Britain’s past politicians were no better—often far worse—than today’s MPs.

Were Britain’s past politicians really more honourable than today’s? Or is nostalgia blinding us to just how corrupt, violent, and self-serving many of them actually were?

In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by historian, author, and Get History founder Debbie Kilroy to rage against one of Britain’s most persistent political myths: that historic MPs were somehow morally superior to the modern lot.

Drawing on over 400 years of parliamentary history, Debbie dismantles the rose-tinted view of Britain’s political past, revealing a parade of bigamists, slave traders, duelists, bribe-takers, fraudsters, and outright psychopaths who once sat comfortably in Parliament.

From Norman MacLeod kidnapping his own tenants into slavery, to Lord Cardigan’s cruelty, incompetence, and vanity, to the systemic corruption that brought down figures like Francis Bacon and David Lloyd George, this episode exposes how power, privilege, and political protection enabled shocking behaviour—often without consequences.

Along the way, Debbie explains:

Why we keep romanticising historic politicians
How corruption adapted rather than disappeared over time
Why reforms like the 1832 Reform Act only scratched the surface
How crowds, riots, and popular protest once held MPs to account
Why the system itself—not just individuals—remains the problem

This is not a defence of modern politics—but a warning against pretending the past was cleaner, fairer, or more honest. Politicians, Debbie argues, haven’t changed. What’s changed is what they can get away with.

About the Guest: Debbie Kilroy

Debbie Kilroy is a historian, writer, and the creator of the popular history platform Get History. She specialises in British political history, focusing on the human realities behind power, myth, and reputation.

She is the author of:

📘 Members Behaving Badly: A History of Britain in 52 Parliamentary Rogues

A deeply researched and often shocking exploration of Britain’s most notorious MPs, spanning four centuries of corruption, cruelty, and chaos.

🔗 Book available via https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781783969388

Connect with Debbie

Website: Get History: https://gethistory.co.uk/
Social media: @debbiekilroyauthor (Instagram, Facebook and most platforms)
X (Twitter): @DebbieKilroy

Recommended Listening

Episode 241 – Erica Canella on chaos and dissent in the early Quaker movement
Episode 181 – Shalina Patel dismantles the myths of the Pankhursts

About History Rage

History Rage is the podcast where professional historians confront popular myths head-on and angrily demand historical honesty.

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If you think politicians were better “back then”, this episode may ruin that illusion forever.

Stay angry.

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