Communicating parliamentary business

How Parliament relayed its debates and decisions to the outside world began as a balancing act between politicians reluctant to make their speeches public and newspapers eager for stories.

Gradually the two learned to live with one another. Parliament stopped trying to prevent unofficial reports of its debates, while journalists agreed to operate within certain boundaries.

Coverage of parliamentary proceedings was also formalised, and new technological developments allowed members of the public to hear and see Parliament on radio and on television, and eventually to engage directly with Parliament via the internet.