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With Elinor Goodman. A look behind the scenes at Westminster.

Elinor Goodman looks behind the scenes at Westminster.

The outrage felt by all sections of society at the phone hacking by News of the World journalists, leading the Prime Minister to set up two important inquiries, will radically change the nature of the relationship between the press and politicians.
Ben Bradshaw a culture minister in the last Labour government, Conservative MP David Davis and Don Foster a Liberal Democrat spokesman on Culture Media and Sport discuss the political repercussions of the News International scandal.

And two former ministers David Mellor and Lord Prescott talk of their own experiences of press power.

Meanwhile parliament had other business this week no less important, the social care of the elderly. On Monday the house discussed the Dilnot report proposals on funding care for old people. Jack Dromey Labour and Anne Marie Morris Conservative consider the thorny question of how to meet these increasing costs.

In an up-dated introduction to his autobiography Tony Blair talks of the power of pressure groups, which more often than not stymied his efforts at radical reform. Douglas Carswell Conservative, and Tessa Jowell a member of Tony Blair's government, look at the power of pressure groups. .

The editor was Marie Jessel.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 9 Jul 2011 11:00

Chapters

  • Media-Politician Relationship

    Lib Dem Don Foster, Tory David Davies and Bed Bradshaw of Labour discuss whether David Cameron was right when he said the relationship between the media and politicians had become too cosy?

    Duration: 11:27

  • β€œCosying up with the media”

    David Mellor and Lord Prescott were at the hearts of their Governments and actively disliked the relationship that politicians had with the media.

    Duration: 04:18

  • Dilnot and funding care for the elderly

    Andrew Dilnot proposed a cap of Β£35,000 on the amount an elderly individual should have to pay for their care. Conservative, Anne Marie Morris and Labour’s Jack Dromey discuss who should pay for it

    Duration: 07:37

  • Lobbyists

    Tony Blair says that the power of pressure groups makes radical policy making impossible because at every turn they defend their interest group. Tessa Jowell (Lab) and Douglas Carswell (Con) discuss.

    Duration: 04:37

Broadcast

  • Sat 9 Jul 2011 11:00

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