Code of Conduct: Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do It

by Chris Bryant

Longstanding Labour MP Chris Bryant tells the inside story of what went so wrong with Westminster – and how we might solve it.

The extraordinary turmoil we have seen in British politics in the last few years has set records. With the last government, we had the fastest turnover of ministers in our history and more MPs suspended from the House than ever. Rules were flouted repeatedly, sometimes in plain sight. The government seemed unable to escape the brush of sleaze. And just when we thought it was all going to calm down a bit, another scandal would break.

Having spent years as Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges, Chris Bryant had a front-row seat for the battle over standards in our politics. Taking us inside the Pugin-carpeted corridors of Westminster, from the prime minister's office to the Strangers' Bar, he examines how parliament got into this mess and suggests how it might – at last – get its house in order.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Audiobook

240 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2024

About the author

Christopher John Bryant is a British politician and former Anglican priest who served in government as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons from 2008 to 2009 and Under-Secretary of State for Europe and Asia from 2009 to 2010, and in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Culture Secretary and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016. He was privately educated at Cheltenham College before studying English at Mansfield College, Oxford. After graduating with a further degree in theology, he worked as a Church of England priest as well as having roles at the BBC and Common Purpose.

Reviews

[Rachel N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chris Bryant has been the Labour MP for Rhondda since 2001 and is the current chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Standards, as well as being an expert on parliamentary procedure and an award winning historian of Parliament, so would seem to be the ideal person to write a book on conduct within Westminster.

The subtitle of the book is Why We Need to Fix Parliament - and How to Do It and Bryant gives very good examples of the things that are wrong and has suggestions for how to improve them, many of them good. However, there were many things in this book which I found frustrating.

Bryant explicitly states that numbers prove this to be 'the worst parliament in history' but to me that seems to be a very bold statement. We've had corrupt elections, unpaid MPs until 1911 who needed either private wealth or sponsors, all sorts of times in our history when things have not been very poor in parliament and one of my problems with this book is the lack of context. Bryant is pointing out all the issues with the Johnson government, all of which I agree with, but does not put this is any historical setting. He says the Parliament needs reform, which I agree with, but also mentions things that have been amended in the past which suggests to me Parliament is constantly evolving - I would agree that it would be wise to bring these altogether in regulations and apply it to all though.

The sources he uses to back up his arguments are quite limited, with repeated references to Transparency International, but surely there should be more than one source used to back up his claims? When he then quotes a Professor of anticorruption practices at Sussex University, he fails to mention he used to head the Transparency International UK so this is a very similar source. None of that refutes his argument but a wider range of opinion would give it more credence. When he says that T.I. have had us fall to 18th in the world in the Corruptions Perception Index, he fails to give us information on what that means, how it's measured, or where we have been in the past. Have we fallen from 1st or 17th? I found this lack of information very frustrating.

I also found it irritating the things that were mentioned and what was left out. For example, very little was said about the expenses scandal which was absolutely massive at the time and added a lot to distrust of politicians. But Bryant himself claimed rather a lot in expenses, switched second homes expenses, etc and could be said to have fully participated in what was happening so it gets little mention. Similarly, reform of the bars is not really considered a concern because MPs are not drinking so much, politics is social, etc, although female MPs are mentioned as talking about how uncomfortable it makes them feel in the environment - he likes it, so it's not considered a major issue. He talks about how badly people talk about each other as enemies, etc, and poor behaviour, and yet he was found in an investigation to have been wrong about bullying in the lobby and is always on tv talking down the opposition so could be said to contribute to it all.

To me, not enough was said about the role of 24 hour news and social media in the behaviour of politicians and the breakneck speed of politics - it was mentioned but I would consider it to be a far more important factor than suggested - and not enough about the selection of candidates to make sure we have better politicians (to me we should have fewer politicians who have never worked outside politics and more real world experience).

So I had issues with the book and Bryant's opinions, but that certainly does not make it a bad book. I don't need to agree with everything a book says, in fact I enjoy one which makes me think and this actually took a while for me to read as I kept stopping to make notes on my thoughts. Disagreeing with some of the things said is a way to clarify my own thoughts and this was very readable so I would recommend it as a book to read alongside others to gain a more rounded view.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in return for an honest review.

#CodeofConduct #NetGalley

[Andy Lopata · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book and such important reading at a time when the UK’s faith in politics is at its lowest ebb for many years.

Bryant clearly illustrates how the loose and unstructured system of rules and conventions in Parliament, coupled with almost arbitrary and toothless oversight creates the possibility for corruption and arrogance from our Ministers and MPs.

He makes a strong, common sense case for reform and lays out simple steps that would make a tremendous difference. If the next Government Gail’s to act on his suggestions, you have to wonder just what they are trying to protect.

[Graeme Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great information, and pleasantly short, but the writing wasn’t quite to my style and ultimately I thought the solutions proposed inadequate and in some cases harmful. I’d certainly pick up another book by Bryant, but I wouldn’t recommend this one. Useful perhaps as a reference book for someone actually working in the field.

[David Ellcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bryant is righteously, but not self-righteously, angry about the state of British politics in this excoriating book. He takes us through things that he thinks have gone wrong in Parliament recently. His focus is mainly on the Tory party, for obvious reasons, but he is happy to criticise his Labour Party colleagues, and is very willing to outline his own errors. Importantly, it’s not just a rant for the sake of ranting: he offers solutions to the problems and weaknesses that he identifies. The solutions seem eminently feasible to my non-expert eye. Recommended if you have even a passing interest in UK politics.

[Jacob Stelling · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, albeit brief, account of the problems faced in Parliament and a variety of solutions which could be employed to fix them.

Perhaps better understood as a narrative of recent Tory failings rather than a deeper study of parliamentary history, Bryant offers some original thoughts but for an aware politico this book perhaps does not offer too much which is new.

[Henry Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable and engaging read

[Bradley Sloanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very engaging read, considering the sometimes drab slog of parliamentary procedure. Bryant sets out a fair and logical criticism of the most antiquated conventions (or lack thereof) of Westminster in regards to keeping the house free of corruption and scandal. An essential read for any who despair at the scandal ridden and often blatantly corrupt parliament of today's United Kingdom.

Whilst many of us might also jump at calling out the utter dereliction of duty by some MP's, Bryant also provides realistic and tangible solutions.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short but interesting book about the state of our Parliament and the urgent need for change. Chris Bryant is a long-standing Labour MP and the author of the huge History of Parliament. In this current book, he makes his case for the need to change the way that Parliament administers business and keeps control of members' behaviour, There are a large number of committees that adjudicate on misconduct and, importantly the way that business is controlled by the government and not by members of the house. The account is dominated by the behaviour of the Conservative Government, particularly Boris Johnson. A very readable book and a sobering story that should alert all to the urgent need for changes, some of which have come about since the latest change of government, but there seems little willingness to enact changes to the House of Lords and the way that its members are chosen. There are over 700 of them all with a job for life. It cannot be right.

It was biased against the Tories but never the less a good read that held my interest. 3 stars.

[Joe Tristram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading, with some strong worthwhile recommendations as to how Parliament should be reformed and with many good stories to illustrate the points. The stories come from any time from the mid 17th century to earlier this year, so they also illustrate Chris Bryant's breadth of experience and study. Sadly it's not well written, with a poor organisation of subject, very little attention to layout and an impression that it was written in a big hurry. Had these things been given more attention I think this book could also have been a good read.

[Lottie Cobley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed Chris Bryant’s Code of Conduct on my second reading just as much as on the first time. Really interesting how he explored some of the flaws and why we don’t necessarily get the politicians we think we should have but also really appreciated his suggestions on how we could improve the system

[Jo Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been something of a slow burn, and I do fear the spark I started reading this with did rather die out half way through. I enjoyed and appreciated having a closer look at parliament, but there was so much information to retain and I fear I remember almost nothing of it. Nevertheless, it was interesting in the moment.

[Karim Khalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and deceptively erudite, Chris Bryant reveals the ghastly behaviour of some MPs/Ministers demonstrating that it isn’t only the public that see the spectacle of greed, incompetence and corruption that is so enamoured of those who would try to fool us. If only more MPs were sufficiently brave in “real time” to denounce their colleagues rather than covering up. Sadly, the suggestions for reform are unlikely to be adopted and even if they were, one remains sceptical that the driving force of the human greed for power would be diminished.

[Paul Raphael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and powerful, Bryant lends his elegant prose and deep knowledge of Parliament to argue for genuinely meaningful change.

[lannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was engaging and had lots of relevant case studies but also had hella tea ab mps

[Christopher McKeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A seemingly never-ending run of scandals emanating from Westminster has prompted a string of books diagnosing what is wrong with British politics and suggesting possible fixes. This latest contribution differs from others in that it is by a sitting MP and the current chairman of the Commons Standards Committee – an author intimately acquainted with the workings of Westminster and its disciplinary system. Bryant’s position means the book is peppered with behind-the-scenes anecdotes – he is an engaging storyteller, both in person and on the page – and his conclusions carry considerable authority. But those conclusions are broadly in line with other books on this subject, blaming things like the electoral system, the centralisation of power, and Westminster’s confused panoply of standards bodies for our political ills. He is not necessarily wrong in that, but readers may find they have heard some of this before.

I received an advance copy of this book for a review on behalf of the Press Association.

[Zachary Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have finished reading “Code of Conduct: Why We Need to Fix Parliament – And How to Do it” by Chris Bryant.

Chris Bryant is a Labour MP for the Welsh constituency of Rhondda and is the former Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Standards.

As a parliamentary historian the author is aware of darker times in the history of UK Parliament but is fully aware that as it stands there is a crisis of confidence between MPs and the public. The author identifies two sides of the problem that needs to be addressed: structures and behaviours.

The structural issues in parliament fall into three main categories; disparate rules, rules only in convention and inconsistency in rules. There are several different sources of rules governing an MPs behaviour, which the author rightly calls for being unified. Conventions for behaviour have long been broken and not just by the Tories, although they have doubled down. Implausibly, backbenchers in practice are held to a higher standard with regards to declaring their interests than Ministers.

There is a main theme in this book which I have seen in other critiques of the UK Parliament. Namely, the excessive control the government has over Parliamentary schedules and procedures. This gets in the way of the House asserting itself in the face of Government control which can squeeze out the oxygen of what few opposition and private members bills see the light of day. There is also valuable talk about the creeping use of secondary legislation to give Ministers sweeping powers.

In conclusion this is a timely and concise analysis of the problems that need to be surmounted in raising standards for behaviour and rooting out genuine corruption in Parliament. I found that in some ways this book would be good to read alongside Ian Dunt’s book “How Westminster Works……. and Why it Doesn’t”, since both identify very similar problems but Chris Bryant’s book drills down more into the behavioural side of MPs. Both are also quite sparring but well considered in promoting solutions to old problems. I would say that Chris Bryant is more open about his faults and biases however, although to his credit he does name several cases of Labour MPs who exhibit bad behaviour.

I would say that I agree with most of Chris Bryant’s recommendations. In many of his recommendations he is careful to make his case for not throwing the baby out with the bath water, so we can keep the best of what works in Parliament while dealing with what may not. A good example of that is his stringent criteria for allowing second jobs in Parliament, such as those that need to be kept on to keep registrations, family business, reservist roles and Healthcare roles. One may not necessarily always agree with his recommendations, but they are usually well considered and explained. I appreciate Chris Bryant’s honesty in making clear that there were times he regretted his own conduct. I find this makes his judgements more credible. As he would state it, his objective is not to make sure all MPs are perfect but to stop the downward slide of the public’s expectations about his profession.

[Mike Clarke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ayes have it: more apologia than searing exposé, Code of Conduct might have been a welcome cri-de-coeur had it appeared four years ago, but to borrow from Chris Bryant’s style guide, it is, in the words of the sainted Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, too much, too little, too late.

Bryant is rightly angry at the scandals, corruption and incompetence that have dogged the rotten parliament of 2019-24, but his prescription for a shake up feels like more of same only nicer. And it’s an issue whether a personable if slightly pompous MP, whose heart is clearly in the right place, is best placed to act as doctor or judge.

What is it about elected politicians that by simple virtue of being elected they become somehow unassailable, untouched by the rules, obligations and protocols that most of us are required to abide by? But the hallowed status of the role is barely questioned and the idea this may be part of the problem - a big part - is dismissed before it becomes too troublesome to the author.

That’s not to say there aren’t some good points in Code of Conduct, and of course we should listen to MPs as part of finding solutions. But that they have shown themselves repeatedly incapable or unfit to reform themselves is as serious a threat to democracy as any identified here.

Something happens to even leftwing firebrands, conscientious centrists and dare I say it decent middling Tories who enter that place. The ridiculous rituals, the kind of deference that exists nowhere IRL and subsidised booze conspire to turn them into place-people, fearful of rocking the boat and devoted to pomp and circumstance. That it’s rotting from underneath them and thanks to years of stasis and panicked indecision will likely fall about their ears is a better metaphor than almost any outsiders can come up with.

If MPs are really about public service, gift the Palace of Westminster to the National Trust and relocate the legislature to a purpose-built conference centre in Nuneaton. It’s cheap and central. MPs can bunk up in a Travelodge if they can’t or won’t go home at close of play. No outside jobs or paid lobbying, and a single PA paid for by the state. Second class rail travel refunded on production of receipt. Guaranteed hours and subsidised dining (more for the low paid staff) but booze at normal prices. And no pool cleaners or hotel porn. We’ll soon see who’s really interested in politics.

Possibly a better alternative to filling it all in with concrete and starting from scratch as an anarchist free state - but never say never…

[Eyejaybee · Rating 3 out of 5]

As this book focuses so closely on parliamentary process, or more precisely, the abuse of it, I feel that I should maybe declare an interest. The author, Sir Chris Bryant, was recently appointed as Minister of State in the government department for which I work, and whose Parliamentary Engagement Division I manage. It was, therefore, not solely from a deep interest in UK politics and the intricacies of the constitutional labyrinth in which the government strives to function, but also perhaps some egregious subconscious crawling.

After fourteen years of Conservative-led Governments, Keir Starmer found himself with relatively few MPs who had much ministerial experience to draw on, when he formed his first government after the 2024 election victory. Chris Bryant was one of those few, having served as a minister in the Foreign Office in the final year of Gordon Brown’s government. Returned to power, he had then put in a year or so at the Department for Culture, Media and Sports, before the reshuffle in September saw him appointed as Minister of State for Business and Trade, where his duties include responsibility for my department.

Bryant has established himself as an authority on parliamentary procedure, and the quirks and vicissitudes of the (famously largely unwritten) British constitution. Indeed, during his time in Opposition, he spent many years as Chair of the House of Commons Standards Committee, in which role he strove to enforce the rules and regulations designed to minimise the scope of his fellow MPs to abuse the privileged position in which they found themselves. As emerges from the book, or as will be abundantly clear to anyone who has followed British politics over the last few years, he and his fellow Committee members were fighting a losing battle.

He is, of course, a Labour politician, but he does try throughout the book to avoid becoming too deeply immersed in political differences. The picture he paints of the previous Parliament, that sat between the landslide Conservative victory of 2019 and the subsequent Labour landslide of 2024 is pretty damning – in fact, even though I lived through it, and spent much of that time engaged closely in Parliamentary work, I was amazed how much of the scandalous behaviour I had forgotten.

In the further interests of honesty (and safe in the knowledge that although, I expect to sit in on frequent meetings with him and his team in the coming months, he is unlikely to read this review), he is not a great writer. His style is not easy to follow, and he is not always clear in the points that he makes, although it is possible that he was fired with such burning indignation that he lost control of his syntax. Still, it was a very interesting book.

[Marc · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chris Bryant is an accomplished author and MP, and he does great work. And in general I agree with him. Indeed, I also agree with most of what he says in this book, which are sensible reforms to strengthen and tighten the conduct for MPs. He's also very honest that he's not always been a saint. So far so good, I suppose. I also really liked the details in the opening chapters, being able to bring in interesting anecdotes as well as data to back up some of his arguments. The claim about this being a particularly rotten Parliament is definitely well-argued.

The reason for the low rating is for three reasons. First, though a lot of it is interesting and valuable, it is also quite narrow about MPs' conduct which - on its own - will never 'fix' Parliament. There's much more to it. Compared to several other books published on this theme in 2023, this one is the most niche. Second, Bryant is very self-indulgent about himself to a degree that it is distracting. Did I want or need to know what he was listening to while he was on a run, and his opinion about the artist? No. Countless times we are given pop culture references that nobody reading this book cares about. And third, I just really disliked the approach and style of writing. It was very meandering. There is a section on Restoration and Renewal, but it's buried in a chapter about something completely different (bullying and harassment). It's also more generally written in a format of a stream of consciousness. Bryant could also be a bit more careful about his choice of words. He uses the word 'scandal' so much that it ceases to have any value anymore.

If you like sweeping statements and being inundated with pop culture references, then this book is certainly for you. It loses nuance and seriousness, despite the experience and seniority of the author, which I ultimately found disappointing.

[Jack Symes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, due to current events I take a major issue with a significant portion of this authors commentary on parliamentary voting and how whips are used within the party. I agree that you should vote against the whip when an issue that is important to you arises in spite of the consequences. However, earlier this evening the author himself voted in parliament to prevent the removal of the 2 child benefit cap. 330,000 children will remain in abject poverty because of this vote. He voted in line with the whip on an issue that is goes against everything I, and many others have known the Labour Party to be. How him and many other Labour MPs voted today is indicative of tory voting, NOT Labour. You are a LABOUR MP how is lifting 330,000 children out of poverty not important enough to you to not disobey the whip on this occasion? The whole point of Our Labour Party is to stamp out inequality within our country. In a time where the cost of living has continued to rise, the number of food banks has continued to rise, and the number of children in living in poverty continues to rise, was voting as the party whipped you into doing so, really worth it today Mr Bryant? Regardless of that yap sesh mini rant, this book is very insightful and the author is self aware of his own shortcomings as an MP. Better yet he is HYPER-AWARE of the shortcomings of his fellow MPs, particularly the Tories, which he gleefully lists through out the book. Overall I've enjoyed reading what the author has to say about parliament in this book, Chris Bryant seems to be a good bloke who's in politics for the right reasons, this can be seen in how he handled the whole Owen Patterson lobbying debacle. I mean the guy was on the STANDARDS COMMITTEE so he's gotta be alright, at least I think so, Good read Chris hope you publish more.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apart from voting, I never really paid too much attention to what was going on in That London by way of government and politics. That is, until the dreaded Covid, when I avidly watched the daily bulletins and quite soon started to realise that there was something rotten in the state of Denmark and that, although there were multiple occurrences of politicians being referred to various committees for investigation for various misdemeanours or worse, results of said committees were either too long in the coming and most people gave up waiting for conclusions or, quite simply, just ignored. Pritti Patel's bullying report being one of the obvious examples.
Anyhow, I was now on a mission to play catch-up with learning how things actually worked in Westminster. Not a simple task, but what I felt an important one.
But it was not until I finally managed to read this book that I actually understood the ins and outs of all things conduct and discipline (or lack thereof). All explained in a very easy, but not patronising, way. Peppered throughout by history and examples of previous breaches, it definitely was the gift that kept on giving. Containing some very shocking examples which appeared to be not worthy of any form of punishment or repercussion.
And, not only all that, but it has been written by someone with the intelligence, experience, and wherewithal to not only highlight the issues but also give suggestions and resolutions as to how things could be better...
Although implementing them... now there's the rub... Personally, I have already taken the advice he offers in his conclusions...

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dead interesting analysis of everything that is wrong with the conduct and standards of parliament, politicians, and the whole of politics. When the day inevitably comes that I am put in complete control of politics in the UK (because why wouldn't you), this is the man I would put in charge of parliamentary standards reform.

It is genuinely terrifying how the most powerful people in the country seem to be governed by a patchwork quilt of codes of conduct and rules, that has as much holes as fabric. And that when there are powerful politicians who don't want to follow these rules, it is easy for them to play the system.

I found this really interesting, and it certainly made me think more about the actual procedure of parliament, and how this actually contributes to a number of the major problems we have in the culture of politics. It did at times get a little bit technical, rather than sticking to being a book on what was wrong with parliament and how it can be improved it did sometimes feel like an academic paper on parliamentary procedure, which was a little bit hard for a normal person to get into. While he explained what was wrong with the current system really well, and suggested excellent solutions, there were also a few points that I would have liked more information on. I'd love to hear more on his thoughts on House of Lords reform, which just seemed to be mentioned quickly at the end, aparticularly what it should be replaced with. But overall I did enjoy it, learned a lot from it, and I definetely agree with a lot of his very well thought out and explained suggestions.

[Kenneth Millar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long overdue critique of the outdated British parliamentary system. Bryant argues this parliament as the worst in terms of ethics, behaviour and general temperament suggesting this as not just a sign of the times but a result of a system designed to encourage it.

The criticisms of the parliamentary system are laid bare and difficult to disagree with. Everything from the management of business in three Commons, to the opaque way ministers can avoid declaring interests. Bryant even takes aim at the waste of money in the overlap between different APGs and how they can be influenced by vested interests.

At time it feels Bryant is too deferential to tradition and processes that feel all too irrelevant to modern life. Why would a single parent worrying about their child’s next meal care about select committee structure for example? While he goes to great lengths to address that argument, the book does feel a little removed from the pressures of everyday life.

Nevertheless, a good argument is made for the future of British politics and it was refreshing to hear a senior political figure back serious constitutional reform in PR.

An excellent read.

[Martin Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Christopher Bryant at his very best.

There are a small number of MP's that I admire, Kerry McCarthy (my own local MP), Jess Phillips, Sir Christopher Bryant. This is not exhaustive but I don't want my review to be just a list of names).

Sir Christopher Bryant has made some incredible arguments, many of which I agree with, but not all. It is healthy for us to have a respectful debate, unfortunately, this is often lacking in the HoC. I watch with admiration how the committee's work together - cross party and often wish that the respect the members afford each other there could be duplicated into the chamber. PMQ's is such a waste of time, political point scoring. Why is there never an answer to a question?

This is a brilliant read, written by an incredible man. I thoroughly recommend it to you and maybe certain politicians may benefit from reading it too!

[Jack Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

As of the time of writing, the 2019 government saw 22 MPs either suspended by the house, resigning their seats or leaving the chamber before being suspended for at least a day or more, which is statistically the worst record of any parliament in history. Chris Bryant details over his 23 year history as an MP what is wrong and what he would do to fix it. This book is a strong insight into the inner workings of both sides of the house, and it explains some of the deeply troubling issues at the core of how it operates that desperately need updating if Parliament has any hope of being viewed more positively by the public it serves

[Wilomina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. I thought this was a well-written book laying out what needs to change in the UK parliamentary system and supported by lots of examples of the problems it currently faces. I gave it three rather than four stars because it felt like a book I'd draw on in an argument with someone about parliament, rather than a thought-provoking book or one with enriching information that I want to remember. However, it is a good account from someone who has worked in and thought about the system. I wish the general population has bothered more about the issues discussed here than "getting back control" from the EU.

[Wilf Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you'd like to know more about how parliament works, especially the House of Commons, and about the job/role of being a member of parliament, then I think this book does a good job of that.

In doing so, Bryant highlights many of the problems present in the way that things are currently done, and suggests some sensible improvements.

Although Bryant, an MP, is obviously partisan, this book does not come across as such. His position as a long-serving MP (since 2001), having held various positions in government and on committees, as a gay man, and as a historian of parliament, all add weight to his analysis and suggestions.

Don't expect anything surprising or exciting though.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

An illuminating and informative insiders view of some of the more distasteful mascinations within House of Commons. Not written in a style I am totally comfortable with - at times swinging between a rant at one extreme and 'preachy' at the other and the punctuation proof reading leaves a lot to be desired, but overall well worth the read from an MP with honestly expressed opinions and judgement. It doesn't unfortunately go to part of the root of the problem- unelected 'special advisors' and senoir civil servants who can do more to sway and block governance aspirations than paid lobbyists or money-for-questions can ever do.

[David Kirlew-Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bryant is outspoken and criticised by some. However, you cannot deny his knowledge of political history, standards and procedures. This book brings all that together.

It would be quite easy to be critical of standards in parliament nowadays - many can see the flaws. However, Bryant also offers clear and well thought out solutions. He clearly cares and wants to make the place better for the people.

Now, political books other than memoirs can have a habit of becoming dated quickly in the fast changing political news cycle. However, many of the issues in this book still exist and the solutions offered are still relevant.

This book is excellent and worth a read.

[Stephen Cottingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the nature of our current political landscape from the insider, "Westminster" viewpoint. Chris Bryant hits the nail on the head - Parliament needs to reform itself regarding the conduct of both politics and politicians, or the people's trust in it will deteriorate further. He points to the difficulties in trying to upgrade trust, some of which are very much partisan, a lot of which is down to the poor conduct of our political class, aided and abetted, it must be said, by both the media and social media in particular.