Parliament Flashcards
Parliament
The British legislature made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch.
Legislature
The key law making body of a state or a country
Executive
The government body responsible for the implementation of laws and policies made in parliament
Fusion of powers
Where the executive and legislative powers are joined or overlapping
separation of powers
Where the three governement bodies are separate independent bodies
HOC
Primary legislative chamber, elected into parliament
Vote of confidence
a vote in which the members express their support for (or opposition to) the government’s policies; if it loses, the government must resign
Head of state
the leading representative of a state who personally embodies the states power andn authority (in UK the monarch)
Confidence and supply
the right to remove government and grant or withdraw funding
Backbencher
a MP who does not hold governmental office or shadow government office( seated on the backbenches)
Frontbencher
An MP which holds ministerial or ‘shadow’ miniserial post
Opposition
MPs or lords which are not of the governing party
Select commitees
Focus on the work of specific govt departments and scrutinise govt policy by carrying out inquiries, writing reports, etc.
Pairing
Pair MPs so votes cancel out if someone is absent
Toe the party line
Support and vote with ur party even if you disagree
Money bill
A bill that contains
signifcant fnancial
measures, as
determined by the
Speaker of the
Commons.
Salisbury convention
The
convention whereby
the Lords does
not delay or block
legislation that
was included in
a government’s
manifesto
Crossbenchers
for members who are not allied to a particular party.
legislative bills
proposed laws passing through parliament
Private member bill
A bill that is
proposed by an
MP who is not a
member of the
government, usually
through an annual
ballot
Parliamentary privilage
The right
of MPs or Lords
to make certain
statements within
Parliament without
being subject to
outside infuence,
including the law
Elective dictatorship
A government
that dominates
Parliament, usually
due to a large
majority, and
therefore has few
limits on its power.
Wright reforms
A number of
reforms made to
the workings of the
Commons in 2010
which strengthened
the power of
backbenchers
to hold the
government to
account.
Minority govt
doesnt have full support in parliament- unable/unwilling to be a coalition govt.
Delegate
Someone chosen tyo act on behalf of another
Scrutiny
examining in a close way
responsible govt
Answerable or accountable to an elected assembly (parliament)
Public bill committee
look at bills in detail
