4.2 Relationship between executive and parliament

Question 1

1

What is an elective dictatoship?

Answer 1

A government that dominates Parliament, usually due to a large majority, and therefore has few limits on its power

Question 2

2

Give examples of weak parliamentary influence

Answer 2

• 1979-87 (Thatcher) - dominant personality, divided opposition, Falklands victory, 144-seat majority in 1983 (with exception of Shops Act 1986)
• 1997-2005 (Blair) - landlsides, no defeats

Question 3

3

Give examples of strong parliamentary influence

Answer 3

• 1974-79 (Wilson/Callaghan) - majority of 3, loss of majority through by-elections, no confidence vote
• 2017-19 (May) - minority adminstration, factionated Conservatives, Brexit vote losses
• 2019 (Johnson) - Letwin Amendment, Benn Bill

Question 4

1

What did the Benn Bill do?

Answer 4

Forced government to extend brexit deadline if deal was not achieved

Question 5

3

What happened to Theresa May’s control of Parliament

Answer 5

• 2019, MPs voted to take control of Parliament
• First time in circa 100 years
• Cleared way for series of votes on alternatives to May’s withdrawal deal e.g. Norway-style membership

Question 6

3 - (3) (3) (2)

Describe the argument that Parliament is effective in holding the Executive to account

Answer 6

• Methods of scrutiny are effective
  
  • Select committees taken seriously (30-40% recommendations implemented)
  • Liaison committee
  • HoL expertise - ‘revising chamber’
• More regularly challenges Executive
  
  • increasing backbench rebellions
  • 3 PMs toppled by Parliament
  • HoL - 2020 internal market bill
• Has control over aspects of Parliamentary agenda in HoC
  
  • BBBC schedules 35 days of debate
  • Letwin Amendment 2019

Note: this is a broad question and you could include anything from Ch6. Just ensure that you continually reference both the HoC and HoL

Question 7

4 - (3) (2) (3) (2)

Describe the argument that the executive exerts dominance over Parliament

Answer 7

• Executive has stripped away powers of HoL
  
  • Parliament Acts and Salisbury Convention
  • Sexual Offences (amendment) bill 2020
  • limits ability to scrutinise
• Use of secondary legislation to bypass scrutiny
  
  • 2020: 1618 SIs, 49 Acts
  • use of royal pregogative
• ‘Payroll vote’
  
  • PM’s use of patronage to encourage loyalty to enact legislative programme
  • Large parliamentary majority
  • 1997-2005: no defeats
• Government dominates parliamentary business
  
  • Public Bill committees have a government majority and are party whipped
  • BBBC debates and opposition day motions are non-binding

Question 8

3 - (3) (2) (3)

Describe the argument that Parliament has gained power over the executive in recent years

Answer 8

• Increasing rebellions
  
  • Theresa May and Brexit defeats
  • 3 PMS toppled
  • breakdown of ‘payroll’ vote and loyalty
• Scrutiny is more effective
  
  • Select committee chairs chosen by MPs in secret ballot (removal of party whip)
  • HoL has become more confident in delaying govt legislation e.g. tax credits 2015
• Has greater control over aspects of Parliamentary agenda in HoC
  
  • BBBC schedules 35 days of debate
  • Chair of BBBC has to be from oppsotion
  • Letwin Amendment 2019

Question 9

3 - (3) (3) (3)

Describe the argument that the executive has gained power over Parliament in recent years

Answer 9

• Large parliamentary majority in 2019
  
  • rarely defeated (e.g. no defeats 2022-23 parliamentary sessions
  • Safety of Rwanda Bill 2024
  • Majority still indicates mandate even if leader has changed
• Patronage powers have increased
  
  • greater ministerial turnover has encouraged greater loyalty
  • increased with PPSs
  • also true for HoL e.g. Lord Golsmith (served as Minsiter of State for Asia, Environment and Climate)
• Limited ability for MPs to change legislation
  
  • PMBs rarely succeed
  • BBBC debates and oppoisiton days non-binding
  • increasing use of e-petitions, EDMs resorts to virtue signalling

Question 10

4

Describe the Tax Credits delay

Answer 10

• 2015, Osborne attempted to cut tax credits
• Claimed it was a finance bill and could not be delayed by HoL
• HoL did not cite it as primarily financial and voted to delay it for up to one year
• Osborne reconsidered plans

Question 11

2

What did the House of Lords do with the Rwanda Treaty?

Answer 11

• Voted to delay Rwanda Treaty ratification (to one year) by 43-vote margin
• Treaty seeks to enable government to proceed with policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda
• Add more on Safety of Rwanda Bill

Question 12

3

Describe the Goverment victory in the Safety of Rwanda Bill

Answer 12

• Second reading
• Sunak govt won 44-vote majority
• RW rebels backed down