Executive-Parliament

Question 1

How Parliament controls the executive?

Answer 1

• There is natural conflict between parliament and the executive - follows two principles: Parliament is sovereign and the Government has an elected mandate to carry out ifs manifesto.
• If Parliament exercises sovereignty, it threatens the government’s democratic legitimacy - solved as usually Govt holds a majority in the HOC; no need to exercise if Govt acts within the mandate.
• Acts passed by the Govt to control Parli (HOL).
  + Parliament Act 1911
  + Parliament Act 1949
  + Salisbury Convention.

Question 2

What was the Parliament Act 1911?

Answer 2

Sought to remove the power of the House of Lords to reject money bills, and to replace the Lords’ veto over other public bills with the power of delay.

Question 3

What was the Parliament Act 1949?

Answer 3

Reducing the time that the House of Lords could delay bills from three sessions over two years to two sessions over one year.

Question 4

How does the executive controls parliament?

Answer 4

PM’s patronage:
- Controls appointment and dismissals to govt.
- Controls MPs power and increases loyalty of their party’s MPs as those who cause trouble are unlikely to be promoted.

General dislike of elections:
- Fear of loosing their seats + the hard work.
- Passed the Fixed Parliament Act 2011 - reduce the possibility.

Party whips:
- Used to exercise control of MPs.
- MPs can be suspended from the party if they are too obstructive = damages career and increases loyalty.

Question 5

What are some circumstances favouring executive power?

Answer 5

• Large majority = 1983, 1987, 1997 and 2001.
• United in a dominant ideology = Thatcherism (1983-9) and New Blarism (1997-2005).
• Fragmented opposition = Labour (1983-92 and 2015 onwards).
• Dominant govt leader = Thatcher (1979-89), Blair (1997-03) and to an extent Johnson (2019-22).

Question 6

What are some circumstances favouring Parliamentary power?

Answer 6

• Small to no majority = 2010, 2015 (12 seats).
• Split on issues govt = Brexit (2016-onwards with three prime ministers).
• United, strong opposition = New Labour (1994-7).
• Unpopular leader/lost authority = Thatcher (1990), Major (1994-7), Brown (2008-10) and Johnson (2019-22) and Truss (2022).

Question 7

Current state of relations

Answer 7

• 2010 = no dominant govt majority - emergence of a multi-party system - difficult to control MPs.
• Parliament - insisted on taking control of military intervention = failed legacy of Iraq 2003.
• Lords increasingly more active and obstructive since 1999.
• Select committees, led by a powerful chair, have good status and is more aggressive and critical.
• Backbenchers = controls parliamentary agenda and membership - enhanced their authority.

Question 8

Current state of relations

Answer 8

• 2010 = no dominant govt majority - emergence of a multi-party system - difficult to control MPs.
• Parliament - insisted on taking control of military intervention = failed legacy of Iraq 2003.
• Lords increasingly more active and obstructive since 1999.
• Select committees, led by a powerful chair, have good status and is more aggressive and critical.
• Backbenchers = controls parliamentary agenda and membership - enhanced their authority.

Question 9

Importance of governing with a majority

Answer 9

+ Most proposals negotiated individually from MPs must come from all parties to secure support. Otherwise:

• Faces possibility of defeat.
• Must survive votes of no confidence.
• Struggles to gain support for the budget.
• Imposes a leadership challenge if they resign because of low popularity from the parliament.