The House of Commons

House of commons

lower chamber and primary chamber of legislature, directly elected by voters

Number of members in the house of commons

650 MPs

How each MP is elected

in a single-member constituency by the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system

Backbencher

MP or member of HoL who doesn’t hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Frontbencher

An MP or member of the lords who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

How the UK legislature exhibits asymmetrical bicameralism

HoC is more powerful than the second chamber of government the HoL

how parliament has a fusion of powers

parliament contains members of the executive branch

how the fusion of powers gives the executive extra power

ministers, junior ministers and ministerial aides who sit in the HoC are all accountable to collective responsibility so must vote for all government policy

ease at which the executive passes legislation

PM with large majorities are rarely defeated

Thatcher lost only four votes in 11 years in the Commons

Blair was undefeated for his first years eight years from 1997-2005

even in a small majority Theresa May was undefeated in her first year 2016-2017

how the commons scrutinises the executive

-PMQs and ministers questions

-Liaison Committee meetings

-Select Committee hearings

exclusive powers of the commons

-Vote on confidence motions

-can block, amend and delay financial legislation e.g. May lost a vote on a spending package for No Deal Brexit preparations in 2019

-Legislation rejected by the commons can never become law, it can still become law if rejected by the lords

Public Bill Committees

Committee set up to examine the details of a particular bill

can propose amendments