House of Commons

bicameralism

parliament with two chambers:

• the House of Commons

  • lower chamber and primary chamber

  • directly elected by voters

• the House of Lords

  • upper chamber

  • NOT directly elected by voters

benefits of bicameralism

• upper house provides checks and balances

• provides greater scrutiny and revision of legislation

• may provide a variety and representation of different interests

downsides to bicameralism

• institutional conflict between two houses

  • may produce legislative gridlock(where legislation is being passed to and from each house without an outcome- legislation finds difficulty in being passed

• indirectly elected upper house may frustrate the will of the democratically elected lower house

how is the house of commons structured

• governing party/parties sits on the benches to the RIGHT of the speaker’s chair

• opposition parties sit on the benches to the LEFT

• more than 100 MPS hold ministerial positions in government

what are frontbenchers

term given to ministers and shadow ministers- they occupy the benches closest to the floor of the chamber. these are appointed by the main opposition party

what are backbenchers

MPs with no ministerial or shadow ministerial posts

what are the Speaker’s duties

• presides over debates in the chamber

• selects MPs to speak

• maintains order

• temporarily suspends MPs if they break parliamentary rules

how is the Speaker elected

• elected by MPs in a secret ballot

• he/she must stand down from the post at a general election but is normally re-elected at the start of the next parliament

• once chosen, the speaker becomes NON-PARTISAN (not party affiliated and they must not share their beliefs)

why was John Bercow a significant Speaker (2009-2019)

• he sought to enhance parliamentary scrutiny of the executive and champion backbench MPs

• Bercow granted more ‘urgent questions’

  • speaker granted 77 requests for UQs between 2015-16

  • he has also called more backbench MPs to speak in debates.

  • seeks to include more women MPs