Why do the wrong people become MPs? How can we transform Westminster into a modern day workplace? How did Simon Hart’s time at The Countryside Alliance inform his politics? Rory and Alastair are joined by the ex-Tory Chief Whip, Simon Hart, to discuss all this and more. 0:00 – Intro 1:28 – Political background: from Countryside Alliance to Welsh Secretary and Chief Whip. 2:06 – Fox hunting and House of Lords reform 6:08 – The decline of rural farming and political neglect of upland farms and smallholders. 9:26 – Brexit discussion 12:27 – Hart’s accidental rise into politics and rural roots 14:05 – “Being a Tory meant you could have a sense of humor”—Hart’s ideological shift explained 15:11 – What does a Chief Whip actually do? 18:40 – Parliament’s lack of pastoral care for new MPs 21:03 – Why Hart titled his book Ungovernable 24:00 – Why politics resists reform 25:19 – Rory’s rise was slow—was it a talent issue or the system? How reshuffles really work 27:05 – Candidate selection flaws 29:00 – Suella Braverman’s reappointment 33:06 – The 1922 Committee and letters of no confidence explained 34:43 – Working with Boris Johnson 36:49 – The Conservative collapse 42:51 – Why the party feels ungovernable 44:28 – Populism vs realism: why governments fail to deliver fast, and how expectations are mismanaged 45:57 – Hart’s theory: political will is the most important factor in getting things done 46:36 – Knighthoods 50:30 – Final reflections 53:25 – Debrief Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.