parliament pt1 Flashcards
(24 cards)
the structure of the House of Commons
- lower house of uk parliament
- the elected chamber –> most powerful part of the legislature
- 650 MPs each repping a single constituency
- front benchers and back benchers
- select committees and legislative committees (public bill coms)
- party whips
- the speaker
what are front benchers and back benchers
frontbench MPs
- includes gov ministers and opposition spokespersons - 150 MPs in total
- these have official positions either in gov or in shadow cabinet
backbench MPs
- about 500 MPs not part of frontbench
- dont hold gov or shadow ministerial posts
- role is to rep constituencies and contribute debates and committees
what are select committees and legislative committees (public bill coms)
SELECT
- permanent
- made up mostly of backbench MPs from across parties
- role to scrutiny gov policies and hold them account
LEGISLATIVE (PUBLIC BILL)
- temporary formed to consider legislation in detail after 2nd reading
- 20-40 MPs who reflect party balance in parlaiment
- role to scrutinise + propose amendments to legislation
what are party whips and the speaker
WHIPS
- senior MP
- responsible for discipline
- ensure party members vote in line with party
- put pressure to maintain party unity
SPEAKER
- elected by MPs to have authorrity over HoC
- maintains order during debates and interprets parliamentary rules
- must be impartial and resign from their political party upon election
structure of the House of Lords
- upper house of parliament
- unelected and consists of 800 members (peers)
- hereditary, life and crossbench peers
- archbishops and bishops - 26 seniors from CofE
- the lord speaker
3 types of peers
- hereditary peers –> title passed through family, 92 allowed only in HoL, elected internally, undermines democracy
- life peers –> appointed for life by leaders of the Appointments Commision, cant pass title onto kids, usually former politicians or experts, awarded based on merit
- crossbench peers –> independent life or hereditary peers with no party allegiance, offers impartial scrutiny, they increase legitimacy
the legislative process in the House of Commons
- FIRST READING - bill introduced (no debate)
- SECPOND READING - main debate and vote on bill, most bills that reach this stage are supported by gov
- COMMITTEE STAGE - bill sent to public bill committee for detailed line-by-line scrutiny, admendments made and voted on
- REPORT STAGE - the full commons consider admendments made in committee and further changes proposed
- THIRD READING - final debate and vote on complete version of bill, last op to reject or block it in commons
- PASSAGE TO HoL - if approved, bill sent to lords who may suggest admendments
- ROYAL ASSENT - monarch signs bill, then becomes Act of Parliament (law)
5 different types of parliamentary bills
- public bills - introduced by gov. most become law
- primary legislation - major laws passed by parliament. may give power to ministers
- secondary legislation - rules made under authority of primary legislation. parliament can veto them but doesnt usually
- private members bill - introduced by backbench MPs. rarely pass unless supported by gov
- private bills - apply to specific ppl or organisations
who are MPs
- every MP represents a single constituency
- nearly all elected MP aligned to party but few are independent
- MPs protected by parliamentary privilege –> cant be prosecuted or sued for anything they say in HoC, gives them freedom of speech
what are the functions of backbenchers
- props legislation through private members bills (dont always recieve gov support but raise awareness)
- rep their constituencies - local voices heard
- rebel against party if they disagree
- scrutinise gov policies and decisions via select committees
- they contribute to debates and raise questions to hold ministers account
INFLUNCES of backbench MPs
- MPs more willing to oppose party whip especially since 2010. EG –> in 2020, 38 Tory MPs voted against plans to let Huawei build 5G i UK. gov lost vote and policy changed after
- Backbench Business Committee gives MPs control over parliamentary time EG - dec 2020 secured a debate on teenage cancer awareness - niche topics
- hung parliaments - when no party has majority then backbencher MPs et more powerful as govs negotiates own MPs to pass legislation. EG 2017-19 May’s minority gov suffered defeats and cons backbenchers like ERG rebelled
- urgent questions - speaker allows backbenchers to ask urgent questions forcing ministers to respond to scandals. between 2017-19 speaker Bercow granted record number of urgent questions like NHS winter crisis
LIMITATIONS of backbench MP
- party whip system - votes controlled by 3-line-whip system where backbenchers pressured to vote with their party views with fear from being removed from the party - maintains loyalty. EG - Con MP Julian Lewis removed from party in 2020 after defying whip
- Westminster hall debates - debates raised through BBC held in - a second chamber with no voting and lower media coverage. eg 201 debates on key public issues like Long Covid
- gov majorities - large gov majority - harder for backbenchers to influence outcomes bc rebellions easily overridden EG - BJ 80 seat majority in 2019-22, despite rebellions - the gov rarely lost key votes
- access to power still depends on party politics - high power roles of backbenchers normally granted due to internal party support r reserved for long servicing MPs
peers - the house of lords
- peers are members of the house of lords
- rep dif sectors of society
- advocate for causes + raise public awareness
- scrutinise legislation by suggesting amendments and improvements
- each gov has a front bench peer who can be questioned
EG - Lord Dubs admeded 2016 immigration act supporting child refugees
functions of the House of Commons
- scrutiny
- MPs examine work of gov holding ministers accountable
- votes of no confidence
- lead to explanations, changes in policies or even removal of gov - passing and examining legislation
- MPs debate and vote on proposed laws
- they can admned bills to better reflect public interest
- process overlaps with scrutiny - representation
- MPs represent their constituent’s interests in parliament
- bring local issues to national attention
- campaign for changes to benefit their areas
what’s a vote of no confidence
declares that parliament no longer supports the government. if its passed it can lead to a general election or new gov formation
eg Theresa May survived a no-confidence vote in ja 2019
functions of the House of Lords
- scrutiny
- they cant block legislation outright but onyl delay it
- this power forces gov to rethink its proposals and modify or postpone. this is a second check on legislation - legislation
- lords revise and suggest amendments to legislation passed by commons
- amendments more detailed + well-informed due to experts and professionals - representation
- they often rep minority voices and vulnerable groups
- peers appointed for expertise in areas like child welfare, disability rights, refugee policy
the powers of the House of Commons
they have some exclusive powers not shared with Lords
- approve or reject proposed legislation
- dismiss a gov via a vote of no confidence
- amend legislation during debates or in public bill committees
- order debates on national issues especially in crisis or emergencies
- backbenchers can propose private members’ bills
powers of the House of Lords
more limited powers but still come
- Delay legislation for up to one year
- amend legislation though commons can reject these changes
- question ministers if theys it in Lords about gov policy
- debate major issues often in a more deliberative and less partisan atmosphere than common
3 ways the lords have less power
- Parliament Act 1911
- prevented lords from blocking financial legislation eg tax, budgets
- protected the commons control of money - Parliament Act 1949
- limited the lords power to delay legislation to one year - Salisbury convention
- unwritten rule from the 1940s
- prevents lords from blocking legislation mentioned in the governing party’s election manifesto
- ensures democratic accountability as policies voted for by public shouldn’t be blocked by an unelected chamber
what is the opposition
- general term for all MPs and peers not in government
- official opposition –> 2nd largest party in HoC
key roles and functions of the opposition
- scrutiny of gov policy - forces ministers to justify + explain actions - holds them accountable
- alternatives - opposition may propose dif solutions to policy problems eg alternative budget plans
- readiness to govern - aims to prove its a credible alternative gov with shadow ministers mirroring cabinet roles
- parliamentary procedures - raise questions, debates and force ministers to respond to matters of national concern. leader of opposition has right to speak first at PMQs
- setting agendas - opposition controls 20 parliamentary days per session - Supply Days (opposition days). on these the opposition chooses subject of debate and may force a vote EG - 2018 labour used supply day to force vote on pausing Universal Credit roll out
what are supply days
parliamentary days where opposition parties, not the government, set the agenda. This gives them a rare but powerful chance to influence debate direction.
what are PMQs
sessions that give backbench MPs and leaders of opposition parties chance to ask the PM questions. happens every wednesday
4 types of parliamentary questions
- ministerial questions -> all ministers answer in person or writing with dif sessions scheduled for specific departments
- PMQs - every wed where PM questioned by leader of opposition and backbenchers. high-profile and broadcasted.
- urgent questions UQs - asked by any MP and approved by speaker. used when issue of public interest needs immediate response
- written questions - submitted by MPs or peers and answered in writing. seek detailed or statistical info
