Parliament Vs The Executive Flashcards
List the reasons backbenchers can be seen as mere lobby fodder
- most speeches lead to no action
- whips
- bbbc only debates things w cross bench support
- standing committees controlled by commons majorities
List the reasons backbenchers can be seen as an effective executive check
- bbbc 35 days for debate
- government drops legislation that will be defeated
- backbench rebellions increasing
- rise in urgent questions that require a ministerial response
- lords are experts
- lords are often less amenable to pressure by whips
- cross bench laws are independently minded
Give a recent example of the government dropping legislation that would lose in the commons
Lords reform bill 2015
How much did coalition mps rebel
35% of the time
How much did urgent questions increase between 2009-13
200%
Do backbenchers make a difference (complex answer)
They are more decisive when the government doesn’t have a strong majority
When did backbench rebellions become more common
90s
What did conservative mps rebel abt under major
- Maastricht treaty
- gun control
- VAT on domestic fuel
What did major have to resort to to pass the Maastricht treaty
A confidence vote
How many labour mps rebelled abt invading Iraq in 2003
139 - largest rebellion in modern politics
What was new labour defeated on
90 day detention for suspected terrorists
Racial and religious hatred bill
The right of Gurkhas to live in the uk
Why was the coalition not defeated that much despite the amount of backbench disobedience
Lib Dem and conservative MPs would rebel on different things
What was the biggest defeat for the coalition
Intervention in Syria
What was the conservative minority government defeated on
Evel
Ur referndum conduct
Changes to Sunday trading laws
What are governing party questions intended to do at pmqs
Flatter
What are opposition questions intended toward do at pmqs
Joke or humiliate
What does pmqs often turn in to
Parliamentary theatre rather than effective scrutiny
Why are mqs often seen as better scrutiny
Less publicity
Questions are more specific and practical
MPs can propose questions in advance - more informed debate
MPs are more likely to ask questions from constituents
What is the opposition better off doing instead of challenging the government in the commons
Attacking them in the media
What is the opposition better off doing instead of attacking the government
Appearing statesmenlikr
What is the opposition better off doing instead of providing a radical alternative
Appearing like a government in waiting
What does the opposition have at its disposal to help w scrutiny
Loto receives a ministerial salary
Short money is granted to compensate for no civil servants
Loto gets most pmqs questions
Reasons select committees are an effective executive check
Scrutinise using detailed investigations
Many recommendations accepted by government
Questions ministers civil servants and outside experts
Access to papers
Chairs elected by MPs
Reasons select committees aren’t an effective executive check
Commons majority reflected
Ministers and civil servants can avoid giving info
Some members don’t regularly attend or are too confrontational when questioning ministers
No power to propose policy
Government can ignore recommendations
What do is pac
The public accounts committee
What does pac do
Scrutinises value for money and the provision of public services
Reasons why the pac is strong
Chair is an opposition mp
Chair has greater prestige and higher salary
Members are mp elected - not under party control
Members are independent meaning government majority does not matter
Give two big issues pac has recently ibfestigated
Quality of nhs cancer treatment
Tax affairs of Google
What is at stake in pmqs
Credibility of the pm
A chance for the opposition to set the agenda
Notable pmqs from starmer
Dominic Cummings gets pay rise - nurses don’t
Squandering vaccine roll out by not redlisting India
Slamming the working class by raising national insurance and ending universal credit uplift
Changes in select committee composition
Growth in the number of experienced committee chairs
Virtual proceedings have meant an increase in virtual witnesses
What did the health select committee make Dominic Cummings admit
The government response to Covid was inadequate and the health secretary should be sacked
Examples of backbench pressure on government
- made the government rethink trading w china in light of Uighur muslin persecution
Rebelled against extending lockdown
Rebelled against NI rise on the basis that it broke a manifesto pledge
