Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070113 | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall.
With a panel of top politicians and advisers, he reveals the arguments, the calculations and the challenges that confront government when decisions are simply unavoidable. What counts more - political advantage or the national interest?
Nick Robinson investigates how controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20070120 | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall.
With a panel of top politicians and advisers, he reveals the arguments, the calculations and the challenges that confront government when decisions are simply unavoidable. What counts more - political advantage or the national interest?
A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20090311 | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20090311 | 20090314 (R4) | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20090318 | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20090318 | 20090321 (R4) | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20090325 | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20090325 | 20090328 (R4) | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20090401 | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20090401 | 20090404 (R4) | A look at the way in which controversial decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20100113 | How would a government, facing a huge deficit, cut middle-class benefits? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20100113 | 20100116 (R4) | How would a government, facing a huge deficit, cut middle-class benefits? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20100120 | How would a government which wanted to abolish the BBC licence fee get its way? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20100120 | 20100123 (R4) | How would a government which wanted to abolish the BBC licence fee get its way? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20100127 | How would controversial proposals to tackle binge drinking fare in Whitehall? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20100127 | 20100130 (R4) | How would controversial proposals to tackle binge drinking fare in Whitehall? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20110608 | 20110611 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Westminster and Whitehall to ask how controversial decisions are reached. In the first of a new series, Nick discusses whether it is time for the government to get tough with tax avoidance. He is joined by Caroline Lucas MP, the Green Party leader who has a private member's bill on tax avoidance, the former Trade Minister Lord Digby Jones, Sir Nicholas Montague, the last head of the Inland Revenue, by Michael Jacobs, a former special adviser in both the Treasury and Number 10, and by Fraser Nelson, the Editor of the Spectator. A look behind the closed doors of Whitehall to ask how controversial decisions are reached A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20110615 | 20110618 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and Westminster to ask how controversial decisions are reached. This week, he and his panel examine the European Court of Human Rights, which has generated controversy with its judgement on prisoner voting. With him to examine the case for changing Britain's relationship with the court are Jack Straw MP, the former Home, Foreign and Justice Secretary who has been leading the criticism of the Court on prisoner voting, Carl Gardner, a former government lawyer, Priti Patel, the Conservative MP, Sir Stephen Wall, the former Permanent Representative to the EU and former chief European adviser the Prime Minister, and Allegra Stratton, political correspondent for the Guardian. Nick Robinson and his panel examine the European Court of Human Rights. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20110622 | 20110625 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and Westminster to ask how controversial decisions are reached. This week, he and his panel examine changing the rules for calling strikes. Should our local school, the train we take to work, even the local job centre, be closed by strikes which do not have the majority of members backing them? Pressure is certainly growing for a change, from the Mayor of London, business leaders and some Conservative MPs. They want a minimum threshold of support before a union can call its members out on strike. Critics, though, point out that no government in history would cross such a high democratic hurdle, that the right to strike is fundamental and anyway, workers these days only strike in extreme circumstances. Nick is joined by the Conservative MP Dominic Raab, who has a backbench bill on the issue, by John Edmonds, the former General Secretary of the powerful GMB union, by Lord Tebbit, the former Employment Secretary who was largely responsible for the current laws, by Helen Leiser, a former senior civil servant responsible for employment relations, and by Sam Coates, Deputy Political Editor of The Times. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson and his panel examine changing strike laws. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20110629 | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and Westminster to ask how controversial decisions are reached. In the last of the current series, he and his panel consider how a government would consider the case for a new generation of nuclear power stations. How would the safety, financial, energy security and environmental arguments be marshalled, and how would the protagonists make their arguments stick? Joining Nick to discuss the issue are Tom Burke, a very experienced environmentalist and former special adviser to three Environment Secretaries; Professor Sir David King, the former government Chief Scientific Adviser; Tim Eggar, the former Energy Minister; Tessa Munt, the Liberal Democrat MP; and Anne McElvoy, Public Policy Editor for The Economist. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson asks how controversial political decisions are reached. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20120111 | 20120114 (R4) | Nick Robinson returns with a new series of the programme that goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with senior experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall Nick Robinson returns with a new series of the programme that goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with senior experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20120118 | 20120121 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with senior experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with senior experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20120125 | 20120128 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20120201 | 20120204 (R4) | Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and inside Westminster to explore how controversial decisions are reached. Each week, he asks people with experience of government and politics how a government, of whatever political colour, would approach a looming decision. Producer, Rob Shepherd. Nick Robinson goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20120523 | 20120526 (R4) | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall. This week, he and his panel consider how to avoid a war in the Middle East - a war which could follow an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities designed to stop any plans they might have to develop a nuclear bomb. How real is the prospect, and how can Britain and America work to avoid it, with all the incalculable consequences. Nick is joined by: Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British Ambassador to Washington who was, before that, Tony Blair's foreign and defence policy adviser. Baroness Liz Symons, former Labour Foreign Office Minister and Middle East envoy who maintains close contacts in the region. Peter Jenkins, former British Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna James Steinberg, former Deputy Secretary of State in President Obama's government, and previously Deputy National Security Adviser in Bill Clinton's White House Bronwen Maddox, Editor of Prospect magazine and previously Foreign Editor of The Times. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall. This week, he and his panel consider how to avoid a war in the Middle East - a war which could follow an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities designed to stop any plans they might have to develop a nuclear bomb. How real is the prospect, and how can Britain and America work to avoid it, with all the incalculable consequences. Nick is joined by: Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British Ambassador to Washington who was, before that, Tony Blair's foreign and defence policy adviser. Baroness Liz Symons, former Labour Foreign Office Minister and Middle East envoy who maintains close contacts in the region. Peter Jenkins, former British Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna James Steinberg, former Deputy Secretary of State in President Obama's government, and previously Deputy National Security Adviser in Bill Clinton's White House Bronwen Maddox, Editor of Prospect magazine and previously Foreign Editor of The Times. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20120530 | 20120602 (R4) | Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20130109 | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
Nick Robinson and guests discuss benefits for pensioners. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20130109 | 20130112 (R4) | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
Nick Robinson and guests discuss benefits for pensioners. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20130116 | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
Nick Robinson and his guests discuss whether Britain's civil service should be reformed. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20130116 | 20130119 (R4) | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
Nick Robinson and his guests discuss whether Britain's civil service should be reformed. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 20130123 | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
In this programme, he discusses whether to spend billions of pounds building four new submarines to carry the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons.
Trident has to be renewed and renewed soon, we are told, because the subs being used now will simply wear out.
Is the nuclear deterrent the ultimate insurance policy in a dangerously unpredictable world or a relic of the cold war, an unusable weapon which sucks billions of pounds away not just from public services but from combatting today's threats - terrorism, cyber attacks and drone warfare.
To discuss the issue, Nick is joined by the two men who until a few months ago were responsible for this decision: Dr. Liam Fox, the former Conservative Defence Secretary and committed supporter of Trident, and his deputy, Sir Nick Harvey, a Liberal Democrat who set up the process of looking for an alternative.
With them are Professor Malcolm Chalmers, special adviser to two Labour Foreign Secretaries, and now research director at the Royal United Services Institute; Sir Richard Mottram, former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence who was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee after the Iraq war; and Lord Ramsbotham - formerly General Sir David Ramsbotham - Commander of the British Field Army who has described Trident as a virtual irrelevance.
Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | ||
| 20130123 | 20130126 (R4) | Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster and Whitehall.
In this programme, he discusses whether to spend billions of pounds building four new submarines to carry the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons.
Trident has to be renewed and renewed soon, we are told, because the subs being used now will simply wear out.
Is the nuclear deterrent the ultimate insurance policy in a dangerously unpredictable world or a relic of the cold war, an unusable weapon which sucks billions of pounds away not just from public services but from combatting today's threats - terrorism, cyber attacks and drone warfare.
To discuss the issue, Nick is joined by the two men who until a few months ago were responsible for this decision: Dr. Liam Fox, the former Conservative Defence Secretary and committed supporter of Trident, and his deputy, Sir Nick Harvey, a Liberal Democrat who set up the process of looking for an alternative.
With them are Professor Malcolm Chalmers, special adviser to two Labour Foreign Secretaries, and now research director at the Royal United Services Institute; Sir Richard Mottram, former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence who was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee after the Iraq war; and Lord Ramsbotham - formerly General Sir David Ramsbotham - Commander of the British Field Army who has described Trident as a virtual irrelevance.
Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 27/12/2006 | 20070103 | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall.
With a panel of top politicians and advisers, he reveals the arguments, the calculations and the challenges that confront government when decisions are simply unavoidable. What counts more - political advantage or the national interest?
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson looks at how Whitehall makes controversial decisions. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| 30/12/2006 | 20070106 | BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson explores the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall.
With a panel of top politicians and advisers, he reveals the arguments, the calculations and the challenges that confront government when decisions are simply unavoidable. What happens when political advantage conflicts with the national interest?
Nick Robinson explores the process by which decisions are reached in Whitehall. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| Coronavirus | 20200304 | Nick Robinson meets Whitehall insiders to find out how the UK might handle a pandemic. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| Press Regulation | 20120606 | 20120609 (R4) | The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall. In this final programme in the current series, he and his panel examine regulating the press. Have British newspapers so abused their power that they've lost the right to be free of regulations imposed on them by Parliament? Or is the freedom of the press so valuable that politicians should resist at all costs setting rules for those whose job is, in part, to hold the powerful to account? This series examines issues which could face any government, of any political colour, at this time and looks at how any decision might or might not make its way through the corridors of power. Nick's guests this week are: Sir Christopher Meyer, who was Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission when phone hacking was first revealed and, before that, was press secretary to Prime Minister John Major. Bridget Rowe, former editor of the People and Sunday Mirror newspapers. Sir Hayden Phillips, Permanent Secretary of the Department for National Heritage when the press were told they were drinking in the last chance saloon 20 years ago Ben Bradshaw, Secretary of State in the last Labour government in what had become the Department of Culture, Media & Sport And Evan Harris, the former Liberal Democrat MP who now works with the Hacked Off campaign. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson shines a light on the process by which controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall. In this final programme in the current series, he and his panel examine regulating the press. Have British newspapers so abused their power that they've lost the right to be free of regulations imposed on them by Parliament? Or is the freedom of the press so valuable that politicians should resist at all costs setting rules for those whose job is, in part, to hold the powerful to account? This series examines issues which could face any government, of any political colour, at this time and looks at how any decision might or might not make its way through the corridors of power. Nick's guests this week are: Sir Christopher Meyer, who was Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission when phone hacking was first revealed and, before that, was press secretary to Prime Minister John Major. Bridget Rowe, former editor of the People and Sunday Mirror newspapers. Sir Hayden Phillips, Permanent Secretary of the Department for National Heritage when the press were told they were drinking in the last chance saloon 20 years ago Ben Bradshaw, Secretary of State in the last Labour government in what had become the Department of Culture, Media & Sport And Evan Harris, the former Liberal Democrat MP who now works with the Hacked Off campaign. Producer: Giles Edwards. Nick Robinson examines how decisions are reached behind closed doors in Westminster. A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall |
| The Next Financial Meltdown | 20180926 | One decade on since the great crash, are we prepared for another financial meltdown? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall | |
| The Next Financial Meltdown | 20180926 | 20180929 (R4) | One decade on since the great crash, are we prepared for another financial meltdown? A look at how controversial decisions are reached behind closed doors in Whitehall |