Basics of Parliament + elective dictatorship

Branches

• Executive

• Legislative

• Judicial

Executive branch

• Govt

  • Implements policy

  • Applies laws produced by the legislature

Legislative branch

• Parliament

  • Elected - HoC

  • Appointed - HoL

    • Making and changing laws
      

Judicial branch

• Courts of law

  • Upholds the law

  • Adjudicates breeches of the law

  • Interprets the law

Functions of Parliament

1. Scrutinise

2. Represent

3. Legislate

Secondary legislation

• Mini changes to the law that support larger legislation

  • E.g. administrative or supporting elements

• Theresa May - tried to pass important Brexit legislation as secondary legislation

3 models of Plmt

1. Trustee

2. Delegate

3. Doctrine of the mandate

Trustee model of plmt

• Constituents trust MPs to represent them in Plmt

  • MPs make decisions on their behalf

Delegate model of plmt

• MPs act as an impartial message to Plmt

  • Just a vessel, no opinions

Doctrine of the mandate

• MPs given a mandate to carry out their party manifesto

Origin of term ‘elective dictatorship’

• Lord Hailsham 1976

Meaning of elective dictatorship

• Plmt is so dominated by gov’t that it can act like a dictatorship even if it was popularly elected

2 reasons there WAS an elective dictatorship in 1976

1. No separation of powers

2. No bodies to check PM

Average majority in Plmt since 1945

61.4 seats

7 reasons there is still an elective dictatorship

1. Gov’ts get a clear majority due to FPTP

2. MPs are very heavily whipped

3. MPs rely on their party as unlikely to be elected without it

4. PM veryyyyy powerful — patronage

5. MP needs personal support of PM to further career

6. Few checks and balances

7. Gov’t dominates Plmtary Agenda

Number of Blair defeats

• 4

  • All in 2005