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The Last Lord Chancellor2x40'
In June of 2003, the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, phoned his old flat mate, Charlie Falconer, to invite him to join the government. The catch was that Lord Falconer would take responsibility for a controversial parliamentary bill which would make sweeping changes to the British constitution, dragging the Law Lords out of Westminster, setting up of a Supreme Court, changing the way judges are selected and axing the ancient post of Lord Chancellor.
Programme One follows the controversial launch of the Constitutional Reform Bill and its stumbling passage towards defeat at it's second reading in the House of Lords. The historical and contemporary significance of the proposed changes are examined.
Programme Two follows Lord Falconer's attempts to save his Bill and to fulfil his increasingly difficult task to become The Last Lord Chancellor.
Producer: Brian King Broadcast: 5th and 12th April Broadcaster: |
