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Edexcel A Level Politics > C2: Parliament > Flashcards

C2: Parliament Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Legislature in the UK?

A

The Parliament, where all elected MPs sit. Parliament passes all laws.

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2
Q

What is the Executive in the UK?

A

The Cabinet

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3
Q

What is the Government?

A

The Cabinet, or ‘Frontbench’, formed by the largest party in the Commons.

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4
Q

What is meant by the Bicameral system?

A

The ‘Two-Chamber’ system, made of the HoC and the HoL

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5
Q

What is the Cabinet?

A

A group of ministers appointed by the PM. Each minister has their own set of responsibilities (Chancellor, Home Sec, etc)

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6
Q

What is a strength of the UK Parliament structure?

A

Bicameral system acts as a check on executive power

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7
Q

What is a weakness of the UK Parliament structure?

A

Monarch is constitutional only - serves no purpose
Electorate does not pick the PM - voted for Johnson, have had Truss & Sunak
HoL unelected

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8
Q

What electoral system does the UK Parliament use?

A

First Past the Post

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9
Q

How often are HoC elections held?

A

Every 5 years

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10
Q

What is the Fixed-Term parliaments act?

A

An act that said parliaments cannot call early elections unless a no-confidence vote is lost or 2/3 of MPs support an early election.

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11
Q

When was the Fixed Term parliaments act repealed?

A

2022

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12
Q

What happens when an MP dies or steps down?

A

A by-election is held

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13
Q

What is an example of an independent MP?

A

Douglas Carswell UKIP stepped down in 2017 and became an Independent

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14
Q

What is an example of an MP crossing the floor to another party?

A

Christian Wakeford to Labour in 2022
Phillip Lee to Lib Dems in 2019

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15
Q

What is the upper limit to members of the House of Lords?

A

There is none

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16
Q

How many Lords are there currently?

A

778

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17
Q

What are the three categories of Lords?

A

Hereditary Peers, Life Peers, Lords Spiritual

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18
Q

What are the four functions of Parliament

A

Legislate, Scrutinise, Represent, and Legitimacy

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19
Q

How does Parliament fulfill its role to legislate?

A

It can make or amend laws on any matter
Parliament is the supreme law-making body in the UK
Private Member’s Bills can be tabled by any MP

20
Q

What is the role of the Lords in legislation?

A

They can suggest amendments to non-money bills and return them to the Commons
Can veto bills for a year

21
Q

In what ways is Parliament ineffective at legislation?

A

Parliament is reactive - most bills come from the executive & PMBs rarely passed
Whips force MPs to vote along party lines
Overriding necessity or secondary legislation can be used to force bills through (2005 Control Orders)

22
Q

What forms of scrutiny are there in Parliament?

A

Questions to Ministers, PMQs, Select Committees, Debates

23
Q

In what ways is Parliamentary Scrutiny effective?

A

Several mechanisms in place to deliver govt. scrutiny
PMQs is once a week
Debates can lead to change - Cameron & Syria
Select committes can change legislation - reviewed Covid response

24
Q

In what ways is Parliamentary Scrutiny ineffective?

A

PMQs and debates are theatrical in nature
Select Committees are political in nature - Jonhson tried to install Grayling as head of Defence SC 2020

25
Q

Who do MPs represent?

A

Their constituents
Their Party
The electorate as a whole

26
Q

How is Parliament ineffective at representation?

A

Nepotism in HoL appointments - Jo Johnson
Commons not representative of society - 70% men, 5% from ethnic minorities
Commons representation distorted by FPTP
Whips force MPs to vote along party lines

27
Q

How is Parliament effective at representation?

A

No party has overall control of Lords
MPs can technically vote as they wish
Hereditary peers being phased out - all but 96 in 1997
MPs directly accountable to local constituents due to FPTP

28
Q

How does Parliament make the government legitimate?

A

Government is made up of people directly elected as MPs
Direct Democratic mandate through being the largest party
Government reflects concerns through the Ministerial code

29
Q

How is Parliament ineffective at providing legitimacy?

A

Constituents do not directly vote for PM
Scandals damage Parliamentary legitimacy - Hancock, Johnson, Patel, Raab, Zahawi, etc.

30
Q

What are the powers of the House of Commons?

A

Exclusive authority over taxation & expenditure - HoL cannot block money bills
Salisbury convention - Lords cannot block manifesto pledges

31
Q

What are some of the limits of the House of Commons?

A

Devolved powers get a say over their areas - e.g. Hollyrood
HRA 1998 - all legislation must comply (Rwanda)
Parliamentary Ping-Pong with the Lords
Supreme Court can undergo Judicial review - 2019 prorogation of Parliament blocked

32
Q

What are the powers of the House of Lords?

A

Advises the government
Can delay non-money bills for a year
Greater party political balance

33
Q

What are the limitations of the House of Lords?

A

Lacks democratic legitimacy
Cannot directly amend or block bills - can only veto
Cannot interfere with money bills or manifesto pledges
Commons usually wins Parliamentary Ping-Pong
Parliament Act can force through legislation - 2000 equality of age of consent for LGBTQ+

34
Q

What is a legislative bill?

A

A proposal for a new law or change to an existing law

35
Q

What is an Act of Parliament?

A

A bill that has become law

36
Q

What are the four types of Bill?

A

Government Bill - put forwards by the govt
Private Bill - put forwards by a local company or organisation
Hybrid Bill - mix of Govt and Private Bill
Private Member’s Bill - put forwards by an individual MP

37
Q

What is the process by which a bill becomes law?

A

Origin
First Reading
Second Reading
Committee
Report
Third Reading
House of Lords
Royal Assent

38
Q

In what ways are backbench MPs effective?

A

Private Member’s Bills - can introduce legislation
Can scrutinise bills
Represent local constituents
Parliamentary privelige - cannot be prosecuted for what they say in Parliament
Backbench Business Committee - picks topics for debate
Can rebel against the govt
Can raise Urgent Questions for ministers

39
Q

In what ways are backbench MPs ineffective?

A

Most PMBs fail
Scrutiny can lead to amendments, but cannot veto or scrap
Limited representation due to whips
Urgent Questions often depend on Speaker
Debate time limited to 10 minutes to speak
Govt controls legislative programme

40
Q

How are Select Committees effective?

A

Selected by MPs rather than whips
Composition reflects parliamentary makeup
High levels of scrutiny - witnesses, can summon MPs
Highly public & televised
Produce reports that the government has to respond to within 2 months
Often contain experts - ex-chancellor Nigel Lawson on the Economic Affairs committee

41
Q

What are Select Committes?

A

Bodies which scrutinise the policy administration & spending of a government department

42
Q

How are Select Committes ineffective?

A

Political Interference - Johnson tried to install Grayling as chair of defence SC 2020
Government dominates important SCs - Treasury, Foreign affairs
Can only cover limited topics
Poor attendance, high turnover
Cannot call some witnesses - blocked by Home Sec May in 2013
Questionable impact - rarely changes policy

43
Q

What is the Opposition?

A

The second largest party in the Commons

44
Q

How are the Opposition effective?

A

They attack government through media
Replies to the budget & the Queen’s speech
Given 20 days per year to propose debate
PMQs - once a week for 30 minutes

45
Q

How is the opposition ineffective?

A

Government maority matters - huge majority & the opposition is largely unimportant
PMQs is Gladiatorial & theatrical - often planned friendly questions

Edexcel A Level Politics (18 decks)

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