Unit 2: The Structure & Role Of Parliament Flashcards
What makes up the legislative branch in the UK?
Parliament - (House of Commons and House of Lords)
What makes up the executive branch in the UK?
Government (Prime Minister, Cabinet, Select Committees)
What makes up the judicial branch in the UK?
Courts of Law (Supreme Court)
Is there a separation or fusion of powers in the UK?
Fusion of powers - one can be in 2 branches at once
5 key facts about the House of Commons?
- The speaker presides over dates in the chamber, selects MPs to speak and maintains order - Lindsay Hoyle
- The number of MPs can change based on reviews of parliamentary constituencies - there are currently 650
- A whip is appointed e.g. Alan Campbell is the current chief whip of the Labour Party
- There are backbenchers and frontbenchers
- Members are awarded parliamentary privilege but no member is above the law
What are all of the speakers roles?
Presides over dates in the chamber
Selects MPs to speak
Maintains order e.g. calls ‘order’ when its necessary such as during the Brexit debate where Speaker Bercow called order on numerous occasions
May suspend MPs who break rules
Votes only if there is a tie
What party does the speaker of the House of Commons belong to?
The speaker must always remain non partisan and thus impartial
Who is the current speaker of the House of Commons?
Lindsay Hoyle
What are the whips main roles?
To ensure that MPs are attending parliamentary votes
To issue instruction on how MPs should vote
Enforce discipline within the parliamentary party
What are backbenchers?
Most of the MPs who have no ministerial or shadow ministerial posts, they are likely to be more independently minded and will vote as they wish e.g. Zarah Sultana partook in a rebellion when she voted in favour of scapping the 2 child benefit cap and voted against the Labour Party even though she’s a member of it as she was more independently minded
What are frontbenchers?
Ministers and shadow ministers, the shadow ministers role is to mainly scrutinise the role of the main cabinet
What are the 2 most important elements of parliamentary privilege?
- Freedom of speech
- Exclusive cognisance
What is exclusive cognisance?
The right of each House of Parliament to regulate its own proceedings and internal affairs without interference from any outside body
5 key facts about the House of Lords?
- Members are awarded parliamentary privilege but none are above the law
- It is the worlds second largest chamber with 800 members including the Lord Spiritual
- Life peers are the largest category of members and hereditary peers are known as elected peers
- No party has a majority now when prior, the conservatives took the whip prior 1999
- A number of major proposals for membership reform have been made since 1999 but all have failed
Who are the Lord Spiritual?
2 archbishops
24 senior bishops
ALL FROM THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Who are life peers?
Members who are appointed by the prime minster for life, they are recommended by an independent commission
What is meant by elected hereditary peers?
Peers chosen by a house ballot, election by their party or royal appointment - they were created as a result of the removal of hereditary peers (those who become peers based off of inheritance)
How much of the House of Commons is women?
40% of the current House of Commons
How much of the House of Lords is women?
29% of the current House of Lords
What are the similarities between the jobs of both houses?
-Vote on legislation
-Debate
-Scrutinise the government using committees
-May have a role in government or shadow government
What are the differences between the jobs of both houses?
-Commons deal with constituency casework and help constituents with redress of grievances
-Select candidates for party leadership (in the labour and tory) who the party membership then vote on
-Commons decide which legislation is passed as Lords can be overruled by the commons
-Commons can remove the government with a vote of no confidence - the parties can vote out leaders e.g. Liz Truss 2022
-Lords are unelected and dont represent any people
-Lords provide an independent voice in party as around 25% of them are cross benchers so they dont represent parties
-Lords play an important role in revising of amending legislation
What are the members of the House of Commons called?
Members of Parliament
What are the members of the House of Lords called?
Peers
What are the 3 types of peers?
Elected hereditary peers
Life peers
Lord spiritual