2.4-relationship between parliament and the executive Flashcards
how many days in the parliamentary session does the BBBC get to set the topic for debate?
35 days
how many times was tony blair defeated in office?
4 times, all in his 3rd term
how many times times was theresa may defeated?
33 times
what vote is considered the worst defeat in modern political history?
- theresa mays brexit deal was defeated 432-202 in 2019
give an example of a recent succesfull oposition day motion.
- 2021
- labour motion calling for the government to cancel the £20/week cut to universal credit passed 253-0
- the goverment told its mps to abstain
how many urgent questions were asked between 2017-2019 (the brexit process)?
307
give an example of an urgent question that lead to a resignation.
- amber rudd was asked an urgent question by dianne abbot in 2018 about deportation targets and her handling of windrush
- in this answer she gave parliament innacurate information
what are the limits to the influence of backbenchers?
- power of patronage (mps want to prove loyalty)
- government majority (rebellions are less significant)- DUE TO FPTP
- limited influence of debates and urgent questions
- governments have a majority in public bill committees
- govt controls most of the timetable (increasingly rushed legislation through)
- govt can use secondary legislation
what was tony blair majority?
179 seat majority
what are the arguments that select committees are influencial?
- hearings are televised
- government has to respond to reports, and the finding of reports can influence policy
- long serving committee chairs can develop greater knowledge in the area than ministers who often remain in a role for a short period
- liason committee directly questions the PM twice a year
what are the arguments that select committees are NOT influencial?
- majority of commitee members are from the governing party
- there is a tradition that chairs of the main commitees are from the governing party
- the power to summon witnesses is limited
- government is not very responsive to reccomendations
give an example of an important recent televised committee hearing.
in 2023 the priviledges select committee scrutinsed former PM boris johnson over the partygate scandal
which select commitee originally proposed the OBR?
the treasury select committee
how did Boris Johnson undermine the liason select committee?
twice cancelled appointments
what are the arguments that the opposition provides effective scrutiny?
- shadows government departments and proposed alternative policies
- the leader of the opposition can question the PM in PMQ’s
- can attack the govt in the media
- opposition days (20 days)
what are the arguments that the opposition is ineffective?
- limited when the government has a large majority
- govt controls the majority of the timetable
- govt has access to huge departments and thoasands of civil servants
- lack of popularity after loosing an election
in what ways can PMQ’s be argued to be effective?
- is ministers mislead the commons in PMQ’s this may result in resignation, ensures the competence of ministers
- gives the opposition an oppertunity to expose govt failure
- PMQ’s is televised and the most watched aspect of politics
- Requires the pm to be well versed in all areas of policy
how many questions can the opposition party ask in PMQ’s
- leader of the opposition has 6
how might it be argued that PMQ’s is ineffective?
- focused more on partisan, political point scoring
- many backbencher questions are drafted by the whips, aimed at flattering the govt
- presents a very negative view of politics to the public leading to distrust
give an example of a convention that limits the govts power.
- convention developed under tony blair: military action should recieve parliamnetary consent
- reinforced by cameron who was defeated on action in syria
- broken by may who didnt hold a vote on action in syria
How many MP’s are part of the government and therefore bound by collective ministerial responsibility?
over 100
give an example of the use of statutory instruments (secondary legislation) ?
- statutory instruments are used to ban new substances by adding them to a list under the misuse of drugs act 1971
- covid
how many statutory instruments related to covid were implemented? what act was introduced to allow for the use of these powers?
- 582 between 2020- 2022
- coronavirus act 2020: granted the government emergency powers related to covid
what powers are avaliable to select commitees?
- they decide themselves the areas they will investigate
- can gather evidence both oral and written and can summon witnesses
- produce reports- the government is expected to respond within 2 months
give an example of an important private members bill.
2019 voyeurism act- wera hobhouse
what changes did the wright reforms implement (2010)?
- created the back bench business committee
- members of the BBBC are elected by thier parliamentary group
- chairs and members of committees are directly elected
- petitions commitee set up to choose from petitions with over 100,000 signatures
what % of select committee reccomendations does the government accept?
40% (often minor changes)
in a 2014 ispos survey what % of people believed PMQ’s included too much political point scoring?
67%
what % of people in a 2014 ispos survey had seen/ heard some PMQ’s in the last year (in full or in clips)?
54%
give an example of an important parliamentary group. who are some of its members?
the european research group
- important in organising rebellions against theresa mays brexit deals
suella braverman, james cleverly, michael gove
how many mps had the whip removed after they supported an emergency motion to allows the commons to take over the EU withdrawl bill.
21
