the relationship between the executive and Parliament

Question 1

how did Thatcher and Blair have power over Parliament?

Answer 1

their huge majorities gave them an advantage, and they had an elective dictatorship

Question 2

what is the Parliament Act 1911?

Answer 2

it prevented the HOL having any control on the governments financial arrangements, giving the Lords less power

Question 3

what is the Sailsbury Convention?

Answer 3

made it so that the Lords couldn’t block any piece of legislation

Question 4

how does Parliament have control over the executive?

Answer 4

if the government lacks an electoral mandate for a policy, the Commons can reject it unless the government can persuade the majority of MPs to support it, e.g Theresa May lacked a majority (230)

Parliament can amend any legislation to protect minority rights e.g Gordon Browns Detention Bill was amended too much, so he rejected it

PMQTs where Parliament can hold the executive can be held to account e.g Kier Starmer questioned Johnson on his lockdown parties

votes of no confidence

Question 5

how did the Falklands War help Thatcher?

Answer 5

she ended up with a large majority of 144, leading to her dominating Parliament as Micheal Foot and Neil Kinnock struggled to challenge her policies in the HOC

Question 6

how did Tony Blair dominate Parliament in 1997?

Answer 6

in 1997, he won a landslide general election, making him stronger due to the large majority

Question 7

how did the coalition lead to more executive power?

Answer 7

they reached such a high majority (363MPs) that rebellious MPs didnt affect their government, for example, the 21 Lib Dem MPs who voted labour to not increase tuition fees

Question 8

how was James Callaghan a weak executive?

Answer 8

the majority disappeared after he took over, leading to him being forced to create a supply and demand agreement with the Liberal party. then a vote of confidence took place and Thatcher took over

Question 9

what is the removal of hereditary peers?

Answer 9

removing most hereditary peers to avoid party control, leading to the Lords being more willing to defy the executive

Question 10

what did the backbench committee allow?

Answer 10

allowed ordinary MPs to have more control away from government control.

Question 11

what is the Liason committee?

Answer 11

allows the committee to scrutinise the executive twice a year

Question 12

what 3 acts lessened the powers of the House of Lords?

Answer 12

The Parliament Act 1911: prevented HOL from having a say in the govs financial arrangements

The Parliament Act 1949: reduced their delaying powers to one year

The Sailsbury Convention: lords cannot block any legislation that was on the manifesto

Question 13

what controls are there on the executive?

Answer 13

• if they lack an electoral mandate, the HOL can exercise a veto
• parliament can amend legislation
• PMQTs and the work of select committees (hold PM to account)
• vote of no confidence (rare)

Question 14

what circumstances allow parliament to control the executive?

Answer 14

• if they have a small or no majority
• if their party is divided
• if cabinet is divided
• if the PM fails to secure a clear mandate during an election

Question 15

what circumstances allow the executive to control parliament?

Answer 15

• having a majority
• united party
• securing a clear mandate
• united cabinet
• popular media image/popularity of the leader

Question 16

circumstances favouring executive power

large single party majority

3 examples

Answer 16

1983- Thatcher
1997- Blair
2019- Boris Johnson

Question 17

circumstances favouring executive power

united government over a dominant ideology

3 examples

Answer 17

1983-1989: thatcherism
1997-2005: labour third way
2019: pro brexit

Question 18

circumstances favouring executive power

opposition is weak

example

Answer 18

2015-20: Jeremy Corbyn split the labour party

Question 19

circumstances favouring executive power

government is led by a dominant leader

2 examples

Answer 19

1979-89 (Thatcher)
1997-2003 (Blair)

Question 20

circumstances favouring parliamentary power

the government has no majority or a small majority

3 examples

Answer 20

2010: coalition
2015: conservative majority of 12 seats
2017: Theresa May’s minority government

Question 21

circumstances favouring parliamentary power

the governing party is split on issues

2 examples

Answer 21

2010-2015: conservative split over europe
2017-19: divisions over the nature of Brexit and a second referendum

Question 22

circumstances favouring parliamentary power

the leader of the governing party has lost popularity

3 examples

Answer 22

1989-1990: Thatcher
2003-2007: Blair
2017-2019: May

Question 23

how else can the executive persuade or pressure government into doing what it wants?

Answer 23

patronage: PM has control of all appointments, meaning they can choose people they know will back them
party whips: whips keep MPs in check, an obstructive MP can be suspended from their party
the national platform: the PM can directly speak to the people through the media, and put pressure on MPs by gaining public support

Question 24

how has the power between the executive and parliament changed?

the removal of most hereditary peers

Answer 24

ensures no party has overall control in the lords - the lords is more willing to defy the executive and assert itself more in checking the

Question 25

how has the power between the executive and parliament changed?

creation of the backbench business committee

Answer 25

This has allowed ordinary MPs to control more parliamentary time away from government control, holding debates and introducing Private Members’ Bills that the government may not wish to support.

Question 26

how has the power between the executive and parliament changed?

growing power of the liason committee

Answer 26

the Prime Minister appears before the committee twice a year to be subject to scrutiny, giving Parliament greater opportunities to scrutinise the executive.

however, the PM doesn’t always show up, like Bojo cancelled 2x

Question 27

how has the power between the executive and parliament changed?

fixed term parliaments act

Answer 27

removed the prerogative power of the PM to call an early election when they want to.

Now a PM must gain permission from two-thirds of MPs before they can call an early election, meaning Parliament has gained some power over the process from the executive.

Question 28

Has the balance of power between the executive and Parliament shifted more towards Parliament in recent years?

5 ARGUMENTS FOR

Answer 28

• Parliament is achieving considerable influence over foreign and military policy, even voting against some military interventions.
• Select committees are increasingly influential and have come more under backbench control.
• The Liaison Committee is increasingly willing to call the Prime Minister to account.
• Between 2010 and 2019 there was no large and decisive government majority
• The House of Lords has become increasingly proactive and obstructive.

Question 29

Has the balance of power between the executive and Parliament shifted more towards Parliament in recent years?

5 ARUMENTS AGAINST

Answer 29

• In 2019 the Conservatives won a large and decisive majority.
• The government still relies on a large ‘payroll vote’ where all ministers, numbering over 100, are bound by collective responsibility.
• Government still controls the legislative programme and the Public Bill Committees that propose amendments.
• Prime ministerial patronage still creates loyalty among the government’s own MPs.
• Government still has a huge advantage in resources (media profile, advice and research) over Members of Parliament.