Parliament Flashcards
Repeal of the Fixed Term Parliament Act
-Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022
Made the maximum term of a Parliament 5 years
Examples of backbench rebels being suspended
2019- Chief Whip suspended 21 Conservative MPs after they rebelled against Boris Johnson in a bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit
Example of governments using the argument of ‘overriding necessity to push through legislation’
-2005 Prevention of Terrorism Act (passed in 18 days)
-2020 Coronavirus Act (passed in 4 days)
Example of Select Committees holding politicians to account (2)
2022- Suella Braverman questioned in Home Affairs Select Committee over asylum and policing policies
2023- Privileges committee investigating Boris Johnson
Example of Select Committees FAILING in holding politicians to account (2)
2010- George Osborne evaded questioning from the Treasury Committee on budget cuts
2021- Joint Committee on Human Rights attempted to hold the government to account on the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act yet still passed in 2022
Examples of parliamentary debates defeating government
2013- HoC debate wherein Cameron defeated on its proposal to undertake military action in Syria
Example of a minister being awarded peerage
2008- Gordon Brown recalled Peter Mandelson from the European Commission, appointing him to the Lords so he could serve as business secretary
Example of MPs representing constituents local interests
2016- 44 MPs who voted against High Speed Rail link (HS2), represented constituencies that would be affected by the planned route
Minority government requiring confidence and supply agreement
2017-Conservatives won 317 seats, needed 8 more seats for a majority and made an agreement with the DUP
Parliament Act 1911
- Sets out that the Lords have no right to delay money bills
- Lord’s power to veto non-financial bill to be replaced by the power of delay
Parliament Act 1949
REDUCED the Lords’ delaying power to 1 year
Salisbury convention 1945
House of Lords does not delay or block legislation that was included in a government’s manifesto
Party breakdown of House of Lords
Conservative: 260
Labour: 173
Cross-bench: 184
Example of parliamentary ping-pong
Brexit- the EU withdrawal Bill suffered 15 defeats in the Lords
Example of government defeat in the House of Lords
2023- National Security Bill was defeated in the Lords
Number of defeats that the Conservative majority government has had in the HoC
Since 2019- 4 defeats
Number of defeats Conservatives have had in the HoL
128 defeats in 2021-2022
Example of government reversing House of Lords defeat
Police Crime Sentencing and Courts bill suffered 14 defeats in the HoL BUT still passed
Increasing influence of Backbench MPs
Creation of the Backbench Business Committee in 2010, -allowed to choose the topic of debate for 35 days in each parliamentary session
Example of Parliament Act being used
- Banning Hunting with Dogs 2004
- Equalising the age of consent 2000
Example of Crossbench Lord influence
Lord Owen was influential in opposing the Health and Social Care Bill in 2011
Number of Theresa May defeats (2017-2019)
33 HoC defeats
MPs holding the PM to account resignation
Boris Johnson Vote of no confidence, although won with 59% majority resigned due to cabinet minister and MP pressure. (57 MPs resigned)
Opposition holding ministers to account
2018- David Lammy using an ‘urgent question’ to hold Amber Rudd to account over Windrush
Composition of the House of Lords in 2022 diversity
- 229 female peers
- 55 ethnic minorities
Attempted reforms of the House of Lords BUT failed
White Paper (2007)- proposed a hybrid house (i.e. 50% elected, 50% appointed)
Backbench rebellion (Brexit)
2019- Brexit deal defeated with a majority of 230
House of Lords proposing amendments to legislation
KEY ALTERATION: Health and Social Care Bill (2022)
Number of statutory instruments per year
3,500
Example of secondary legislation being used in politically significant areas
EU Withdrawals Act (2018)- gave ministers powers to create statutory instruments related to Brexit
Problem with private members bills’- can lead to ‘filibustering’
2016- MP Davies and a small number of Tory backbenchers talked for over 4 hours about a bill regarding departing foreigners to prevent discussion of a bill to reverse private sector takeover of the NHS
Example of a private members bill
2019- Organ Donation Act
What type of legislature is the UK parliament(based on Philip Norton’s threefold classification of legislatures)
Policy Influencing Legislatures- modify or reject legislative proposals from the executive but are unable to develop extensive legislative proposals of their own
No. of urgent questions:
2021-22 104
How many emergency debates in 2017-19
22, 9 related to Brexit
Example of effectiveness of Backbench Business Committee ‘11
2011- release of documents for Hillsborough disaster 1989
How many e-petitions debated in parliament from 2017-19
74
2019 Audit of Political Engagement
Only 25% of the public had confidence in MPs handling with Brexit (parliamentary scrutiny)
Evidence of backbenchers having limited power to initiate change
since 2015 Christopher Chope has introduced 119 PMBs of which none have become law.
Example of Backbencher having substantial influence
Theresa May able to persuade government to incorporate 10 minute rule
Evidence of Backbench Business committee influence
Backbench debate was held on 2 Child limit for universal credit- a key government policy (2022)
Example of Partygate PMQ
- Diana Johnson PMQ over Partygate 2022
Select committee influence 2010-2015
- Margaret Hodge stated that as Chair of Public Accounts Select Committee
“More influential than in the role than a government minister”
Select committee influence over policy
- 40% of recommendations are accepted into government policy
- Environment Select Committee recommended 5p plastic bag policy
Wright Reforms 2010 increasing influence of Select committees
- Whips no longer take part in choosing ministers of select committees, more independent minded MPs
Counter argument for influence of select committees
- Government still has a majority in these committees
- Select committees have become theatrical, e.g. Murdoch at the Culture Select Committee in 2011
MPs who haven’t voted against their party
Since 2019, 321 MPs have never voted against their own party
More Assertive backbench covid passports
99 Tories rebelled against government over Covid passports
PMQs backbenchers asking difficult questions and pressuring government
2022- David Davis pressured BoJo to resign stating “In the name of God, go”
1922 Committee influence
Responsible for triggering a leadership contest after 55 letters were submitted
Backbench grouping influence example
The European Research Group challenged Theresa May
Example of Backbench Business Committee debate
2023- held a debate on the future of the NHS, funding and staffing
Select committee success
Amber Rudd had to resign as Home Secretary when Select Committee found that she misinformed parliament
Example of Select committee being ignored
2021- government effectively ignored Work and Pension select committee’s Universal Credit Report
Influence of the opposition on the legislative process
2021- Opposition Day motion cancelled government plan of £20 a week cut in Universal credit
Yvette Cooper select committee role
- Chair of Home Affair Select Committee- inquiries on Windrush Children and “Policing for future”
House of Lords Select Committee stats
2016- 17 session HoL Select Committees produced 41 reports including topics such as Brexit
House of Lords Select committee recommendation being accepted
- Planned gov. banned on premiership clubs from advertising betting after HoL Gambling Industry Committee recommended in 2021
Example of Select committees being filled by Loyalists
- Sarah Wollaston MP wasn’t allowed to be on Health and Social Care Act committee
Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 increasing PM control
- Transferred control over calling of general elections from HoC to PM
House of Commons women
35%
House of Commons BME
13% BME in UK but only 66 (10%) in HoC
