Rogues, scallywags, fraudsters and criminals have all trodden the corridors of the UK Houses of Parliament. In this conversation with Philippa Lacey, Debbie Kilroy discusses the themes of her new book ‘Members Behaving Badly.’

The discussion covers political misbehaviour over the past 4 centuries, exploring various scandals, notorious figures, and the evolution of public perception regarding politicians. We talked about the patterns of corruption and sexual scandal seen throughout all the periods of history covered by Debbie in her book, as well as the importance of engaging with politics, and what happens when people feel disillusioned with their leaders.

The discussion highlights the need for understanding historical context and the human nature of politicians, emphasising that while many have committed egregious acts, they can also possess redeeming qualities.

Buy 'Members Behaving Badly' - click here

Find Debbie on Instagram 'debbiekilroyauthor' and her website debbiekilroy.com and gethistory.co.uk

Chapters

00:00 The Book's Inspiration and Themes

08:24 Historical Figures and Their Misdeeds

14:20 Patterns of Political Misbehaviour

20:23 Cultural Reflections in Political Behaviour

24:46 The Legacy of Lord Thomas Cochrane

29:18 Understanding Historical Morality

31:29 The Nature of Political Power

36:14 Public Tolerance for Political Scandals

43:12 The Evolution of Political Systems

49:12 Engaging with Political Discourse

Thank you for listening to this episode, I hope you enjoyed it. There are many more historian interviews here for you to enjoy including over 50 fantastic historian interviews with people such as Tracy Borman OBE, Gareth Russell, Helen Castor, Helen Carr and many more.

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Philippa founded award-winning Historic Tour Operator British History Tours in 2014. Find out about these luxury, fully-escorted, immersive historical experiences at BritishHistoryTours.com

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