What is the role and significance of backbenchers? Flashcards
1a. What is parliamentary privilege?
1b. Give an example of how they can still be sued for criminal activities.
1a. This means that within parliament they can say what they want, without being subject to outside influence.
1b. In 2009, many MPs were jailed for making false claims about their parliamentary expenses.
1a. How has the Backbench Business Committee given backbench MPs more power?
1b. How are some of the subjects for debate chosen?
1c. Where do these debates happen?
1d. How is Harvey’s law a result of such a debate, and when did it take place?
1e. Why does the Backbench Business Committee prefer to respond to proposals that command cross-party support?
1a. Since 2010, it has allowed backbench MPs to choose the topic for debate on 35 days, during each parliamentary session.
1b. Some are chosen in response to e-petitions signed by the public. 100,000 votes are required.
1c. Westminster Hall - the oldest surviving part of the Houses of Parliament.
1d. It was debated in 2015, and the resulting law obliged the Highways Agency to notify the owners of pets who had been killed on the roads.
1e. This is so there is an incentive for MPs to work together, in requesting a debate.
1a. Has there been a rise in the number of backbench rebellions against government measures?
1b. Give an example of when and how the coalition government dropped bills in order to avoid further defeats in the House of Commons.
1a. Yes, Philip Cowley and Mark Stuart have calculated that coalition MPs rebelled in 35% of votes during the 2010-15 parliament, in comparison to 28% of votes under Labour, between 2005 and 2010.
1b. They dropped their House of Lords reform bill, in 2013, after only its second reading.
1a. What are ‘urgent questions’?
1b. Has there been an increase in the number of ‘urgent questions’?
1c. What is an example of an urgent question?
1a. They allow MPs to raise an important matter, that must be answered by a government minister. The Speaker of the House must approve the question.
1b. Yes, John Bercow allowed 3547 urgent questions in 2009-13, in comparison to his predecessor Michael Martin (2000-09) who only allowed 1234.
1c. The Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green was summoned in February 2017, to answer Stephen Timms (Labour MP) questions about changes to Personal Independence Payment, a benefit for disabled people.
1a. How do adjournment debates limit the influence of backbenchers?
1a. An adjournment debate will allow for discussion, but the topic is usually ignored, as there is no vote at the end.
- How is the 10-minute rule an illusion of how much influence backbenchers actually have?
- This is because despite MPs being allowed to speak for 10 minutes, on their chosen subject before the beginning of business, it is most likely that the MP’s concerns will be ignored during the debate.
- Do Public bill committees give MPs the power to instil amendments?
- No, because the government has a majority on these committees, so it will use its position to instil its own amendments. Ignoring those proposed by opposition MP’s.
- Do party whips and party loyalty increase the power of MP’s?
- They limit the power of MP’s, as they are more easily manipulated.
- Who are the backbench members of the House of Lords?
- They are established figures in their own fields, and many are retired politicians.
- Are backbench members of the House of Lords more likely to act independently, than backbenchers in the Commons.
- Yes, this is because the promise of a government post cannot influence them as much.
1a. Why are the growing numbers of cross-benchers important?
1b. Give examples of cross-benchers, and what their area of expertise is.
1a. This is because they are not affiliated with a party, and they have expertise in all domains.
1b. Professor Lord Hennessy, who is an expert on constitutional matters, and Baroness Greenfield, who worked in the field of science and technology.
