House of Commons

Question 1

Strengths - speaker

Answer 1

• Not biased, not having to work for anyone
• Represents parliament as a whole
• Doesn’t take part in voting

Question 2

Weaknesses - speaker

Answer 2

• In the position for a long time
• Difficult to hold account

Question 3

Strengths - Whip

Answer 3

• Kept in secret so can’t be affected by public
• Stay in control of party

Question 4

Weaknesses - Whip

Answer 4

• Biased so they can choose what the decision is
• People may not want to listen to them
• Isn’t a set position can be removed

Question 5

Strengths - Ministers/ front benchers

Answer 5

• Helps ensure manifestos are carried throughout
• Support the PM and gov

Question 6

Weaknesses - Ministers/ front benchers

Answer 6

• You can easily lose your place
• Can no longer represent their constituency

Question 7

Strengths - Leader of the opposition

Answer 7

• Can criticise government
• Often lead to media pressure on government

Question 8

Weaknesses- Leader of the opposition

Answer 8

• Their votes are non binding
• Not actually part of the government

Question 9

Strengths - Back benchers

Answer 9

• Important questions can be debated
• They can rebel
• Slim majority means they are more important and more bills can be passed

Question 10

Weaknesses - Back benchers

Answer 10

• Don’t hold a government or shadow cabinet position
• Can easily be ignore

Question 11

Speaker - examples

Answer 11

• Bercow expelled Skinner for calling Cameron ‘Dodgy Dave’ 2016
• Bercow used Erskine May on May to block 3rd vote on Brexit 2017
• Bercow pushed many urgent questions

Question 12

Whip examples

Answer 12

• Opposition day 2022 saw threat to the Cons of ‘losing the whip’
• Johnson expelled 21 MPs for denying the whip 2019

Question 13

Minister/ front bencher examples

Answer 13

• Davis and Johnson resign after not support May in the Brexit deal
• Johnson resigned in 2022 and 50 ministers also joined

Question 14

Leader of opposition examples

Answer 14

• Starmer during Covid was well known for constantly bring up testing
• Opposition day in 2020 focused on extending free school meals

Question 15

Back bencher examples

Answer 15

• Private member bills important like the abortion law 1967
• Rebellions only effective if party doesn’t have large majority 2003, 139 MPs vote against Iraq war