Parliament Flashcards
How many voters does the average MP represent?
Around 68,000
When was, arguably, full Democracy achieved.
Full Democracy was argubaly achieved in 1928, when full female suffrage was achieved
What is the role of a Whip?
Essentially whips are in charge of party discipline and ensuring as far as they can that MPs stay loyal and vote the way their leaders dictate.
Whip can be withdrawn from an MP, which effectively means that an MP is suspended from the party
What is a Frontbencher?
Members of the governing party/parties who are also the ministers in the government and also to opposition MPs who are shadow ministers. They sit on the front rows in the Commons chamber
What is a Backbencher?
Ordinary MPs and where the more independently minded MPs sit.
During his time as a backbencher, former leader Jeremy Corben rebelled frequently against the Labour government and its Blair/Brown leadership.
How many public bills were passed by parliament in 2019?
31
Order of the Legislative Process
First Reading - Second Reading - Committee Stage - Report Stage - Third Reading - The House of Lords Stage
What is the Purpose of the House of Lords?
To Scrutinise Bills and Act as a Check on the HOC
To Act as a “Parliamentary Voice”
What Act removed the Majority of Hereditary Peers?
The House of Lords Act - 1999
- Removes the amount of Hereditary peers to 92
- This 92 will always remain i.e. If one family dies out then another will replace them
Explain one notable convention in the HOL
The Salisbury Convention requires Lords to accept proposals contained in the governments election manifesto
What did the House of Lords Act - 1911 Do?
Removed power of Lords to veto most legislation
Bills can be enacted by the HOC without the Consent of the HOL
What did the House of Lords Reform Act of 1949 Do?
Reduced the period during which the HOL can delay a bill from 2years to 1 year
3 Factors the Prove PMQs are Effective in Scrutinising the Government
1) Provide difficult and controversial qs which direclty holds PM to account - BJ asked about partygate - packed full
2) Televised to Good Opportunity to Show govt in real light - only time parlaiment is on BBC
3) Cameron v ‘Bottle Brown’
- 2007, Brown takes over from Blair as PM, Labour lead in polls but Brown desn’t call election - Cameron calls him weak
‘Blair v weak, weak,weak Major’
‘Starmer v Johnson’
3 Factors that Prove PMQs are NOT Effective
1) ‘Patsy’ Questions - between 2010-15, ‘long-economic plan’ used 1349 times
2) Highly televised means questions are about personal political message rather than actual scrutiny
2) People see this as ‘petty’ and ‘pointscoring’ instead of actual scrutiny
3 Factors the suggest Parliamentary Debates are effect
1) Emergency Debates allow MPs to speak for 3 mins - Labour MP Diana Johnson talks about Blood Scandal and beleives this is effective
2) MPs can voice their own opinions
3) Often televised
3 Factors that Suggest Parliamentary Debates are NOT effective
1) MPs voice opinions along party lines, not their own opinions
2) MPs want broader support for themselves rather than debating actual policy
3) Televised so MPs interested in ‘point scoring’
3 Factors that suggest Select Committees are effective
1) More in depth investigations, produce detailed reports; Health + Social Care Committee produces report on how NHS might recover from backlog caused by COVID-19
2) Work across party lines + often in a bi-partisan manner - gives Scs more legitimacy + open to all views e.g. Nokes v Cooper -
3) They have power to call witnesses on both sides - e.g. Rio Ferdinand appear to talk about racism
4) Reports; Govt required to respond to Select Committees within 60 days e.g. Joint Committee on Human Rights - produced a 110 page report into govt’s use drone strikes in 2015
3 Factors that suggest Select Committees are NOT effective
1) Governing party always has a majority so likely to win
2) Govt only has to respond, not implement recommendations so can give a weak response - only 40% were acted upon, even less led legislative change
3) Witnesses - Zuckerberg failed 3 times to attend Sport committee - appeared before an American committee that yr
3 things that prove the HOL provides an effective check on Parliament
1) HOL Question times - 30min at the start Thursday: less ‘point-scoring’ and fewer ‘patsy’ questions
2) HOL committees - Scrutinise bills,ensures effective scrutiny
3) HOL - Saves time - other ppl don’t have to scrutinise
3 Reasons the House of Lords is NOT effective:
- 1911 parliament act (HOC over HOL) and 2 year veto time
- 1949 - veto reduced to 1 year
- Peers may have party allegiances - e.g. 225 con, 168 lab
What are opposition Days?
17 days annually to target opposition party
E.g. March 2022 - Labour focused on employment rights
- Might target sensitive topics currently in the media top portray govt in negative light
Three discussion points in 25 marker regarding the efficiency of parliamentary scrutiny
- Debates - (E-petitions/ Westminster debates)
- PMQs - 55,000 as asked; 42% increase - ‘patsy questions’
- Committees - cooper v nokes
Example of HOL making changes to legislation
Welfare Reform and Work Act (2010)
Why does the Hunting Act (2004) paint HOL in a negative light
‘out of touch’ as they are against the ban of hunting with dogs - suggest amendments for years but eventually overuled by Parly
