Parliament - FUNCTIONS Providing Government Flashcards
Features of a Parliamentary Government
UK constitution is based on the fusion of powers between the executive and legislative and so all members of the government have to be in Parliament also - as MPs and Peers.
This is known as a Parliamentary Government, the executive and Parliament overlap and the government, in effect, governs through parliament.
Lord Hailsham - Elective dictatorship.
Parliament is biased when the government has a large majority because it can dictate policy with relatively slim challenge between elections.
Governments are formed based on… what?
they are formed based on the result of parliamentary elections, based on the strength of party representation in the Commons.
The personnel of the government are drawn from Parliament, all cabinet and other members have to be in either the Commons or the Lords but by convention, the majority of office holders have to be drawn from the Commons to give them democratic legitmacy, it is however, a convention.
The government has a responsibility to Parliament, it relies on the confidence of the Commons, it can be removed by a majority for a vote of no confidence - JAMES CALLAGHAN HAD A MINORITY GOVT. IN 1979 DEFEATED BY ONE VOTE - ENTIRE GOVT. HAD TO RESIGN.
votes of confidence are conventions not laws.
Dissolving Parliament?
the government can dissolve parliament within a five year term, by an amendment to the 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act.
2/3s of MPs agree
Collective face - the government has a collective face, drawn from parliamentary personnel, rather than a single personal leadership such as the USA presidency.
The PM is the head of the government NOT the head of state because that is the queen. This is a convention.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT
- Commons and to a lesser extent, the Lords provides numerous opportunities for the rising politicians to display their abilities. This is great for newer MPs, as all their actions are recorded. Our politicians have to ‘climb their way up the greasy pole’ Disraeli.
- government appointments can be based on the MPs performance within the Commons debates, committees, and other functions
- the government often has a majority in the House of Commons, so this allows them to govern effectively by being able to implement their manifesto policies.
DISADVANTAGES OF PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT
- The government is selected mainly from the governing party’s mPs which does inevitably restrict the choice.
- 120 government jobs, 1/3 of the Party’s MPs will receive a government job.
- In the USA, cabinet members, and other officials do not have to come from the legislature - the choice is much much wider.
Role of opposition
Basic function of the opposition to oppose the government.
Their challenge against government policies and presenting alternative of doing things - Kier Starmer is the leader of the opposition.
A strong leader can effectively challenge the Prime Minister during the PMQTs and can present an alternative vision for the country. This increases sufficiency and constructiveness of the policies and decisions being made.
Well-organised opposition parties can challenge the government’s legislative programme and more effectively hold the government to account but much of their effectiveness depends on the size of the government’s majority within the Commons.
Effectiveness of the opposition during the Labour government 1997-2010
Limiting factors
William Hague’s appointment in 1997 as the leader of the opposition (he was Cons) divided the party.
Duncan Smith’s leadership between 2001 and 2003 was weak.
Michael Howard - 2003 and 2005 - reunited the party but faced electoral defeat in 2005 –) throughout this time the Cons were very Eurosceptic.
David Cameron was popular HOWEVER as he abandoned more traditional Cons values people saw him betraying the party
Effectiveness of the Labour government 1997-2010
frequent leadership changes? divided party? labour’s strong majority in the Commons?
Strong majority lasted a LONG time between 1997 and 2007 –> particularly before 2005, where Blair did not face a single defeat in the Commons.
After 2005, he was only defeated 4 times in the Commons.
Effectiveness of the opposition during the coalition 2010-15
Opposition leader, Ed Miliband labelled as politically incompetent, and was not popular because he was portrayed as weak and ineffective… eating a bacon sandwich.
Coalition was defeated 6 times in the Commons?
Key factors in limiting the effectiveness of opposition in the period 2010-2015
Heavy criticisms of the leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband. He faced a lot of public criticism and was portrayed as weak and ineffective which can be seen through the bacon sarnie pictures.
Key factors that helped the effectiveness of the opposition in this period 2010-2015
The coalition was heavily vulnerable and was defeated 6 times - one vote seeing each party in the coalition imposing a three-line whip on opposite sides of the debate.
House of Lords Reform –> defeated by 91 rebel Cons backbenchers which caused the withdrawal of the bill.
opposition parties opened up divisions between the two coalition parties - opposition rarely came from opposition parties, they came mostly from the executive themselves.
Effectiveness of the opposition during Conservative governments 2015-2020
Theresa May’s government suffered 37 defeats.
These had been often because of Opposite Day Motions - Cons MPs were often whipped to abstain from voting on some occasions rather than confrontation and potential rebellion.
Opposition day? A day where the opposition can raise their issues.
Boris Johnson’s minority government was defeated 12 times and won only 2 votes in the Commons. Since 2019, the majority government have been defeated 3 times
What were the key factors helping the effectiveness of the Opposition to Theresa May’s government?
2017 General Election = called by May to take advantage of potential Labour weaknesses actually helped Labour.
May’s lack of support from her own party = rebel amendment allowing Parliament to vote on the final Brexit deal - presented by a Tory MP Dom Grieve.
May’s refusal to allow her party to vote on these motions (Opposite Day motions) has angered MPs as Cons MPs cannot sufficiently represent their constituency interests.
European Reform Group - Tory Rebel MPs, of the ERG is damaging opposition. May had a minority government from 2017 onwards.
May suffered defeat on her proposed Brexit Bill on December 13th 2017.
What were the key factors hindering the effectiveness of the opposition to Theresa May?
Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 - was not popular with the MPs of Labour.
Labour’s internal divisions = damaged Labour’s ability to organise effective opposition.
Anti-Semitism accusations.
