Evaluate the view that Backbenchers have little impact on Parliament Flashcards
What would be the points and counters of this essay
- Select Committees are impactful (Impactful)
ca - Govt still has a majority on the committees (Not impactful)
- impactful Involvement in legislative process (Impactful)
ca - Exception, normally we have majorities (Not impactful)
- PMQ’s + Urgent Questions (Impactful)
ca - performative (Not impactful)
- Select Committees (Impactful) what do select committees do
Select committees shadow departments
- Select Committees (Impactful) what was It like prior to the Wright reforms
Prior to the Wright Reforms Select Committee chairs and members were appointed by party leaders. the PM would appoint loyal members
- Select Committees (Impactful) what did the Wright reforms introduce and what did this mean
the Wright Reforms, implemented by David Cameron, introduced secret ballet for members and most chairs
this means that SC in parliament are now elected by fellow members
- Select Committees (Impactful) what part do the whips have in the selection of the SC members since the Wright Reforms and what does this show regarding the backbench
the whips therefore now have no part to play in the election of select committee members
this therefore shows that the power has been shifted from the hands of the PM to the backbenchers showing influence
- Select Committees (Impactful) explore the idea of independent minded appointments
independent minded MPs have been elected to these SC after 2010
- Select Committees (Impactful) who is Robert Halform what is he the chair of and what was his relationship like with BJ
Robert Halform has been a serial rebel against Boris J and is now the chair of the education select committee
- Select Committees (Impactful) explore the idea of meritocracy since the Wright reforms and what has it decreased
Due to the right reforms the selection process has become more meritocratic and backbench influence has decreased cronyism
- Select Committees (Impactful) what is the purpose of the departmental select committee
the departmental select committees are so important as they are to scrutinise the activity of departments
- Select Committees (Impactful) what are the areas that departmental select committees scrutinise
departmental select committees scrutinise the running of the dept, legislation that is to or has been passed by a dept and department budgets
- Select Committees (Impactful) in regard to SC publish reports what percent is included in legislation and give an example of legislation produced by a SC
after the publishing of SC reports 40% of SC recommendations are accepted into legislation
the idea of the 5p plastic bags was formulated by the environmental SC and was adopted by David Cameron
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explain govt majority in simple terms and provide an analysis
the government still has a majority on the committee
this therefore means that govt influence on the SC is still in existence and effective to a greater extent that expected
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explore the idea of strong party affiliations and provide an analysis
members of SC also still have strong party affiliations
this therefore means that while SC are independent bodies, an alignment of ideologies with a political party will inherently shape and influence the workings of that select committee
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explore the idea of SC being theatrical and what approach has it taken up
SC can also be argued as having become theatrical and almost judicial in its approach to interviews
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explore the Russel Brand Home affairs SC 2012
Russel Brands 2012 SC hearing was highly comical and rather unofficial in style due to constant joke making
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explore the idea of SC investigating non-central issues to parliament in a simple sentence
SC may investigate issues that are not central to parliament or government at all
- CA - govt has majority on the committees (Not impactful) explore the Margaret Hodge SC as an example of non central hearings and provide an analysis
Margaret Hodge’s SC and the public account SC focus was on companies
government got an “easy ride” as It made better entertainment to bring in the head of Google rather than a civil servant therefore losing focus
- Legislative Process (Impactful) Historically backbenchers were regarded as what
Historically backbenchers were regarded as nothing but “Lobby Fodder” and told what to do by party whips
- Legislative Process (Impactful) since 2010 what change in the nature of the BackBenchers have there been
since 2010 backbenchers have become much more assertive
- Legislative Process (Impactful) what are the two reasons backbenchers have recently become assertive and provide examples
- Assertive due to minority govt - 2017 DUP + conservative
2. Assertive due to small majority - 2015 David Cameron
- Legislative Process (Impactful) why have backbenchers become more assertive and provide an analysis
as Backbenchers have become more important to get majorities
it is therefore not possible to alienate backbenchers as they are of increasing importance
- Legislative Process (Impactful) what did Brexit give backbenchers
Brexit gave backbenchers a sense of commitment to a cause
- Legislative Process (Impactful) how many legislative votes did Theresa May lose and between when and why
Theresa May lost 33 legislative votes between 2017-19 due to lack of support from backbenchers
- Legislative Process (Impactful) how many legislative votes did Blair lose and within what time frame and what is the analysis in comparison to Theresa May
Tony Blair lost 4 legislative votes in the commons in 10 years and therefore shows the importance of having backbench support
