UK Government, UK Politics revision (and start of US), Democracy in the UK, Key elections and statistics, Landmark rulings/cases US and UK, Party structures

Last Prime Minister from the Lords

-Sir Alec Douglas-Home

-1963

Example of a Statutory Instrument (SI) (Secondary Legislation)

-2023 SI used to change election finance rules set out in PPERA 2000

-Originally limit of £30,000 spend per constituency

-Changed to £54,000 2023

How many MPs sit in the commons

650

When were plans drawn up to reduce the number of MPs to 600 and why?

-2010

-After the Expenses scandal

Smallest Electorate in 2024, and size

Isle of Wight had two constituencies of around 55,000

-In 2019 it was one electorate that was the largest (~110,000)

What was the effect of the Isle of Wight's electorate going from ~110,000 in 2019 to two constituencies of ~55,000 2024?

Isle of Wight voters had significantly more influence in parliament, moving from considerably above the average electorate size, to considerably below

Average electorate size in 2024

70,000

Roughly how many constituents (on average) does each MP represent?

70,000

How many independents won seats in 2024?

6

How many members of the Lords are there?

829

How many lords were there in 2021?

800

Lords Temporal

Life peers and hereditary peers

Lords Spiritual

The 26 bishops of the Church of England .

Since Blair's Lords reform, how many Hereditary peers can sit in the lords?

92

Since when has Britain effectively been a parliamentary state?

Glorious Revolution of 1688

Bill of Rights 1689

First female MP

Nancy Astor in 1919

How many Black MPs were there in 1987?

Only 3

Example of Parliament's ancient conventions

-Walking through two doors 'Ayes' and 'Noes' for voting

-Manually counted

4 Main functions of Parliament

-Legislation

-Representation

-Scrutiny

-Deliberation

What is deliberation in terms of the functions of Parliament?

-Debates and discussions in national crisis e.g. COVID

-Careful consideration of policy when all eyes are on Westminster

Example of the Speaker being controversial

-Lindsay Hoyle broke convention 2024 by allowing LAB amendment to SNP motion on ceasefire to be voted on at the expense of the SNP

-This allowed Starmer to avoid a backbench rebellion of LAB MPs voting for the SNP bill rather than the LAB amendment

-Controversial as Hoyle was previously a LAB MP

Who is the Leader of the House of Commons?

Lucy Powell

Role of the Leader of the House of Commons?

-Timetables government bill discussions

-Job to make sure the Commons runs smoothly

-GVMT's 'business manager'

Controversy over Reese-Mogg as Leader of the House of Commons?

As a Eurosceptic, he was accused of pushing Brexit discussions to the top of the timetable

Whips

-In charge of party discipline

-In charge of ensuring MPs vote the way their leaders want them to

-Nadine Dorries had whip suspended for going on I'm a Celeb in 2013

-Starmer suspended whip on 7 MPs for voting against decision to retain 2-child benefit cap 2024 less than 3 weeks after they won election under LAB label

The West Lothian Question

Question raised during devolution debates of whether MPs from N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales, should be able to vote on matters only affecting England

EVEL

set of procedures of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom whereby legislation which affects only England requires the support of a majority of MPs representing English constituencies.

SNP protest over EVEL

2020, protested being barred from voting on an EVEL NHS funding bill

-They claimed it impacted Scotland

When was EVEL abolished?

2021

Green Paper

The first proposal of a Bill to a discussion group

White Paper

The first draft of a Bill, published by the GVMT

Stages of the legislative process (Bill starting in Commons)

Commons:

1. First Reading

2. Second Reading

3. Committee Stage

4. Report Stage

5. Third Reading

LORDS:

1. First Reading

2. Second Reading

3. Committee Stage

4. Report Stage

5. Third Reading

AMENDMENTS CONSIDERED (Ping Pong)

ROYAL ASSENT

Example of a Law that originated as a Bill in the Lords

Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023

Where can bills start?

The Commons and the Lords

Primary Legislation

an Act or statute created by parliament

Secondary Legislation (Statutory Instruments)

-Provisions set out under the original primary legislation

-Allows relevant government ministers to introduce new clauses/changes to an article of Primary legislation

-E.g. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 allows for more drugs to be added to the list of banned substances

Statutory Instruments (SIs)

-Secondary Legislation

-Provisions for their use set out in original legislation

-Allows for relevant minister to introduce new clauses/change articles of primary legislation

Example of Secondary Legislation provisions (a Statutory Instrument)

-Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

>Allows for more drugs to be added to the list of banned substances

Impact of Secondary Legislation/SIs on parliamentary scrutiny

-Parliament cannot amend them

-Much less scrutiny

How can Backbenchers put forward legislation?

Private Members' Bills

-Ballot Bills

-Ten minute rule bills

-Presentation bills

-Backbench pressure on Government legislation

Private Members' Bills

-Allows backbenchers in GVMT and opposition (or independent/cross-bench in lords) to bring forward legislation

Examples of Acts that started as Private Members' Bills

-Abortion Act 1967

-Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965

Ballot Bills

-MPs enter a Ballot

-20 names drawn out each year

-They can present a bill, or be approached by pressure groups with suggestions if they don't have one in mind

How can controversial Ballot Bills be blocked by the Government?

They can be blocked by GVMT MPs Filibustering on them until time limit

-E.g. 'Turing Bill' 2016

Example of UK filibuster on Ballot Bills

'Turing Bill' 2016 would have pardoned all men with convictions for same-sex offences before the law was changed

Ten Minute Rule

A means of introducing private members bill by making a ten minute speech introducing the issue for consideration

-Usually used to gauge opinions

-Party Whips decide the slots which limits independence

Example of a Ten-Minute Rule Bill

-Guardianship (Missing Persons Act) 2017

>Rare example of it passing

Presentation Bills

No speech or debate attached to them

Most likely to pass if uncontroversial

-Usually used to address discrete/non-controversial policy issues or legal anomalies

-Less useful than ballot/ten minute rule bills as there is no speech given

Indirect backbencher pressure influencing government legislation

Government will often try to 'buy off' potential rebels before bringing a bill before the commons, or a specific bill

-E.g. 2006, LAB backbenchers convinced Blair's GVMT to bring in Corporate Manslaughter Bill

How are PMBs introduced?

-As Ten Minute Rule

-As Presentation Bills

-As Ballot Bills

What 4 factors are generally required for backbench MPs to propose successful legislation?

-Being uncontroversial

-Getting lucky to be in the Ballot of 20 names

-Having government and Party backing

-Exceptional circumstances such as in 2018-19 Brexit debates when GVMT lost control of parliamentary agenda

First Reading

The formal introduction/reading of a bill's title by relevant minister

-No vote takes place

Second Reading

-Where the main debate on the principles of the bill takes place in the commons

-Governments rarely suffer defeat at second reading (last time was 1986 Sunday Trading Bill)

Last time Government suffered defeat at Second Reading

1986 Sunday Trading Bill

Committee stage

-Bills are sent to Public Bill Committees, where members suggest amendments and call experts to discuss

-Major changes are unlikely at this stage as GVMT always has a majority on the committee

-Each committee only exists for as long as the bill it is considering

-Whilst members of the committees are appointed by party whips, nearly 2/3rds MPs appointed to Bill committees 2000-10 had relevant experience/expertise

Despite MPs being appointed to Public Bill Committees by Whips, how many MPs appointed from 2000-2010 had relevant experience/expertise?

Nearly 2/3rds

Report Stage

-Amendments made in committee stage are considered by the Commons, and accepted, changed, or rejected

Third Reading

A final debate and vote on the amended version of the bill- no changes by that chamber here

The House of Lords stages

-Process for the Bill is repeated in the Lords

-Any amendments here must be accepted by the Commons

>Bills often go back and forth (Parliamentary Ping Pong) e.g. Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005

-If agreement is unlikely, Commons can use the Parliament Act 1911 (and 1949) to pass the bill within a year

>Last used to pass Hunting Act 2004

Example of Parliamentary Ping-Pong

Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 was considered 5 times in the Lords and 4 in the Commons

When was the last time the Commons used the Parliament Act 1911 (and 1949) to push through a bill to become law within a year when they disagree with the Lords?

The Hunting Act 2004 which banned hunting wild mammals with dogs

What % of amendments between 2000-10 were accepted by GVMT at Committee stage?

87%

From 2000-2010, what % of opposition amendments succeeded at Committee Stage?

0.5%

This is because the government always has a majority on Public Bill Committees

Public Bill Committees

-Normally has two joint chairs (one from GVMT and official opposition)

-Allows backbench MPs to scrutinise legislation in greater detail than is possible in a general debate

-Can make effective changes e.g. Investigatory Powers Act 2016 was changed to contain more safeguards for journalists

-Membership in proportion to party strength in Commons so GVMT always has Majority

-2000-2010, only 0.5 Opposition amendements were accepted

Select Committees (UK)

-Role to hold GVMT to account for policy

-Chairs elected by secret ballot (removes power from whips)

>More independent of party politics

-Members usually have specialist experience in the related policy area

-Recommendations from select committees often acted upon by GVMT so can influence policy

>Acceptance rate of ~40% recommendations

-GVMT always has majority

>Has no obligation to act on recommendations

What is the acceptance rate of recommendations made by select committees?

~40%

Examples of select committees

-Public Accounts Committee

>Traditionally chaired by Opposition MP

>Scrutinises how GVMT spends money

>>Launches inquiries into major government projects e.g. HS2

-Commons Liaison Committee questions PM on policy matters around 3 times a year

5 Main Lords Committees

1. Science and Technology Committee

2. Communications Committee

3. Constitution Committee

4. Economic Affairs Committee

5. International Relations Committee

Lords Committees

-Least significant due to lack of Lords power

-Can deal with specific concerns or permanent

-COVID-19 Committee set up to consider long term socioeconomic implications

-Proportional to Lords party representation

Are committees an effective method of scrutinising the executive

Yes, but to scrutinise rather than check

-Not binding

Since 1900, approximately what fraction of the period have CON been in government?

2/3rds

Four main strands of CON development/ideas

-One-nation

-Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

-Traditional values

-Thatcherism

One-nation conservatism

-Disraeli: 'The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy'

-Privelege and wealth inequality are natural but with them comes duty/responsibility

-Unite the nation through moderate social reforms and patriotism

>Cameron's 'Big Society'

Butskellite pragmatism and consensus

-Shift to the centre following 1945 LAB landslide + reforms

-Through 1950s and 1960s, large areas of consensus between LAB and CON

>E.g. acceptance of the welfare state

-Pro-EEC and Common Market (later EU)

Traditional Values

-Reflects CON ongoing emphasis on the nuclear family, institution of marriage and a firm line on immigration

-E.g. Sunak 2024 'A man is a man and a woman is a woman'

-Section 28 1988

-May (when Home Sec) promise to make the UK a 'hostile environment' for illegal immigrants

-In its more extreme form, it has been criticised for embracing elements of racism, e.g. Enoch Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech 1968

Thatcherism

-Far more ideological than any of the other forms of conservatism

>Represented conviction over compromise

-Sought to promote individual freedom

>'Roll back the frontiers of the state'

-To slay the 'dragons' of overly powerful trade unions

>E.g. in the 1984-5 miners' strike

2024 CON manifesto examples of One-nation conservatism

-Emphasis on patriotism and social cohesion through National Service

Osmotherly Rules

-Drawn up in 1980

-Revised 2014

these rules give guidance to civil servants and other government officials when appearing before select committees

2024 CON manifesto examples of Butskellite consensus

-Promise to recruit over 90,000 more nurses into NHS

-Cap on social care costs

2024 CON manifesto examples of traditional values

-Promise to continue the Rwanda scheme

-Banning the teaching of gender identity in schools

2024 CON manifesto examples of Thatcherism

-Tax cuts e.g. National Insurance

-'Help to buy scheme' offering GVMT-backed mortgages to help young people buy first homes

>Very similar to Thatcher's 'Right to buy' scheme which allowed council house tenants to purchase their homes at discounted rates

When was Clause IV adopted into LAB constitution?

1918

Reflected Party aspiration to abolish capitalism and redistribute wealth

Key LAB principles and values

-Economic socialism

-Trade Unionism

-Globalist internationalism

-New Labour/Third Way socialism

Economic socialism

-Attlee's establishment of the welfare state

-Nationalisation and state control

>E.g. iron, steel industries (Attlee)

-Reflects commitment to put people before private profit

-Advent of Thatcher privatising most of these industries (and acceptance by Blair and Brown)

-Corbyn promised some partial renationalisation

Trade unionism

-Labour was founded by a collection of trade unions; ties with unions go back to its foundations

-Unions look to Labour to further the rights of workers

-Trade unions typically supply the bulk of Labour's funding, sponsored MPs and had seats on the national executive

-Influence waned in 1980s and 1990s- particularly through deindustrialisation and a shift in the economy away from manufacturing

>Weakened by Thatcher's reforms making it harder to take industrial action

>Blair/Brown did not reverse these

-Influence under Corbyn increased, though decreased under Starmer

-By 2020, only 12 unions were affiliated with LAB

Globalist internationalism

-International commitment to peace and disarmament

>LAB first PM, MacDonald was a pacifist during WWI

-Traditionally strong anti-nuclear weapons espec. grassroots

>Though has been formal policy e.g. 1983 manifesto

-Fighting international causes e.g. against Apartheid in South Africa

-Reflects socialist view of solidarity across national boundaries and opposition to staunch nationalism

>This has been supported modern-day by support for EU integration (though Corbyn less so)

-This strand was weakened by Blair in Iraq

>He was called a warmonger by the left

>Starmer on Gaza

New Labour/Third Way socialism (development of Labour principles/values)

-Move to the centre

-Acceptance of Thatcherite economic policies but retaining emphasis on justice and fairness for all in social policy

-Less concern over who owned industry and more on how profits could be put to use to achieve social justice

-More spending on NHS and 'Educationx3'

-Perhaps the inverse of butskellite consensus?

-Corbyn was the most frequent backbench rebel

-Removal/rewriting of Clause IV in 1995

2024 LAB manifesto examples of economic socialism

-Establishment of GB Energy

-Private school VAT

-Nationalisation of railways

-Increase minimum wage

2024 LAB manifesto examples of trade unionism

-Employment Rights Bill

-Promise to repeal 2016 Trade Union Act which made it harder to take industrial action

>Same in 2019

2024 LAB manifesto examples of globalist internationalism

-Commitment to increased aid into Gaza

-Commitment to aid to Ukraine

>Although this, alongside the decision to increase defence spending at the cost of domestic welfare cuts is less popular with many left-wing LAB MPs, even though it is to fight a dictator

2024 LAB manifesto examples of third way socialism

-Promise to not increase Income Tax or Corporation Tax

-Promise to increase spending on public services e.g. NHS and Education

2019 LAB manifesto examples of economic socialism

-Raise minimum wage

-VAT on private schools

-Abolish tuition fees

-Renationalisation of several major industries e.g. water industry, energy, Royal Mail, railways

How did the Liberals become a 3rd party?

-Originally CON main opponents

>Gladstone PM 4 times

-Rise of LAB from 1910s meant LAB took the working class vote and CON took middle-class voters scared of socialism

How did the Liberal Democrats form?

-Formed in 1988.

-Social Democratic Party (formed by centrist LAB MPs (and one CON)) merged with Liberal Party

-SDP were wary of LAB's move to the left and commitment to withdrawing from EEC

What was the 1983 LAB manifesto described as for being too left wing?

'The longest suicide note in history'

Key principles and values of the Liberal Democrats

-Strong commitment to Europe/EU

-Constitutional reform (especially voting system and federalism)

-Emphasis on human rights/freedoms

-Social liberalism/progressivism

-Environmentalism

2019 LIBDEM manifesto example of commitment to Europe

-Pledge to stop the Brexit process completely

2024 LIBDEM manifesto example of commitment to Europe

-Pledge to re-enter European single market

-Continued push for European re-integration, particularly in extending the youth mobility scheme

2024 LIBDEM manifesto example of desire for constitutional reform and federalism

-Introduce PR (STV); though one wonders if this might change following their impressive 72 seats at last election

-Implement a written constitution for a Federal UK

-Make the Lords elected

2024 LIBDEM manifesto example of environmentalism

-Advancing the Net-zero target

-Investing in green infrastructure