US Congress V UK Paliament - FORGOT

Why does during vast majority of time are bills in Parliament usually passed with lack of scrutiny by HOL & provide example?

• HOL recognise their lack of democratic legitimacy & backs down eg. Safety of Rwanda Act April 2024

Example of Senate passed bill being rejected in HOR

• In 2019, Senate passed a resolution in War Powers Act to end US military support for Saudi-led coalition in Yemen & despite passing Rep-controlled senate, it was blocked by Dem-controlled HOR

Why is HOR approval for bill vital?

• Checks president power & ensuring all laws have widespread support, especially as it is the chamber most responsive to electorate as it is elected every 2 years

How many questions are given for Offical opposition get to ask on PMQS?

6

How is PMQs scrutiny?

Allows opposition power to expose govt failures & suggest why they would be more effective

Example of PMQ

June 2025 Badenoch questioned Starmer on why Labour had u-turned on winter fuel payments so late & questioning how many of the 10M pensioners affected by it would have their payments restored

What do select committees do in the UK?

• Holds govt to account through SCs which are tasked with scrutinising work of govt depts with a SC shadowing & scrutitning each govt dept

• Have power to summon ministers & officials for questioning, request documents, & publish reports on their findings which govt is forced to repsond to within 8 weeks

Example of positive SC example in UK

• May 2023: Govt accepted/partly accepted all of Foreign Affairs select committees in their report ‘Refreshing our approach? Updating the integrated review’ → Govt agreed with committe’’s assertion that an updated strategy & took on number of recommendations, including appointing a director of resilience in Cabinet office to focus on making US less dependent on other international actors

2 example of Commitees in US

• HOR on Oversight and reform particularly focus on overseeing actions of Executive eg. Sept 2023 Committee helf high profile hearing on whether US govt were covering up existence of Aliens & questioned former US intelligence officer & whistle-blower David Grusch who caimed US govt had number of crashed UFOs & was covering it up

• Jan 2026 The committee also relased over 3.5M pages of Epstein related records after they subpoened US dept of Justice due to their handling of Epstein (late sex offender) & overseeing implementation of Epstein Files Transparency Act eg. 17 March 2026 Chairman James Comer issud subpoena for Attorney General Pam Bondi to appear for testimony due to “possible mismanagement” of investigation & DOJ’s compliance with transparency laws

Why can HOC order a vote of no confidence?

• Govt is only in place as it has majority in HOC and if this is lost, they have power to order a Vote of no confidence

What happens after a vote of no confidence?

• Govt must resign & seek a dissolution of parliament/GE

Example of a vote of no confidence

• 1979 - Nationalist parties upheld Labour minority govt in a confidence & supply agreement & when they withdrew their support, Thatcher called for vote of no confidence & triggered 1979 GE

How can HOC further exacerbate fall of govt and provide example?

Lack of support for mandate eg. Early 2019 HOC repeatedly voted down Brexit Withdrawal Agreement proposed by May (minority govt) leading to her downfall removed by Cons

Why don’t HOR have same power of vote of no confidence?

• Due to separation of powers where president & govt aren’t given legitimacy by having majority in legislature but are directly elected in a presidential election with chosen candidate heading executive

• Govt have direct mandate from people & can remain in power even when they don’t have majority support in congress

Example of President lack of majorities in Congres

In past 50 yrs, there has just been 16 years when President had majority in party of both houses on Congresses