tax charges in England and in my area, (Bexley) we have the highest in all of London. Rather perversely, Westminster council (where lots of rich politicians live) has the lowest in all of London.

[@markthomas2577]

She was a Class Warrior for the rich and powerful

[@ericevans4040]

i am not either of those,

[@permets2apollox453]

Socialist cope

[@PD-jk5hd]

If you do continue this mini series, when you come to the Tony Blair years you may consider at somepoint the Commons recall after "9/11" which i saw recently, near the 20th anniversary. Regardless of anyone's opinion on Blair's later close ties to Bush, it is the House of Commons at it's most respectful and poignant - all sides of the house in a rare moment of unity and agreement regardless of political views. It's very long though so you may want to edit it kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3TGk6CLepmIqdU

[@geoffcook1446]

First past the post -> The Prime Minister is also the leader of the party he/she represents. In Great Britain, there are 650 seats (constituencies) in the Houses of Parliament. The first party to get 326 seats, becomes the government, and thus their leader, becomes the Prime Minister. As well as Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher was also the Member of Parliament for Finchley (a suburb in North London).

[@kcechoxzar]

Prime Minister's Questions is something every country should have

[@YekouriGaming]

Margaret Thatcher is the most controversial UK prime minister in modern times, and many celebrated when she died, so you have stumbled into something highly political

[@Jay-in6dl]

What a day that was

[@andycooke6231]

The despatch box is the box she puts her notes on and leans on when replying (or not) to questions. They stand because there is not enough seating available for all members. As this was Maggie's last appearance every wanted to be there. This only last for 30 minutes a week.Althoungh Thatcher was Britain's first woman PM she was not a great supporter of women as she only select one woman to become a cabinet member (senior minister).

[@BlameThande]

Churchill deliberately asked them to rebuild the House too small when it was bombed in WW2, because he thought it would look too empty during a normal day when not many MPs are in attendance.

[@WJS774]

Imagine thinking that ministers should be selected based on what's between their legs rather than if they are good for the job.

[@AtheistOrphan]

5:26 - ‘Who is this guy?’ = He’s the speaker of the house. Referred to as ‘Mr Speaker’ by the MPs. Basically the chair/moderator.

[@PixelProfessor]

Also, all MP's have to speak to the Speaker, and not directly to other MP's. Hence, why the speak in 3rd person.

[@Jamieclark192]

The prime minister and the governing party sit on the left of the house, the opposition parties sit opposite on the right. All the opposition parties sit on the one side but sit in groups with the largest party forming the official opposition. Neil Kinnock was leader of the Labour Party and her Majesty’s official opposition.