the relationship between parliament and the executive

Question 1

Walter Bagehot’s analysis

Answer 1

• described the “fusion” of executive and legislative power as the ‘efficient secret of the British system”
• backbenchers and frontbenchers sit together in the same chamber
• they all play a role in voting on bills and in debates
• however their respective roles are very different

Question 2

gov dominate parliament- the electoral system

Answer 2

+ parliamentary majority makes it easier to get things through
- A large majority means more factions to go against you

Question 3

gov dominates parliament- party loyalty

Answer 3

+ you’re voted for predominately your party and not your person

Question 4

gov dominates parliament- patronage

Answer 4

+ you want to get promoted and advance therefore you will not mess around as the PM can move jobs around
+ put people in a moral dilemma

Question 5

gov dominates parliament- whips

Answer 5

+ Divide up the parliamentary party into different cohorts
+ pair of whips
+ subtly persuade people to vote in a certain way

Question 6

the threat to dissolve parliament

Answer 6

+ scares MPs thinking that there will be a general election

Question 7

HOL

Answer 7

+ Gov doesn’t have a majority in HOL but they are represented and do have a voice
+ Salisbury convention- says if a policy going through, if it was in the manifesto it will be passed through

Question 8

majority

Answer 8

+ the larger majority, the more complicated it becomes
+ tighter the better x

Question 9

HOL

Answer 9

• they can ping pong but cant stop it from happening