The Structure And Role Of Parliament: Theories Of Representation

Question 1

What does an MP with constituencies representative of?

Answer 1

Their constitutions or voters, their party and special interests or groups they may feel strongly about

Question 2

What percentage of MPs undertake jobs outside of parliament in the 2017-2019 session?

Answer 2

18%

Question 3

Where must MPs declare there jobs to, for the sake of transparency and conflict of interest?

Answer 3

The Register of Members’ Interest

Question 4

What is an example go an MP continuing on a limited scale with their previous occupation?

Answer 4

Conservative MP Maria Caulfield used to be a nurse and had to complete 480 hours over 3 years to retain her professional registration

Question 5

What is an example of a MP continuing with their job while being in parliament?

Answer 5

Portsmouth Labour MP Stephen Morgan continued his service as a city councillor after first being elected to parliament in 2017

Question 6

What do MPs with particular interest join?

Answer 6

All-party groups comprising of other MPs who share similar interests and concerns

Question 7

What are some areas represented by all-party groups?

Answer 7

Pigeon racing, darts, independent education and Scottish whisky

Question 8

How do MPs work as problem solvers in their constituency?

Answer 8

They hold regular local surgeries, usually via appointment

Question 9

What is the ‘redress of grievances’?

Answer 9

MPs do not normally have the power to bring about instant remixes, so they often raise such matters with the local council or relevant government department, or in a Commons debate

Question 10

In 2010 how many bits of communication dod one MP calculate they got in their first 10 months as an MP?

Answer 10

They received 38,400 pieces of communication, of which 24,000 were emails, 9,600 letters and 4,800 telephone calls on top of 2,183 individual constituents cases

Question 11

What are the 3 main theories on how MPs represent their constituents?

Answer 11

Burkean or Trustee Theory
Delegate theory
Mandate theory

Question 12

Who came up with Burkean theory?

Answer 12

18th century political thinker and MP Edmund Burke

Question 13

What is Burkean theory?

Answer 13

That as representatives, elected officials should take into account their constituents view while also employing their personal judgement, knowledge and experience to serve the public interest, with constituents entrusting their elected officials to represent them fairly in parliament

Question 14

What did Burke see the Burkean theory as the opposite of?

Answer 14

A delegate, who is an elected official who simply mirrors the view of the constituents

Question 15

What has significantly weakened the Burkean theory?

Answer 15

the advent of strong party ties and the parliamentary whipping system

Question 16

What is an example of the Burkean theory at work?

Answer 16

Nick Boles, former Conservative MP for Grantham and Stamford, represented a Leave constituency but personally supported a Remain campaign, voting against his own party in many Brexit votes

Question 17

What is an example of Burkean theory?

Answer 17

The ‘votes of conscience’, during which MPs follow their own conscience or belief in the ‘common good’, with the 2013 vote on gay marriage being a notable rennet example of this

Question 18

What is the delegate theory?

Answer 18

Is that elected officials are simply ‘mouthpieces’ for their constituents

Question 19

What is an example of the delegate theory at work?

Answer 19

In 2015, Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith promised his voters in Richmond Park that he would resign if the government came in favour of a third runway at Heathrow, keeping to his word resigning in 2016, fighting the by-election as an independent, losing to the Lib Dems

Question 20

What is another example of the delegate throes at work?

Answer 20

Stephen Lloyd, then Lib Dem MP for Eastbourne promised to support Brexit if elected in 2017, against his own views and official party policy, was elected in 2017, stuck to his views and resining as a Lib Dem, and losing his seat as an independent in the 2019 election

Question 21

What is the mandate theory?

Answer 21

It advocates that elected officials are primarily there to represent and carry out their party’s policies and manifesto

Question 22

What is the argument for the mandate theory?

Answer 22

That it is the party and not the personality of an individual MP that secures their election

Question 23

What is an example in favour of the mandate theory?

Answer 23

In 2019 Frank Field, the ling serving and highly respected MP for Birkenhead, stood as an independent having left Labour, and was defeated in this very safe Labour seat