Why BBC Parliament needs saving

Noah Keate | 24th June 2022 | Uncategorised

The channel that piqued my interest in politics could reduce youth disengagement - if given a chance

Political divisions are more burning than ever. Switch on BBC Parliament and the debates in the Palace of Westminster, Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament confirm that. Yet this channel, at its best, is a key solution for one solitary area of political agreement, where no politician dares to dissent: more people should be interested in politics. More people should vote. Especially young people. How to pique their interest? By showing - not telling - them how the system works. That was certainly my experience. Watching BBC Parliament as a teen provoked my interest in politics. BBC Parliament, if you don’t already know, broadcast live and uninterrupted coverage of the House of Commons. It was an important tool for me to learn the basics of parliamentary procedure. I accumulated knowledge - such as why MPs called one another “honourable members”, would frequently bob up and down, and jeer to no end. Sure, it wasn’t quite as intensely nerdy as devouring the dense scripts of Hansard (li...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.

We need to talk about Kemi

Mace | October 5, 2026

In contrast to last year's Tory conference, Kemi Badenoch is coming out guns blazing, not the least when it comes to defence, says Flora Watkins

Markus Leutert, Corporate Affairs, PerkinElmer – “Focus on outcomes, rather than outputs”

Mace | September 29, 2026

Leutert's career has included moments close to politics, including time as a speechwriter, but he concluded that he can have more impact behind the scenes.

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Dr Michelle Howard, Senior Advisor for Defence and Space, Lexington Communications: “The future of public affairs is full of promise for the creative”

Mace | September 16, 2026

Lexington’s Michelle Howard explains how an unconventional career spanning opera, journalism, hydropower and defence led her into public affairs, why political instability rewards creativity and listening, and what