The role and significance of backbenchers Flashcards
Describe the reputation of commons MPs
Recently developed a poor reputation. Some self inflicted, some misplaced
What happens to much of the commons MPs work?
Much of their work goes unnoticed
Why should the performance of frontbench and backbench MPs be assessed differently?
Their job is to sit on legislative and select committees and question ministers, so their performance should be assessed differently to frontbenchers
How are frontbenchers different to backbenchers?
Frontbenchers are different because they have much more media attention and focus most of their time on their executive functions
What kind of work do backbenchers do?
Backbenchers do the crucial work of legislating, scrutinising frontbenchers and providing representation
List the main roles of backbenchers
Debating and voting on legislation
Debating on government business
Speaking in backbench debates in order to air either national or constituency issues
Scrutinising bills in their committee stage
Possibly being a select committee member
Being an active member of a campaign committee of MPs for issues they are passionate about
Being part of a committee created by their party to formulate policy on a specific issue
Lobbying and speaking on the behalf of an outside cause
Redress of grievances
Hold constituency surgeries so that constituents can air concerns to them in person
Attending important constituency events
Listening to and perhaps joining local campaign groups
What do some MPs do despite their long list of responsibilities and why has this been decreasing since the 1990s?
Despite this long list, some MPs also take on outside work, often as journalists or members of outside associations. However, this has become less common since the 1990s due to the growing workload of MPs and the increasing professionalisation of commons work
How does the extent to which backbenchers attend debates vary?
Some attend debates with regularity, while others simply go to the debates their whips tell them to
What other kind of things vary depending on the MP in question?
Committee membership and attendance varies, as does the extent of constituency work
Give the arguements that backbenchers are of limited significance
Often described as ‘lobby fodder’ or ‘party hacks’. This describes them as a group that simply does what the whips tell them uncritically, hoping that their loyalty will one day be rewarded through promotion
Powerless in the face of frontbench domination. They have little influence over legislation and fail to effectively hold the government to account
Debates often sparsely attended, suggesting they lack interest in policy
Long recesses where the executive can effectively work unchecked
MPs often unknown in their constituencies
Give the arguements that backbenchers are of great significance
Numerous independent minded MPs who are willing to put their principles above the party interest
Showed how they good be significant in the 2017-9 minority government as they blocked lots of key legislation
Parliament has been more willing to defy the government since 2010. Select committees are becoming increasingly effective at holding the government accountable
Much of their work is carried out unnoticed in committees. Despite being less high profile than frontbench work, it is still significant for the good working of parliament
The long recesses do not go to waste, as MPs use this as an opportunity to catch up on constituency work, which helps establish a strong connection between people and parliament
Many MPs undertake heavy workloads representing constituency interests, even if they are not well known
What party does Mhairi Black belong to?
The SNP
What party does Mike Freer belong to?
The conservatives
What party does Yvette Cooper belong to?
Labour
How is Mhairi Black an example of an influential backbencher?
Youngest member of the commons, only 20 when elected
Quickly made a member of the work and pensions select committee despite her youth, specialising on welfare inequality
Prominent spokeswoman for LGBT rights. Moved to the frontbenches in 2019, becoming the SNP spokesperson on Scottish affairs
Why is Mike Freer an example of an influential backbencher?
Reputation as a hard working constituency MP
Long time champion of breast cancer screening and the interests of the state of Israel
Supporter of improved inter community relations encouraging integration between the Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities in his constituency
Served on the work and pensions committee, Scottish affairs committee and the housing, communities and local government committee and since Jan 2020 has sat on the selection committee, which decides which backbench MPs will be put on the various other committees
How is Yvette Cooper an example of an influential backbencher?
Having been part of the New Labour government and then in various frontbench opposition positions, she resigned as Shadow Home Secretary in 2015 in order to return to the backbenches
Elected chair of the Home Affairs select committee in 2016 and has become a visible and important backbench MP, particularly in terms of scrutinising the Windrush scandal, helping prompt to resignation of Home Secretary Amber Rudd in 2018
In 2019 she introduced a Private Member’s Bill, which narrowly passed despite government opposition, to prevent a no deal Brexit
Campaigned for the rights and protections of refugees in the European refugee crisis
When are lords given an opportunity to shape to political debate?
From time to time the lords is asked to debate a great national issue. This gives them an opportunity to influence these debates.
Why is it arguably right that the lords should have an opportunity to influence important political debates?
They are often in a position to do this as they will often be former government ministers of civil servants or heads of businesses or pressure groups
Give an example of a peer that was in a good position to influence the debate on certain political issues
For instance Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, former paralympian and wheelchair racer, has used her experience to make speeches and contribute to debates on issues relating to sport governance, women in rowing, wheelchair services and hotel facilities for the disabled
How has the lords gained more of an influence on legislation in recent years?
The Lords is an important part of the legislative process. Before 2010 the Lords rarely had much impact on legislation, largely because governments normally enjoyed large commons majorities and could therefore claim a strong mandate for their proposals. This changed between 2010-9, where governments either had a slim majority or no majority at all. This meant that the government had to take any potential Lords opposition seriously, and any controversial policy needed assured support in both houses. This gave peers increased influence over the principles and detail of legislation
Why does the need for lords support encourage bipartisanship?
The government cannot have a lords majority, so it must gain the support of crossbench or opposition lords in order to prevent obstruction
Why is it arguably right that peers have a role in scrutinising legislation?
Peers scrutinise legislation. Here, their experience and knowledge can be useful in improving legislation and in protecting minorities
How can peers hold the government to account and what is the counter to the idea that they can hold the government to account?
Each government department has a representative in the lords. Peers can therefore call the government to account by questioning this minister. However, it is acknowledged that this a relatively minor role. Also, there are no adversarial select committees in the lords as there are in the commons
What political affiliation does Lord Adonis have?
Labour
What political affiliation does Lord Dannatt have?
Crossbencher
What political affiliation does Baroness Floella Benjamin have?
Lib Dem
Why is Lord Adonis an example of an influential peer?
Former academic and minister who is an expert on economics, education and transport issues. Plays a key role in advising the two major parties on these issues
Why is Lord Dannatt an example of an influential peer?
Formerly chief of the general staff and thus the UK’s most senior soldier
Now lends his huge knowledge of military matters to the house of lords
In 2015-6 he fought for UK ground troops to be redeployed in Iraq to fight ISIS
Why is Baroness Floella Benjamin an example of an influential peer?
Former children’s presenter, businesswoman and activist
One of the most active and hardworking peers, working on and raising awareness of issues relating to education, healthcare and immigrant children
In 2013, marked International Women’s Day by making a speech about the dangers of violent porn on children and the role it plays in the objectification of women
Why are all three of these peers influential?
These three peers are full or part time parliamentarians
They are as influential as any backbench MP
As well as their knowledge and experience, they also have a higher media profile than most MPs, which gives them more importance in the political system
Why are these three peers not representative of all peers?
However, for every active and influential peer, there are as many who are inactive and invisible
What is the downside of the lords being unelected?
Because they are not accountable to the electorate, there is no check over the quality and quantity of their work
