How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't

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Honestly, I challenge you to test your metal with this one. If you are politically sensitive and hold your MP in high esteem... read this book and wrestle with the truth. Statutory instruments (basically a different way of making law that doesn't involve reading a bill in parliament / with the amount of crutiny a normal piece of legislation has) has now become so overused by modern successive governments that a huge amount of our laws are simply being produced by dictat, with zero element of democracy weighing them down. Dunt's writing style is engaging and infused with his own passion for the subject matter. He manages to strike a balance between rigorous analysis and a conversational tone, making the book accessible and enjoyable to read. The inclusion of anecdotes and historical context adds depth and richness to the narrative, enhancing the overall reading experience. Not all is bad in Westminster - the standing committee system works well and encourages cooperation across parties, with chairs being elected by the committees themselves and thus serving more as moderators and consensus builders with genuine interests in the subject matter. House of Lords helps to improve legislation but can be too easily overridden.

So this is one where my rating for the book doesn’t necessarily reflect my enjoyment for it. Usually I’d have dropped a star for that but I truly think everyone should read this. The book covers the whole political system in the UK and why basically we’re totally f***ked at being able to get anything done long term. It’s easy to read it as a criticism to the current government (of which I am not a fan) but the book is actually neutral in covering the system itself and why no party really has a chance atm. (But it doesn’t help that some total knob heads are in charge!). The book advances from there to talk about government institutions from ministries, the civil service and through those that deal with the journey of a bill which eventually becomes legislation. I was particularly impressed with the choice by the author to choose the latter route, since it seemed to be an ideal way to highlight the main problems with the system. The general theme is the dominance of machismo (exacerbated by winner takes all nature of the first-past-the-post system) and unnecessary rush in everything - from legislation to ministerial tenure that results in bad policy and terrible decision-making. One of the books I read earlier this year was George Sander's 'It's Okay To Be Angry About Capitalism' and I have to admit I read it with a certain amount of smugness regarding how relatively good things are politically in the UK in comparison to the utter chaos of American politics. Thankfully, it turns out that new administrations sometimes feel positive about constitutional changes that limit their power. There is a two-to-three year window before the power gets to their heads and they think only of how to stay in office as long as possible. Let’s hope that by the next election, Ian’s prescription will be so wildly popular that Keir Starmer feels obliged to introduce proportional representation, professionalise the civil service, reform parliamentary procedures and all the other excellent points in the solutions chapter.

The book is wide-ranging, starting off with how an individual becomes selected to stand as a candidate in a general election, through the election system itself, the parliamentary system of the Commons and the Lords. the civil service as well as looking at the changes in the media in the digital age. Whilst there was not a lot in the text that was new to me, it did make me think deeper on these issues and how we have sleep-walked into a rather inefficient system. Yet, sadly, this is a book that only a few will ever read - it is not a book that will make it's way into the nation's psyche and galvanise the masses to realise that, yes, change is possible and change is good...probably because it's not written by a TikToker or some vacuous celebrity! There is only so much you can fit in any book, and this one is bursting with information and proposals explaining clearly the changes that are needed. If there was room for one more chapter, I would have liked to see something about how those changes could actually be achieved. But crucially it looks at what is going wrong, what actually happens instead of what should in theory happen, and lastly what can be done about it. Fabulously eye-opening, insightful and interesting. I feel like I've learnt tons from this. I've talked about this with family, friends, colleagues...it's one of those books. (And also there is something very oddly attractive about people who can spin all the political and legalistic detail and somehow create solutions no one else can see. I just eat that shit up.)

The rest of the book is very methodical. First-past-the-post electoral system created strong majorities and discourages consensus. Parties select MPs (each in their own way, Lib Dems being the most sensible and Labour failing to the same sectarian bloodbath as they always do) not to look for the potentially best ministers or legislators, but for effective campaigners. Both whips and the experience of the House of Commons for the new members are set up so that they have basically no idea what is happening, what they are voting on or how they could potentially scrutinise the legislation. It is all supported by a lot of research. Pretty much every point is underscored by at least one quote from someone within the political system (from all levels, parties, and departments.) This not only gives confidence that what's being said is correct, but also underscores the need for change.An illuminating exploration of the inner workings of the Westminster system. Dunt provides readers with a fascinating in-depth understanding of both the strengths and weaknesses of this democratic framework.

Lifting the lid on British politics, How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn’t exposes every aspect of the system in a way that can be understood and challenged, from the heights of Downing Street to the depths of the nation’s newsrooms, from the hallways of the civil service to the green benches of the Commons.that the system is actually salvageable for now, if steps are taken to slow things down, restore power to the commons, reintroduce scrutiny and accountability, but probably won't actually be salvaged because, cath 22, MPs are too busy and kept distracted by relentless and numbing workloads on the one hand, while being bullied into conformity by the Party high command on the other. Media in Westminster is dysfunctional due to a fall in advertising revenue and the own agendas of the publishers. A lot of the time the journalists are complicit in creating stories themselves, so can’t be truly impartial. The problem is not that the politicians are corrupt or lazy; it's that the system is simply not fit for purpose the HOC is a talking shop, a theatre, and an utter waste of time that serves no purpose except to distract people and act as a safe cul de sac for their energies and efforts. One thing that may have benefitted the book is delving further into whether these are flaws of the 'parliamentary' system of government or its Westminster model. Dunt might have gone into more detail about parliaments on the continent and how they operate more or less effectively. It leaves the reader feeling like this is a uniquely British problem when, in reality, parliamentary democracy is being undermined across the world.

the first past the post and two party systems mean that no major party has any interest in changing the status quo because that means giving up power, and prime ministers, ultimately, are all about power. This is one of those books that you’d like to press on everyone you meet, because it feels important for people to know and understand this stuff to be able to make informed decisions when exercising their democratic rights. Like Fake Law by The Secret Barrister (this was my Book of the Year in 2020 and you can read my review of it here) , it is one of those books I have been talking about to my friends when I am trying to find ways to illustrate things I feel very strongly without perhaps having the best words or the authority to persuade them myself. I have felt for a number of years now that our political system is heading for a dangerous place for those of us who believe in democracy and fairness and cataclysmic change is urgently needed before we tip over the edge. This book does an amazing job of explaining exactly why and where we should be heading to avoid disaster. that the drafting of new laws to replace the outdated ones after the bodged decision to leave the EU provided an opportunity for the government to give itself legal blank cheques and potentially unlimited powers without any scrutiny or or due process. most MPs genuinely believe they know what people want better than what people themselves do, and they're not interested in hearing otherwise thank you. The book lays out, clearly and concisely, the reasons why our government has failed us so spectacularly. And the worst thing is that it is an utterly open secret amongst all concerned.Ian Dunt is a self-declared “Liberal Extremist” columnist who contributes to the I Newspaper in addition to the “Oh God What Now?” (formerly Remaniacs) podcast. First, there is Chris Grayling’s 2013 privatisation of the parole service purely in the interests of his own political advancement. Experts queued up to explain that his reforms wouldn’t work but Grayling just didn’t care. From his perspective, he needed to implement a policy change swiftly, showing his own right-wing credentials, to position himself for a promotion in the next reshuffle. The consequence of Grayling’s privatisation was a breakdown in the capacity of the probation service to keep tab on probationers, resulting in a spike in reoffending. Human misery on an epic scale for the sake of one unimpressive man’s ambition. In a series of deeply informed and carefully worked out examples, Ian Dunt takes us through the Westminster labyrinth to reveal an omnishambles. It is not – and he is clear here – because the people involved are corrupt or lazy. It is because the system is not fit for purpose. MPs are impossibly burdened by having to do two jobs simultaneously, first as local representatives and then as national politicians. Most of their constituency work is stuff that should be done by councils, were these not also failing. Cabinet ministers often appear poorly briefed, but they may have up to 20 meetings a day and can’t always start on their red boxes until the rest of us have already gone to bed.