The Workings of Parliamentary Democracy: Glossary Flashcards
Backbench MP:
A Member of Parliament who is not a minister or shadow minister.
Bi-cameral:
A legislature consisting of two chambers or houses.
Bill:
A proposed law presented to a legislature for consideration.
Collective Responsibility:
The principle that all members of the Cabinet must publicly support government policy.
Bill Committees:
A group of backbenchers that scrutinise a particular Bill as it passes through the Commons.
Common Law:
Law based on judicial precedent rather than statutes.
Constitutional Monarchy:
A system of government in which the monarch’s power is limited by a constitution.
Conventions:
Unwritten rules and traditions that guide the operation of the British Constitution.
Crossbenchers:
Peers in the House of Lords who are not affiliated to a political party.
Early Day Motions:
Formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons, often used to raise awareness of an issue.
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR):
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR): An international treaty protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe.
Executive:
The branch of government responsible for implementing laws and policies, typically headed by the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
First-Past-the-Post (FPTP):
An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins.
Green Paper:
A preliminary report of government proposals that is published to stimulate discussion.
Guillotine:
A procedure to limit the time for debate on a bill in Parliament.
Hansard:
The official record of parliamentary debates.
Hereditary Peers:
Members of the House of Lords whose title is inherited.
House of Commons:
The lower house of the UK Parliament, consisting of elected Members of Parliament (MPs).
House of Lords:
The upper house of the UK Parliament, consisting of unelected members.
Human Rights Act 1998:
UK legislation incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law.
Individual Ministerial Responsibility:
The principle that ministers are accountable for the actions of their departments and should resign if serious errors are made.
Judiciary:
The branch of government responsible for interpreting and applying the law, consisting of courts and judges.
King’s Speech:
A speech given by the monarch at the start of each parliamentary session, outlining the government’s legislative agenda.
Legislature:
The branch of government responsible for making laws, consisting of Parliament.
Life Peers:
Members of the House of Lords who are appointed for their lifetime.
Lords Spiritual:
Senior clergy of the Church of England who are members of the House of Lords.
Magna Carta:
A historic document establishing the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law.
Money Bill:
A bill relating to taxation or government expenditure.
Parliamentary Sovereignty:
The principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK.
Private Members’ Bill:
A bill introduced by an individual MP who is not a government minister.
Privy Purse:
Personal pots of money for the King (Duchy of Lancaster estate) and the Prince of Wales (Duchy of Cornwall estate)
Royal Assent:
The monarch’s formal approval of a bill, making it law.
Royal Prerogative:
Powers traditionally held by the monarch but now exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Select Committees:
Committees of MPs that scrutinise the work of government departments.
Separation of Powers:
The division of governmental power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Sovereign Grant:
Funding provided to the monarch by the government, based on a percentage of Crown Estate revenues.
Speaker:
The presiding officer of the House of Commons, responsible for maintaining order during debates.
Treaties:
Formal international agreements.
Unwritten Constitution:
A constitution that is not codified in a single document, but is comprised of statutes, common law, conventions, and treatises.
Whips:
Party officials responsible for maintaining party discipline and ensuring that MPs vote according to the party line.
White Paper:
A government document setting out detailed proposals for future legislation.
