Tales from the Green Benches: An Oral History of Parliament

Introducing Tales from the Green Benches: An Oral History of Parliament, a new podcast from the History of Parliament Trust. Many of us will be familiar with the image of the House of Commons’ infamous green benches. But what does it really feel like to be in the Chamber, working in the ‘mother of Parliaments’? This is what the History of Parliament Trust’s Oral History project seeks to find out, interviewing former MPs about their time in Westminster- and beyond. Now, for the first time, we have gathered some of the reflections within our vast archive of interviews into one place, allowing you a true insider’s view into life as a Member of Parliament.What drove these individuals to enter political life? How did they secure their seat or win an election? And what impact did this job have on their personal life?Hosted by Dr Emma Peplow, Head of Contemporary History at the History of Parliament Trust, and Dr Alex Lock, historian and curator at the British Library, this podcast spotlights some of the brilliant interviews from MPs who sat between the 1950s and early 2000s within our 200+ strong archive, using never before heard clips and highlighting the unique insights that oral history interviews provide. Listen to ‘Tales from the Green Benches: an Oral History of Parliament’ to hear stories from the heart of the Commons, from those who sat on those very benches.

Entering the Houses of Parliament as a new MP is one of the few experiences universal to all interviewees within the History of Parliament’s Oral History project. Stepping foot into this historic building could be a humbling experience, particularly with its winding maze of corridors! In this first episode we look at how different Members responded to this potentially daunting physical environment - and find that some took to it much easier than others…Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!More information:British Library Reference Codes:Robert Gascoyne Cecil interviewed by Emmeline Ledgerwood, C1503/0131Ann Widdecombe interviewed by Simon Peplow, C1503/0176Jenny Tonge interviewed by Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, C1503/0148 David Hinchliffe interviewed by Christine Vergunson, C1503/0065Ken Baker interviewed by Michael Greenwood, C1503/0013Michael Heseltine interviewed by Michael Greenwood, C1503/0054 Alice Mahon interviewed by Mark Wilson, C1503/0030Edwina Currie interviewed by Henry Irving, C1503/0163 Find out more about MPs’ first impressions of Parliament in this online article.For more on the traditions in Parliament, see this blog from Dr Paul Seaward. Or to read about the smoking room, see this blog from Dr Seaward.

In this special episode Emma and Alex take a deeper look into the History of Parliament’s Oral History archive itself, discussing the methods and techniques used by our interviewers and reflecting on some of their own interviews- the good, the bad, and the awkward…Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Find out more, including practical advice and reading lists, at the Oral History Society website, here.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!

Many of us have an interest in politics or want to help a cause, but most won’t turn this passion into a career in Parliament! Within the History of Parliament’s Oral History project we don’t just ask former MPs about their time in the Chamber, but ask questions about individuals’ upbringing or family life, all in an effort to work out why these people found themselves affiliated to a certain political party and fighting for a seat in the Commons. In our second episode we look into the motivations behind pursuing a political life and the impact that home life and childhood can have. Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!More information:All interviews used in the episode are deposited at the British Library.Their reference codes are as follows:Olga Maitland interviewed by Emma Peplow, C1503/0139Jim Sillars interviewed by Malcolm Petrie, C1503/0110Toby Jessel interviewed by Anne Gulland, C1503/0077 Ted Rowlands interviewed by Paul Seaward, C1503/0025 Mildred Gordon interviewed by Richard Stowell, C1503/0087Graham Tope interviewed by Andres Hertz, C1503/0166 Frank Judd interviewed by Rosa Gilbert, C1503/0004 

Westminster is a place built on relationships, both within the Parties and across the House. But what happens when these relationships become strained?In this episode we look behind the curtain at the role of the Whips- the figures in charge of Party discipline. Using reflections from those who were appointed to the Whips’ office during their time in Parliament, as well as those who were the subject of their disciplinary methods, Emma and Alex present a personal view of this sometimes shadowy role and discuss some of the major disputes the Whips dealt with during our period.Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!More information:British Library Reference Codes:Maria Fyfe interviewed by Dean White, C1503/0032 Timothy Kirkhope interviewed by Henry Irving, C1503/0084Hilary Armstrong interviewed by Emma Peplow, C1503/0103Martin Bell interviewed by Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, C1503/0103Jim Sillars interviewed by Malcolm Petrie, C1503/0110 John Bowis interviewed by Emma Peplow, C1503/0154Roger Knapman interviewed by Kevin Jeffreys, C1503/0067 Chris Smith interviewed by Paul Seaward, C1503/0158

During much of the twentieth century, the stereotypical image of an MP was of a white, straight, male. But, as our archive of oral history interviews suggests, the makeup of the House of Commons would go through a significant change as we approached the millennium. However this doesn’t mean that Westminster, as both a location and an environment, adapted to meet this.In this episode we look at those Members who didn’t fit into this traditional image of an MP: women, Members from minority ethnic backgrounds, Members who identified as LGBTQ+, or those from working class families, for example; people that we have, for the sake of this episode, termed ‘historically underrepresented’. Using reflections from the members themselves, Emma and Alex explore the difficulties that many faced during their time in the Chamber.Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!More information:British Library Reference Codes:Diana Maddock interviewed by Isobel White, C1503/0157Bryan Magee interviewed by Sandy Ruxton, C1503/0049 Parmjit Dhanda interviewed by Peter Reilly, C1503/0208 Hilary Armstrong interviewed by Emma Peplow, C1503/0103Helene Hayman interviewed by Emmeline Ledgerwood, C1503/0115 BJanet Fookes interviewed by Emma Peplow, C1503/0066 Jenny Tonge interviewed by Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, C1503/0148House of Commons Library briefings used in the episode:SN06652 ‘Female Members of Parliament’,CBP7483 ‘Social background of Members of Parliament 1979-2019’N01250 ‘Women in Politics and Public Life’ Find out more about the gender balance within Westminster in this article from the Institute for Government.And find articles about underrepresented MPs on the History of Parliament website.

One point that all of our oral history interviewees agree on is that being MP is more than just a job: it is a lifestyle. Becoming a Member of Parliament is all-consuming and can impact upon marriages, parenting, financial security and more. Whilst some enter into this aware of the toll it can take, others find the reality of this role hard to manage. And in our period, where MPs' actions and expenses came under intense scrutiny, the political became personal- and public!In this final episode of the series, Emma and Alex explore some of the more emotional reflections within our interview archive, as Members reflect on how being an MP impacted on their personal lives- and how they now feel about the role, years after leaving the Chamber.Presented by Dr Emma Peplow and Dr Alex Lock, produced by Melissa FitzGerald at Zinc Audio. With additional writing from Dr Priscila Pivatto and script editing from Connie Jeffery. All interviews are deposited at the British Library. Find a catalogue of interviews on our website.Artwork by neil@the-brightside.co.uk.Find more from the History of Parliament Trust at www.historyofparliament.com and follow this link to find information about our publication ‘The Political Lives of Postwar British MPs’.Make sure to like, subscribe and send us a review!More information:British Library Reference Codes: Episode Webpage:Giles Radice interviewed by Henry Irving, C1503/0160Kenneth Weetch interviewed by Alexander Lock, C1503/0070Helene Hayman interviewed by Emmeline Ledgerwood, C1503/0115 BDick Taverne interviewed by Jason Lower, C1503/0006 John Watson interviewed by Henry Irving, C1503/0040Jenny Tonge interviewed by Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, C1503/0148 Ivan Lawrence interviewed by Priscila Pivatto, C1503/0171 Sylvia Heal interviewed by Alexander Lock, C1503/0172