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49 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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At the time of the 2010 General Election how many MPs were there?
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650
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Describe the social background of a typical MP
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Age: Youngest mp Pamela Nash (25), Average age is 50 in 2010
Gender: In 1987 only 6% (41) of MPs were women, in 2010 the number has increased to 22% (143) Ethnicity: Mosty white and christian only 4% of MPs (27) are ethnic minorities |
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What is the resemblance theory?
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Holds that MPs should be typical of the communities they serve so they refelct there values and beliefs
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Why is the resemblance theory important?
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-A more representative commons, will help to better understand the issues facing some communities
-Ethnic minorities would have more faith in the legislative system is they were better represented |
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Why in the resemblance theory NOT important?
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-A good MP woud represent his community as well as he can regardless of his Ethnicity, Gender or Religion
-Impossible for all the members of the constituency to be same, and therefore there will always be some constituents who are represented by someone unlike them |
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Prior to the lords reform what was the composition of lords in respect to their parties?
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Conservatives: 471
Labour: 179 |
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Why did the Tories have a Lords majority prior to the Lords Reform in 1999?
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Inbuilt tory majority Due to the existance of hereditary peers (aka Blackwoodsmen)
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Evaluate the main critisims of hereidary peers?
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They only attended the house of lords to block radical legislation
Inequitable However, The lords security of tenure, as in the title was garunteed for life caused party ties to be relitively weak |
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Describe the house of lords act?
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-Instigated in 1999
-Removal of hereditary Peers -Replaced with life peers |
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what was the composition of lords in respect to their parties after the Lords Reform?
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In 2011
218 Consevative Lords 240 Labour Lords |
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How are life peers appointed?
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-Life peerage act of 1985
-technically the monarch who confer peerage -But the prime minister has free man -But he must invite nominations from the opposition and all nominations must be scrutinised by the house of lords appointments commission |
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What are the critisisms in the way life peers are appointed?
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-No better than the hereditary principle
-Rapid increase in Labour peers from 179 to 240 leadto accusations of cronyism -E.g. Blair elevated special advisor Andrew Adonis emphasizing the accusations |
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Why would the PM want to appoints life peers?
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-Bringing people into the cabinet without an election e.g. Tony Blair elevated specia advisor Andrew Adonis
-Getting rid of potentially troublesome backbenchers e.g. Margaret Thatcher -As a reward for political service e.g. Tony Blair private pollster phillip Gould |
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5 mains roles of parliament?
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-Representation: MPs are elected to serve a geographical constituency, MPs represent the constituents in PArliament
-Legislation -Scrutiny e.g. PMQs -Legitimisation: in the uk gove is not elected directly so legitimacy rests upon the commons, withdrawal leads to a fall in the government e.g James Callaghan labour gove in 1976 -Political Recruitment: Parliament provides a pool from which members of the governent can be appointed, many have served an apprenticship in the commons before taking high office |
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What are the different types of bills?
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-Government bills: Publice bill, seeks to fulfill manifesto pledges
-Private member bills:Pubic bill, Intoduced by an mp on any issue, rarely succed without government support, useful way of legislating on issues of conscience e.g. the abortion act -Private bills: Affect specified organisations rather than the population as a whole |
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Describe the legislative process?
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1st Reading: in the commons, Formal Intro, date for 2nd reading set
2nd Reading: Principles of bill outlined follwed by debate Standing commitee: scrutinises and amends the bill before sending it back to the commons 3rd Reading: Bill is either passed or rejected in the commons House of Lords: Process starts again, If rejected the bill is sent back to the commons Royal Assent: If the bill is accepted by the house of lords |
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How could the legislative process be cut short?
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-Whip the standing comittee, they have to approve the bill
-Guilliotine the standing commitee, less time to scrutinise -Limit time for commons debate -Threaten to use the parliament act on the house of Lords |
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The are the parliament acts of 1911 and 1949
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-Resulted as an attempt by the Lords to block the budget to block the budget in 1909
-1911 act only allows the lords to delay the bill for 2 years -1949 act reduced the powers of delay to one session -Gives the commons power over the Lords Only used 4 times between 1949 and 2011: War Crimes act (1991) European Parliamentary elections act (1999) Sexual Offences act (2000) Hunting Act (2004) |
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The is the sailbury doctrine
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-Dates from 1945
-States that because the Lords is an elected chamber, they should not should not veto Government Bills as they are part of the manifesto pledge |
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Evaluate the powers of life peers?
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Security of Tenure and weak party ties make them a serious obstacle
BUT: Parliment Acts of 1911 and 1949 and Sailisbury Doctrine in 1945 have weakened parties |
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First Stage of Lords Reform
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1997 Labour manifesto commitment to remove hereditary peers with a more democratic and representative chamber, though under the Weatherhill Amendment 92 peers were allowed to remain
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What is the 2nd stage of the Lords Reform?
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PAge 30
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Define PArliamentary Sovereignty?
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According to V. Dicey one of the "twin pillars" of the british constitution and rule of law, has 3 characteristics:
-Parliament can make and unmake any law -Only PArliament can make UK LAw -No parliament can bind it's successors |
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Why do people think that parliamentary sovereignity no longer exists?
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-Superiority of EU LAw of uk Law
-Increased use of referendums since 1970 -New Labours devoution plans |
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What are the roles of an MP?
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Representation their the interests of their constituents
-Loyal PArty drone: , as they were most likely elected due to their party label rather than their personel appeal, MPs should "toe the line" and vote along party lines to ensure majorities WatchDog: Scrutinise the government via PMQs, Committees and debates Legislator: For a bill to become an act it mus tbe passed through the house of commons |
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What is the 10 minute rule bill?
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On a tuesday or wednesday, 10 minutes time is given for a backbench MP to introduce a bill of their own,
The last 10 minute law bill was to force mini cab drivers to carry passenger with guide dogs |
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Why has there been a rise in careers polititians?
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-in 1940s Mps tend to only serve for 5 years, today 20 is very common
- improvements in salaries (65,000 for an mp in 2011) and allowances, more sociable working hours and more comfortable offices -Leads to an increase to the number of polititians with no career outside politics -e.g. Ed Balls, David miliband and Ed miliband |
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What is the role of a government whip?
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-Ensures that the the government maintains a majority in votes taken in Parliament
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How do whips operate?
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employ a 'carrot and stick approach', offering the lure of the promotion to governement offices for MP's who 'toe the line' and are loyal,
-or threaten life in the backbenches or throwing them out of the party for the rebels, e.g john MAJOR kicked out 8 MPs for their disloyalty in the Maastricht Treaty |
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Define "Three Lined Whip"
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Weekly document that each party produces, detailing party businesses and the way they expect MPs to vote. they parts underlined 3 times indicated the way they expect mps to vote
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Who is the current government chief whip?
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Sir George Young, 6th Baronet
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List the 9 different ways of scrunitising the government?
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-Standing Committee
-Prime Ministers Questions -FrontBenchers -BackBenchers -Vote of No confidence -Official Opposition -Early Day Motions -Topical Debates -The Commons Liaison Committee -Select committees |
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What are standing committees?
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-Formed to conside a piece of legislation and disband when work is complete.
-consists of 15-25 members, reflects the composition of the house of commons -Appointed by the committe of selection (which consists of experienced MPs) |
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What are the limitations of the standing committee?
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If the governements apply the guillotine, they will only have limited time to scrutinise the bill, reducing the quality of the amendments made
If the members have been whipped then amendments are unlikely to succeed without government support |
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What are select committees?
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-Play a vital role of holding the government to account
-Established in the 1970s, have the role of scrutinising government departements -Example: The pubic accounts committee ensures value for money in government, holds departments accountable for their spending |
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What is Prime Minister's questions?
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-Every wednesday, for 30 minutes, MPS given the opportunity to quiz the Prime minister
-Allows backbencher's to raise issues about their constituency holding the PM to account -A chance for frontbencher's to make a name for themselves e.g. in 2007 Vince Cable said that Gordon Brown transformed from 'Stalin to Mr Bean' -The Leader of the Opposition usually asks six questions at PMQs |
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What are the limits to PMQs?
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-Seen as more of a theatre than Real Politics
-30 minutes may not be deemed long enough to properly debate certain topics |
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Define Vote of no confidence?
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Formal vote taken in the commons in repsonse to the motions that the commons have no confidence in the governerment. Leading to the dissolution of pariament and a general election.
E.g. James Callaghan's Labour Government recieved a vote of no confidence in 1979 |
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Why is a vote of no confidence rare?
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-Governing party normally has a majority in the house of commons
-Would recquire all oppositions parties to unite against the government, very unlikely due to such diverse range of parties with different views would vote in the same block |
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Early day motions?
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Call for a debate on a certain topic, MPs add their names to certain motions and raise their concerns with the governemtn, thought there is little time for these issues to be debated formally, it provides one access point how constituent's grievences can be vented through representatives
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Discuss Topical Debates, how do they come about?
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-Help on matters of public interest
-Opposition parites can instigate debates in topics of interest to them -eDemocracy, if a petition has more than 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in the house of commons e.g. in 2011 the house of commons debated a referendum on EU membership |
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What is the commons liasons committee?
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-Comprimises of the chairs of various departmental select committees, meets at portculis house in the Boothroyd committee room, good opportunity to scrutinise the PM outside of PMQs
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Evauate the effectiveness of the commons liasons committee?
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The Commons Committees do not have the power of subpoena, so they cannot force the prime minister to members of the governement to come before them
However, tony Blair agreed to sit before them twice a year |
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What are fronchbenchers?
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MPs who hold positions in government, acts as shadow ministers for the offial opposition, or are spokepeople for other parties.
-Occupy the front benches in the commons |
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What are back benchers?
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MPs who are not spokespeople for their parites, do not have positions in parliament and do not act as shadow ministers for the official oppositions.
In theory, should have more find to devote to constituents |
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What is the official opposition?
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-The party with the second highest number of seats in the commons
-Shadow cabinet drawn from the official opposition -Recieve 'short money' to cover the cost of holding the government to account in 2011/12, Labour recieved 6 million -Role is to be able to act as a check on the government |
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What is the house of commons standing order SO14
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order gives opposition 20 opposition days, where they can determine the topic of debate, 17 allocated for the official oppositions, and 3 for the second largest party
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Define A Guillotine Motion or 'Guillotine order'?
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A Guillotine Motion or 'Guillotine order' is the common name for an Allocation of Time Motion which is a British House of Commons procedure that can be used to restrict the time set aside for debate during the passage of a bill through the House.
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Define "Whip"?
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This is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are party 'enforcers', who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy. In the UK, a party's endorsement of a member of parliament; to 'withdraw the whip' is to expel an MP from his political party.
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