Episode description

Are British politicians at breaking point?

In this new digital age with its high level of public scrutiny, the sheer amount of abuse, disdain and direct threat politicians get is causing their mental health to take a real hit.

And this matters. Broken politicians equal broken politics and that’s bad news for us all.

Few can dispute that in the wake of a near constant stream of scandals, public perceptions of politics and politicians have become increasingly cynical and toxic.

So what impact is this all having on our politicians and our politics?

Jennifer Nadel - Co-Founder of Compassion in Politics - hears raw personal testimony from MPs across the House who have reached breaking point and worse, asking what this means for the health of our democracy?

In this Radio 4 investigation into the mental health and wellbeing of politicians, MPs talk candidly about the incessant pressures of the job and the escalating mental health crisis in parliament.

The programme reveals shocking testimony including one former government minister who tells us ‘Politics has left me a broken human being.’ A young MP describes attempting to take his own life, revealing to the BBC that he is not alone.

This programme asks whether the mental health crisis is affecting MPs' ability to govern. Many say it does, and that good people are simply being driven out or away from public life.

In the face of these mounting personal testimonies Radio 4 asks MPs what can be done?

If you have particular experiences or a story related to this podcast that you would like to share in confidence with the programme makers, you can e-mail: Daniel.Tetlow.ext@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Daniel Tetlow Presenter: Jennifer Nadel Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Vadon The music was composed by Daniel Tetlow and Benjamin Bushakevitz and performed by Ammiel Bushakevitz