Chapitre 6 UK Parliament Flashcards
House of Commons
650 members of Parliament (MPs), each MP is elected is a single- member constituency by the first-past-the-post electoral system, the governing party (or parties) sit on the benches to the right of the speaker’s chair and member of opposition parties on the benches to it’s left.
- composed of PM and the Cabinet and the Leader of the opposition Shadow Cabinet. - in frontbenchers there is Government and opposition.
- left and right: back benchers (Ordinary MPs)
In the HOC the Government form the majority bloc (majority backbenchers). Composed of: minister of defense/finance/the interior/education and the PM. They form the Cabinet. The opposition form the minority bloc (minority backbench). Composed of= the shadow minister of defense/finance/the interior/education ad the Leader of opposition. They all form the Shadow Cabinet.
So in the HOC the main opposition party appoints ‘’shadow ministers’’ to confront their rivals. Ministers and shadow ministers are known as frontbenchers because they occupy the benches closet to the floor of the chamber. The majority of MPs have no ministerial or shadow ministerial posts and are known as backbenchers.
First Past the Post
First Past the Post: is the electoral system used to elect the UK Parliament. The UK is slept intro 650 constituencies (in each one voters put a cross in the box next to their preferred candidate). The candidate with the most votes becomes the MP for that constituency. The party with the overall majority of seats becomes the party of government.
+this system (FPOP) is supposed to give clear majorities, although this has recently been challenged thy the 2010 General Election « where no party had an overall majority ».
This is the constituency map from the 2015 General Election. The Conservative party had a 12 seat majority over Labour, but the parties - such as the SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Green and UKIP - also won seats.
The system of « winner takes all »
admettons que 100% de votes, 32% aillent pour un candidat et les 68% se répartissent entre 5 candidats = le candidat gagnant est celui qui a les 32% bien que 68% des votants n’étaient pas pour lui; et ceux car c’est ce candidat qui a eu la majorité.
FRONT AND BACKBENCHERS:
In both of the Commons and the Lords, Government ministers and Opposition shadow ministers sit on the front benches and are known as ‘frontbenchers’.
MPs and members of the Lords who do not hold ministerial positions sit towards the back of the Chamber and are known as ‘backbenchers’.
Opposition parties:
The effectiveness of the Party system in Parliament depends on the relationship between the Government and the Opposition parties. In general, Opposition parties aim to:
- contribute to the creation of policy and legislation through constructive criticism
- oppose gouvernement proposais they disagree with
- put forward their own policies in order to improve their chances of winning the next
general election
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS:
Legislative proposals initiated by backbench MPs rather than by the Government. Only a small number of private members’ bills become law. Time constraints and the difficulty of persuading other MPS to back a proposal mean that most fall at an early stage.
HOUSE OF LORDS:
- The HOL is Parliament’s second chamber. It is made up of unelected ‘Peers’.
- Peers have either been appointed by the Queen or have inherited the positions.
- The Lords carries out the same legislative role as the HOC.
- Debate in the Lords though tends to be very more polite and often less exciting than
the HOC.
Reform of the Lords
1998; All but 92 hereditary peers removed. Irony these represent only elected in the lords as they are elected by their peers.
Also set up Royal Commission House of Lords to suggest reform. The Wakeham Commission suggested a number of proposals for fundamental reform which were not implemented apart from creation independent appointments commission to vet nominations.
2000; Independent Appointements Commission to review nominations from political parties and people’s peers public nominations.
2001; lack of consensus within the major parties over long them future of composition of Lords.
2010; election all main parties in favor of substantial / fully elected chamber. The coalition
agreement was for a fully elected chamber but bill eventually introduced was for 80% elected on non renewable terms with gradual phasing in 2015, 2020,
2025.
Prospects; continued disagreement over long term future of the Lords and faced with significant commons opposition the bills was withdrawn July 2012. Government has opposed reform the of Lords owing to intense Conservative opposition.
But why reforms of the HOL
- Of 800 member in current chamber, 14 over 90 and 2 under 40.
- Just to enter House each day gets a peer £300 daily allowance no tax
- A lot of the so called experts are out of touch - ex experts
- House of Lords is whipped just better disguised
- It will increase its legitimacy
How Does the whip system Work?
Each week, the Whips issue MPs notes on the order of business in Parliament for the coming week.
- One line whips asks the MP to attends the House
- Two line ships expects the MP to attends and support the government * Three line whip demands an MP’s attendance and support.
A constituency refers…
A constituency refers to a part of the country that is represented by a Member of Parliament.
Whenever an MP dies,…
Whenever an MP dies, a by election is held in his/her constituency to replace him/her
The House of Lords is composed of …
The House of Lords is composed of of 24 Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops) - though there can be as many as 26 - and 775 Lords Temporal (684 life peers appointed by the Queen of the advice of the Prime Minister and 91 elected hereditary peers).
Unlike backbenchers,…
Unlike backbenchers, frontbenchers hold an official position in the Government of the Shadow Cabinet and sit on the front benches.
Pursuant to the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty,…
Pursuant to the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty, Parliament is the Supreme legal authority in the UK, which can create or and any law, the courts cannot overrule its legislation and no Parliament can ass laws that future Parliaments cannot change
