Parliament

Question 1

What is the Queen’s role within Parliament?

Answer 1

• Current UK Monarch Queen Elizabeth ||
• The Queen Plays a constitutional role in opening and dissolving Parliament and approving Bills before they become Law.
• Inward duties: Parliament must be opened, orders in council have to be approved, Acts of Parliament must be signed and meetings with the PM must be held.
• Outward duties (representing Britain to the rest of the World): entertaining visiting Heads of State and making State visits overseas to other countries, in support of other diplomatic and economic relations.
• The Queen has to remain strictly neutral to political matters- unable to vote or stand for election.

Question 2

Define the Frontbenchers role within Parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 2

• Theresa May- current Frontbencher for Conservative Party
• Sits on the front most bench in Parliament
• Gov = Right
• Opposition = Left
• All members of the cabinet- if in the party that forms the government
• Assigned different areas
• Made up of MP’s
• Assigned by PM - he has complete power over them.

Question 3

Define the Backbenchers role within Parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 3

• Julie Cooper- member of the Labour Party
• MP’s or legislator
• Could include senior(s)
• Do not hold ministerial or shadow ministerial roles
• Party in power still has these
• No loyalty to gov- free to give ideas
• Freedom to speak- brings problems to Whips

Question 4

Define the Whips role within Parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 4

• Mark Harper- Chief Whip - Conservative Party
• Ensure party discipline in a legislature
• Whips are a party’s ‘enforcers’ - who typically offer inducements and threaten party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy
• Make sure elected representatives of their party’s are in attendance when important votes are taken
• Talk to backbenchers and persuade them to vote in favour and sit on frontbench
• There are also opposition benches

Question 5

Define the Speakers role within Parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 5

• John Bercow
• Determines who speaks (in the house)
• Must remain non-partisan (not biased/one sided towards one party/person)
• Takes up residence in Westminster Palace.

Question 6

Define the Life Peers role within Parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 6

• Lord Sugar
• Life Peers play a more active role unlike hereditary peers who did not attend regularly
• The Life Peerages Act 1958 altered the composition of the House of Lords because it introduced more people from different professions and more women. Before the Act, the House of Lords had been made up exclusively of hereditary peers.

Question 7

Define the Elected Hereditary Peers role within parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 7

• Consists of ranks- Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron.
• 800+ peers inherited (hold titles).
• Current elected hereditary peer- Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington.
• The House of Lords Act 1999 removed the entitlement of most of the hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords and of the 92 hereditary peers who retain (keep) their seat in the Lords, 75 were elected by their fellow hereditary peers.

Question 8

Define the Leader of the House of Lords role within parliament and give a recent example:

Answer 8

• Current leader of the House of Lords is: Baroness Stowell of Beeston.
• Leads government benches.
• Gives guidance to the House on matters of order and procedure.
• Takes part in formal ceremonies in the House, such as the State opening of Parliament.
• Conducts Government business in the Lords - jointly responsible with the chief whip.

Question 9

Define ‘Parliamentary Government’ in its simplest form:

Answer 9

A form of government that has 5 parts.

Question 10

What are the 5 principles of Parliamentary Government?

Answer 10

1. Collective Government
2. Separate Head of State
3. Parliamentary elections decide the government
4. The legislature can dismiss the executive
5. The executive and legislative branches are fused

Question 11

What are the 3 main parts of Parliamentary Government?

Answer 11

1. Monarch/Monarchy
2. Elected Representatives
3. The Government - Prime Minister (The Executive).

Question 12

What are the 6 principles/features of the Westminster Model:

Answer 12

1. Parliamentary Sovereignty
2. An Uncodified Constitution
3. Cabinet Government
4. The first-past-the-post electoral system
5. A two-party system
6. A Unitary State

Question 13

Why does the Westminster model have 2 virtues (features/assets)?

Answer 13

Because we (the British) have tried to teach other people about it.

Question 14

What are the 2 virtues of the Westminster Model?

Answer 14

Representative Government and Responsible Government

Question 15

Explain the 2 virtues of the Westminster Model:

Answer 15

Representative Government: government takes place through parliament, where decisions are taken by elected representatives of the people. The people do not make decisions on public policy directly, electing MP’s to do so on their behalf.

Responsible Government: The government is accountable to parliament for its actions, and accountable to the people through elections. Collective responsibility means that the government can be forced to resign by parliament. Individual ministerial responsibility means that minsters must account for their actions in parliament. Voters can remove the government at a general election.

Question 16

Explain how the executive and legislative branches are fused:

(key feature of parliamentary gov)

Answer 16

There is overlap between membership of the two branches, with the government consisting of members of the legislature.

Question 17

Explain how the legislature can dismiss the executive:

key feature of parliamentary gov

Answer 17

The government is accountable to parliament which can remove the government through a vote of no confidence. The government may be able to dissolve parliament by calling a general election.

Question 18

Explain how parliamentary elections decide the government:

key feature of parliamentary gov

Answer 18

Governments are formed according to their strength in parliament. The person who commands a majority in parliament, usually the leader of the largest party, becomes prime minister.

Question 19

Explain what collective government means:

key feature of parliamentary gov

Answer 19

The executive branch is led by a PM who, in theory at least, is ‘first among equals’ in a cabinet of senior ministers.

Question 20

Explain what is meant by separate head of state:

key feature of parliamentary gov

Answer 20

The head of the executive branch (the prime minister) is not the head of state. The latter is often a ceremonial role with little political power, as in the case of the UK monarchy.

Question 21

What is Bicameralism?

Answer 21

• A political system in which there are 2 chambers in the legislature.
• The lower house is usually elected in a general election and tends to be the dominant chamber.
• The composition (structure) of upper houses varies: they may be directly elected or indirectly elected (appointed by ministers) or be a hybrid (mixture) of both.

Question 22

What are the benefits of bicameralism?

Answer 22

• The upper house provides checks and balances (both houses balance each other out), provide for greater scrutiny and revision of legislation and may represent different interests (e.g. states in a federal system).

Question 23

What problems are associated with bicameralism?

Answer 23

1. institutional conflict between the two houses can produce legislative gridlock (gridlock refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people)
2. an indirectly elected upper house may frustrate the will of the democratically elected lower house.

Question 24

What house is usually dominant?

bicameralism

Answer 24

The lower house

Question 25

What chamber is The House of Lords in UK legislature and is it an elected or unelected chamber?

Answer 25

The HoL is the upper chamber in the UK legislature and is mainly unelected but either chosen by the PM or a hereditary peer.

Question 26

When was the House of Lords founded?

Answer 26

Founded in 1707 after Act of the Union stating there would be a second chamber.

Question 27

Give some details of the House of Lords:

Answer 27

• Have the right to review bills passed in the House of Commons and veto it to prevent it from becoming law.
• The 1911 Parliament Act restricted the veto to two parliamentary sessions which was subsequently reduced to 1 year after the 1949 Parliament Act.
• Exists to have expert analysis and review parts of government policy from the arts to tax credits to domestic policy.
• People like Lord Sugar are members of The House of Lords because they have the knowledge on business and venture capitalism unlike many normal members of the House of Commons.
• Membership of the House of Lords is also higher: 650 for the Commons and currently 822 for the Lords
• Scrutinise every detail of the bill- tax credits.

Question 28

Define ‘Royal Assent’ in its simplest form:

Answer 28

The Queens Approval

Question 29

What is meant by a ‘Bill’?

Answer 29

A legislative proposal that has yet to complete the parliamentary legislative process.

Question 30

What is meant by an ‘Act’?

Answer 30

A legislative proposal that has completed the legislative process and entered into law.

Question 31

What is meant by the term ‘Green Paper’?

Answer 31

A government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment.

Question 32

What is meant by the term ‘White Paper’?

Answer 32

A government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation.

Question 33

Define ‘Legislation’:

Answer 33

Laws.

Question 34

What is meant by the ‘Queens Speech’?

Answer 34

When the Monarch (Queen) goes to Parliament and says what the government is going to bring in, on behalf of the government itself. The speech is drawn up by the government not the Monarch.

Question 35

Name two main types of bill:

Answer 35

Private bills

Public bills - these are the ones that effect most of us - i.e. the public

Question 36

Public Bills come in two types, what are these two types of bill?

Answer 36

Government bills and private members bills.

Question 37

Describe Government Bills:

Answer 37

• Introduced and sponsored by the government
• Have the support of the government
• Normally succeed in getting through Parliament because the government has a majority in the House of Commons- Most MPs on its side
• When there’s a vote on the bill, much easier to win the vote (most MPs on its side)

Question 38

Describe Private Members Bills:

Answer 38

• Introduced and sponsored by Private Members, for example individual MPs and peers
• Don’t always make it into laws, they often don’t get enough support from other MPs to get far in the process.
• Take 2nd place to gov bills and parliaments busy schedule - sometimes get squeezed out.

Question 39

Where does a bill start its journey in Parliament?

Answer 39

Either the Lords or the Commons.

Question 40

When can a bill become law?

Answer 40

A bill cannot become law until it has completed a number of stages in both houses and has been agreed by them and the Monarch.

Question 41

What is the Consultation Stage?

Bill Stages

Answer 41

Usually the Government will go through a consultation stage, where they get the opinions of lots of different people on what they think the law should say. They ask experts on the subject, as well as ordinary people.

Question 42

What happens within the Green and White Paper Stages?

Bill Stages

Answer 42

Sometimes the Gov will set out its ideas for a bill in a discussion document, known as a Green Paper. Comments they get back from this might mean they change their proposal, then they might set their firm proposals in another, more developed document known as a White Paper. This forms the basis of the bill introduced into Parliament.

Question 43

What is meant by the First Reading Stage?

Bill Stages

Answer 43

To let members know what’s coming up for discussion.

Question 44

What is meant by the Second Reading Stage?

Bill Stages

Answer 44

The Minister piloting (controlling) the bill through parliament explains the purposes and answers any questions, there’s then time for a debate followed by a vote on whether the bill should pass onto the next stage.

Question 45

What is meant by the Committee and Report Stage?

Bill Stages

Answer 45

A separate committee of MPs is formed for each bill. This public bill committee goes off into a huddle, into one of many committee rooms and really goes through the bill in detail, then it comes back to house so MPs can see what changes the committee has have made. This is called the report stage.

Question 46

What is meant by the Third Reading?

Bill Stages

Answer 46

Gives the House of Commons a chance to look at the bill with all the amendments included and decide whether it should progress any further by voting on it. A clerk will then take the bill to the House of Lords so they can study and debate it too.

Question 47

What is meant by the Committee Stage?

Bill Stages

Answer 47

The Lords take time to go through the Bill in great detail (line by line). Rather than just a smaller group of them doing this, The Lords work together with everyone taking part and suggest improvements.

Question 48

What do the Report Stage and The Third Reading do a few days later?

(Bill Stages)

Answer 48

A few days later the 2 stages give the Lords two more opportunities to spot any problems with the meaning or the wording of the Bill.

Question 49

What happens if the Bill has had any amendments made to it?

Bill Stages

Answer 49

If the Bill has had any amendments, the Bill must come back to the House of Commons so that they can see and approve any changes the Lords have made.

The Bill might go to and fro until they are both happy with it.

Question 50

What happens to the Bill when everyone in the chambers etc. is satisfied?

(Bill Stages)

Answer 50

When everyone’s satisfied, the Bill must go to the Queen to receive her approval - Royal Assent.

The Queens Role is to approve what parliament has done- because parliament represents the will of the people.

Question 51

Give some examples of the Bills that were on the Queens Speech (2015):

Answer 51

• EU referendum Bill
• Housing Bill
• Energy Bill
• Childcare Bill
• Immigration Bill
• Policing and Criminal Justice Bill
• Armed Forces Bill
• Trade Unions Bill
• In total there was 26 Bills within the Queens Speech

Question 52

What are Private Members Bills?

Answer 52

Legislative proposals initiated by backbench MPs rather than by the government.

Question 53

Explain in detail what is meant by Private Members Bills:

Answer 53

Legislative proposals initiated by backbench MPs rather than by the government.
Each in parliamentary session, 20 names of MPs who wish to introduce a bill are drawn up in a ballot - some will already have a cause they wish to persue; others will take soundings from lobbyists or their party.
MPs can also introduce Ten Minute Rule Bills, which offer a brief slot to introduce a legislative proposal, but few get beyond this hurdle.
A handle of PMB become law in each parliamentary session- these tend to enjoy the support, or benevolent neutrality, of the government.
Time constraints and the difficulty of persuading other MPs to back a proposal means that most fall at an early stage.
Two landmark laws to originate as PMB were the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act (1965) and the Abortion Act (1967) - both had government support.

Question 54

Give 2 issues that could become Private Members Bills:

Answer 54

1. Tampon Tax

2. Euthanasia

Question 55

Give Examples of Private Members Bills:

Answer 55

1. Assisted Dying Bill (2015) – still a bill
2. Hospital Parking Charging (exemption for carers) – 2015 to 2016 – second reading stage
3. Food Waste Reduction Bill (2015)
4. Representation of the People (Young Person’s Enfranchisement and Education) Bill (2015-2016) – Second reading
   As from 7th Jan 2016 – need to update stage stats.

Question 56

Name strengths of Private Members Bills:

Answer 56

• Ordinary MPs can propose a bill – doesn’t have to be in the government
• This arguably gives voters more influence and the MP constituency link more important
• Way of raising profile of an issue
• Examples Landmark Bills- Abortion Act (1967) and Death Penalty (1965)
• Tend to be on social and moral issues which are not along party lines- possibly a way of moving society that is outside the scope of the government

Question 57

Name the weaknesses of Private Members Bills:

Answer 57

• There’s only a selected number of MPs (from a ballot) to introduce a bill.
• Topics of PMBs must be limited
• Hard to get support of enough other MPs
• They usually fail because of the time constraints of parliament- the time allotted for them is on the Friday afternoons so is often squished if other debates and votes overrun.

Question 58

What is meant by Secondary Legislation?

Answer 58

Law made by Ministers who have been granted this authority by an Act of Parliament rather than by Parliament.

Question 59

What is meant by the term ‘Scrutiny/Scrutinise’?

Answer 59

If you look at something closely and evaluate it.

Question 60

What is meant by the term ‘Accountability’?

Answer 60

Being responsible for something.

Question 61

How does Parliament scrutinise the government?

Answer 61

• Question Time
• PMQs / Ministerial Questions
• Select Committees
• The Opposition
• Debates

Question 62

What do Select Committees do?

Answer 62

• Commons & Lords
• Scrutinise spending, policy and administration
• Findings are reported to the Chamber - published on parliament website and hardcopy
• Government must respond within 60 days - must acknowledge report of S.C.

Question 63

Good things about Select Committees:

Answer 63

• Reports are good- rigorous, take their time, expert witnesses are called
• Committees themselves are professional and informed
• Unbiased- committee activity is largely whip free
• Committees take their job seriously and their reports make sense.

Question 64

Bad things about Select Committees:

Answer 64

• Compliant Majority- Bias/In favour of gov in terms of number, there will always be a majority of members from a governing party.
• Institutional imbalance- Government obliged to respond but not obliged to act on any recommendations
• Parliamentary By-Pass - Gov Ministers can refuse to attend or disclose info for various reasons- Gordon Brown too busy to attend Treasury S.C meetings.

Question 65

Name 4 examples of Select Committees:

Answer 65

• Sierra Leone (1999)
• Use of Intelligence in preparation for invasion of Iraq (2003)
• Making a Hash of It (2006)
• Education Committee Eight Report (2013)

Question 66

Give an example of a Select Committee in detail:

Answer 66

Education Committee Report (2013):

What Happened?
- ‘We are concerned, however, that the government is trying to do too much, too quickly… we call upon the government to slow down the pace of reform.’

Government Response:
-Government U-Turn on scrapping GCSE’s.

Significance:
-Sometimes it does work!

Question 67

What is Ministerial Questions and how does it scrutinise the government?

Answer 67

• All Ministers must face Parliament
• Some represent government in the House of Commons, others in the Lords
• Ministers must account for their actions and must for activities of their departments
• Sometimes formal questions demanding a response, those are either oral or written (questions and answers)
• MPs are allowed up to 2 questions; Notice must be submitted in advance and a further question may follow at the speakers discretion.

Question 68

What is Prime Ministers Questions (PMQ’s)?

Answer 68

• PM must field a succession of questions from the leader of the opposition
• Questions from the House follow, alternating between government and opposition benches
• 12.30pm on Wednesday

Question 69

Pros of Ministerial Questions:

Answer 69

• Putting a gov minister on the spot can be a damaging and extremely satisfying exercise - ministers can be made to look like absolute fools
• Valuable info / insights sometimes
• However, only interesting bits let slip in error

Question 70

Cons of Ministerial Questions:

Answer 70

• Conflict of Interest- time is short, often consumed by fatuous questions
• Contrived - Questions are submitted in advance- less of a chance of catching ministers cold. Also, most minsters can wriggle out of supplementary (extra) questions too.

Question 71

Name one strength of The Opposition:

Answer 71

• The role of The Opposition is to challenge the Government.

Question 72

What are the weaknesses of The Opposition?

Answer 72

• Responsible, constructive opposition- the opposition can’t look pretty in the eyes of the electorate or its scrutiny becomes ineffective.
• Opposition can only really scrutinise effectively when it is seen as in the National Interest.
• It is also attempting to look responsible and like an alternative government - this is difficult while hurling insults.
• The opposition is subject to events and can only react to the political agenda of the gov.
• The civil service works for the gov.
• Morale might be low. Backbenchers might consider time out of office to be a time to ‘redefine’ the party, take it back to its grassroots, etc. This incohesion in the opposition can make it difficult to effectively scrutinise.

Question 73

Define ‘Select Committee’:

Answer 73

Is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster system of Parliamentary Democracy.

Question 74

Define ‘Standing Public Committees/Public Bill Committees:

Answer 74

In the British House of Commons, Standing Public Committees consider bills (follow bills) - proposed by Acts of Parliament.
When a bill has received its 2nd reading in the House of Commons, it reaches the Committee stage. The bill is usually sent to a public committee for consideration.

Question 75

Explain what Question Time is as well as PMQs:

Answer 75

• Gov Ministers face questions from MPs on the floor of the house
• The parliamentary timetable includes question sessions for ministers from each gov department
• Most high profile event - PMQS- prime ministers questions- takes place each Wednesday at noon for half an hour - Provides opportunity for the leader of the opposition, leader of the 3rd largest party and backbenchers to question the PM. A backbencher may raise a constituency matter, but many ask questions drafted by the whips. - The leader of the Opposition may try to embarrass the PM by highlighting a policy failure. - Overall, PMQ’s provides parliamentary theatre rather than effective scrutiny.

Question 76

How effective or ineffective are Select Committees?

Answer 76

• Can devote several weeks/months to an issue (unlike in the House of Commons)
• Got power to call people in to give evidence
• Most have 11 members and members from parties are elected by fellow members
• Important part of parliamentary system- provides a lot of information
• Follow the evidence - interrogate the evidence
• Opportunity to make a point
• More effective than ineffective

Question 77

Explain how Debates are effective scrutiny of the executive:

Answer 77

• MPs express views and try to influence policy in debates on current events and gov actions..
• Half-hour adjournment debates at the end of the day gives MPs a chance to raise a particular issue.
• Ministers also make statements to parliament on major issues and these are followed by debate. Speaker John Bercow has required Ministers to answer ‘urgent questions’ more frequently.
• The Backbench Business Committee, which was created in 2010, gives MPs greater opportunity to shape the parliamentary agenda. - It decides the topic for debate on the floor of the Commons and in Westminster Hall for roughly 1 day per week. The committee takes account of backbench opinion, select committee reports and e-petitions when determining subjects for debate.

Question 78

Define ‘the opposition’:

Answer 78

A political party or an organized group opposed to the group, party or government in power.

Question 79

Explain what is meant by ‘All-Women Shortlists’:

Answer 79

• Used by Labour for the 1997, 2005 and 2010 general elections. Some constituency Labour parties were required to select their parliamentary candidate from a list of only women. This boosted significantly the number of Female Labour MPs elected in 1997.
• The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act (2002) permits political parties to use positive measures to reduce inequality in the number of women elected to parliament.
• AWS are ‘equality-guarentees’: they ensure that a women candidate will be selected in a constituency.

Question 80

Explain what is meant by ‘Priority Lists’:

Answer 80

• David Cameron introduced a priority list (the ‘A’ list) in 2005 for the top 100 conservative target seats.
• This was an ‘equality promotion’ initiative that set a general target of more women MPs but did not guarantee that women would be selected in winnable seats.
• Constituency associations chose from a priority list of aspirant candidates, half of whom were women
• From 2006, constituency associations were required to draw up shortlists, on which at least half the aspirant candidates were women.
• In 2010, 49 women conservative MPs were elected, although only 19 of them had been on the ‘A-List’.

Question 81

Arguments for All-Women Shortlists:

Answer 81

• Leads to a more representative parliament
• Gives females a leg up in the system
• Creates role models so it will improve representation in the long-term
• Women deserve the leg-up considering other drawbacks that they have
• Current system isn’t working - something needs to be done to promote female representation

Question 82

Arguments against All-Women Shortlists:

Answer 82

• Biased towards female MPs - gives them an unequal advantage
• not based entirely on merit arguably- again gives women an unfair/unequal advantage.
• Means that those elected from AWS lack credibility, a problem for his/her constituents.
• Undemocratic- takes power away from the electorate- undermines voters rights.
• Does it actually presume that women need the help, therefore patronise them further?
• Means that men can’t stand (for election) just because they are men.

Question 83

What are the other 5 aspects of representation?

Answer 83

Education, Age, Sexual Orientation, Social Class and Ethnic Diversity.

Question 84

Talk about ‘Sexual Orientation’ when it comes to representation:

(Stats)

Answer 84

There are 20 openly gay MPs in the 2010 Parliament.

Question 85

Talk about ‘Education’ when it comes to representation:

Stats

Answer 85

More than a 3rd of MPs elected in 2010 attended a fee-paying school, but fewer than 10% of voters did. 9 out 10 MPs have been to uni, with over 1 out of 4 going to either Oxford or Cambridge.

Question 86

Talk about ‘Age’ when it comes to representation:

Stats

Answer 86

The average age of MPs fell to 50 in 2010 because of the high numbers of MPs who stood down or were defeated in the election. Younger and older people are under-represented in the Commons, with most MPs being in the 35 to 55 age range.

Question 87

Talk about ‘Ethnic Diversity’ when it comes to representation:

(Stats)

Answer 87

In 2010, 26 Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) MPs were elected, an increase of 11. This is only 4% of the House, compared to 14% of the population. The speakers conference on parliamentary representation recommended all BME shortlists.

Question 88

Talk about ‘Social Class’ when it comes to representation:

Stats

Answer 88

The number of MPs who used to be manual workers has declined. Only 10% of Labour MPs in 2005 had been manual workers.
Occupations such as Law, financial services and public relations are well represented in the Commons.
MPs who worked in Business are more likely to be found on the Conservative benches and those who worked on the public sector (e.g. teachers) are on the Labour benches.

Question 89

What is meant by ‘Legitimacy’ within Parliament?

Answer 89

Parliament helps to maintain legitimacy of the political system

• Gov policies are scrutinised and discussed by MPs who represent the people
• MPs also hold the executive accountable and represent the interests of their constituents
• Parliamentary debates provide some assurance that major issues are being considered

Question 90

What are the limits to the ‘Legitimacy of Parliament’?

Answer 90

1. The House of Lords plays an important role in revising legislation and constraining (forces/requires) the executive. But its legitimacy is limited because its unelected.
2. In the House of Commons, the partisan point- scoring of PMQs fosters negative perceptions of parliament.

Question 91

Describe the “Assertiveness of The House of Lords”:

Answer 91

• The 1999 reform of The House of Lords strengthened the upper house and helped it become more assertive in the legislative process.
• The Lords blocked the Sexual Offenses Act (2000) and the Hunting Act (2004) - forcing the government to employ the Parliament Act (1949) so that the legislation could come into force without the Lord’s consent after 1 year delay.
• In the 1st decade since the removal of all but 92 hereditary peers, the House of Lords inflicted more than 400 defeats on the Labour government- compared to the 7 defeats in the Commons. Many of these defeats occurred on constitutional and judicial matters, which are of particular interest to the Lords. The Coalition gov suffered 48 defeats in the Lords in 2010-12.

Question 92

Give examples of government defeats in the House of Lords:

Answer 92

• Counter-terrorism: In 2005, the Lords amended proposals on control orders for terrorist suspects and insisted that the legislation had a limited lifespan.
• Tax credits: In 2015, George Osborne’s plans to reduce tax credits for low-paid workers was delayed by the House of Lords for at least 3 years.

Other examples: - Trial By Jury
- Religious Hatred

Question 93

Discuss the increased effectiveness of the House of Lords

Answer 93

The increased effectiveness of the House of Lords in checking the powers of the executive and forcing changes to legislative proposals is a result of a number of factors:

• Party Balance: No party has a majority within the HoL, so governments MUST win cross-party support for their legislation. The votes of crossbench and Liberal Democrat peers are crucial.
• Enhanced Liberty: The reformed Lords is more confident of its legitimacy and more willing to ‘flex its muscles’ on legal and constitutional issues. The term ‘Flex its muscles’ means that the Lords are more willing in power and influence terms.
• Government Mandate: Lib Dem and Crossbench peers argued that the labour gov elected in 2005 did not have a mandate to introduce legislation restricting the rights of citizens because it won the support of less than a 3rd of the electorate. Peers also questioned the mandate of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition because the coalition agreement was not put before voters.
  Support from MPs: The Lords has been most effective in forcing the gov to amend its proposals when MPs have accepted amendments made in the upper house. Backbench support for Lords’ amendments limits the prospects of the government overturning changes. It is then more likely to compromise during the ‘parliamentary ping-pong’ in which bills are passed between the 2 houses, rather than risk defeat in the Commons or resort to the Parliament Act. 4 out of 10 defeats in the Lords were substantially accepted by the Blair and Brown Governments.

Question 94

Pros of the House of Lords:

Answer 94

• Can act as check on the power of the executive
• The reformed House of Lords, in which no party has a majority, is a more effective revising chamber- amendments made in the Lords often force the gov to rethink legislation.
• The Lords can be an effective agent of scrutiny
• Peers hold a wide experience of public life, sometimes more so than their elected counterparts.
• Part of British Tradition

Question 95

Cons of the House of Lords:

Answer 95

• Unelected, unaccountable and therefore undemocratic
• The government is usually be able to overturn hostile amendments made in the House of Lords, and can resort to the Parliament Act 1948 to bypass opposition in the Lords.
• Life peers owe their loyalty to the PM of the day, this weakening the independence of the Lords.
• Under-representation of women (around 18% of peers are women) and ethnic minorities.
• Powers of the Lords is weak (e.g. Salisbury Convention, cannot get involved with finance bills etc.)

Question 96

Describe the Role of Whips in its simplest form:

Party Unity

Answer 96

• Whips can apply pressure on rebellious MPs from within their own party.
• Whips do not always prevent backbench MPs from rebelling

(If an MP votes against a government motion with a three-line whip, the whip may be withdrawn from the MP - the equivalent of being expelled from the party (but still keeps their seat)).

Question 97

Describe the topic of Labour Rebellions:

Party Unity

Answer 97

• In Feb 2003, a record was set when 121 Labour MPs voted against the government’s plans for war against Iraq (the government had a majority of 195)
• The record was broken only a month later when 139 Labour MPs voted on the same issue (the gov had a majority of 179)
• In each case, there was little chance of government defeat since the Opposition supported the government.

Question 98

What were the stats for the issue of University Funding (‘top-up’ fees) in Jan 2004 to support Party Unity?

Answer 98

Labour MPs voting against the gov- 72

Government majority- 5

Question 99

Describe the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition when it comes to Party Unity:

Answer 99

• During 2010-12, 153 MPs from the coalition parties voted against the whip and rebellions occurred on 44% divisions
• Conservative MPs and Lib Dem MPs rebelled on different issues
• In 2012, 91 conservative MPs oppose the House of Lords Bill
• In 2010, 27 Lib Dem MPs rebelled against uni fees
• The governments significant defeat came on a 2012 motion calling for a cut in the EU budget - 53 Conservatives voted with Labour MPs
  MPs do not feel obliged to comply with the manifesto in a coalition.

Question 100

Discuss the issue of Applying Pressure To Contain Party Unity:

Answer 100

• In 1994, 8 Conservative MPs voted against a motion with a 3 line whip- they voted against the government bill- increasing Britain’s contributions to the EU and as a result, the whip was withdrawn from the MPs (this is the only time in the 20th century that a large number of Conservative MPs were disciplined like this)
• Jeremy Corbyn is unable to demand party unity and a reason for this is that he has rebelled against Labour party leaders many times since 1983.

Question 101

Discuss the Syria Airstrikes Free Vote (2015) - Party Unity:

Answer 101

• Jeremy Corbyn gave MPs a free vote on Syria airstrikes but made it clear that Labour Party policy was to oppose airstrikes
• Although he allowed a free vote, Labour MPs would be defying their party position if they backed Cameron’s motion
• “The problem about a free vote is that it hands victory to Cameron over these airstrikes, it hands victory to him on a plate.” - Dianne Abbot
• For Labour as a whole, it shows the disunity if PLP were in office, it could not take the daily decisions required.

Question 102

Define ‘Hung Parliament’:

Answer 102

When no single party commands an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons. Then, a minority/coalition government is formed.

Question 103

Discuss what is meant by a ‘Coalition government’ and give an example:

Answer 103

• In a coalition government two or more parties form the gov having reached a formal agreement on a legislative programme and the distribution of cabinet posts.
• When the 2010 election failed to deliver an outright majority for the Conservatives they formed a coalition with the Lib Dems. The 2 parties agreed a programme covering the major areas of public policy and 5 Lib Dems took seats in Cameron’s Cabinet. - First coalition in Britain since the second world war which was led by Winston Churchill (1940-45).

Question 104

What are three post-war minority governments?

Answer 104

1. Wilson Government, 1974
2. Callaghan Government, 1976-79
3. Conservative Government, 1996-97

Question 105

Outline and Explain what is meant by ‘The extent of the governments majority’:

Answer 105

• The size/absence of majority for the governing party in the House of Commons is an important factor in the relationship between the legislature and executive.
• The FPTP electoral system often, but not always, delivers a working majority for the party that wins the most votes in a general election
• A government with a large majority is in a commanding position - able to push its legislation through parliament by utilising the whip system and controlling the parliamentary timetable
• The larger a governments majority the less likely it is that the other parties in the Commons will be able to defeat or amend Government bills
• Ability of backbenchers to influence policy is limited too because a government with a substantial majority can absorb dissent within its own ranks
• With a majority of 167 at the 2001 election, the Blair gov survived large rebellions from Labour backbenchers on Iraq, Tuition Fees, and foundation hospitals. Within months of its majority being cut to 65n at the 2005 election , the gov suffered its first Commons defeat
• A governing party that has a slim majority, or none at all, can find itself in a pretty unpredictable position
• In a minority gov, the party with the largest number of seats governs alone. It may be able to persuade a smaller party not to vote against it on key measures, such as the budget or the Queens Speech.
• This is known as a ‘confidence and supply deal’. But it must find parliamentary majorities on a bill-by-bill basis. - a minority gov may be relatively stable in the short-term, particularly if other parties do not want another general election. - difficult to sustain a minority gov for long.