UK Government and Non-Core Political Ideas JXQ

Cross bencher

A person in the Lords which doesn’t affiliate with any party

what do whips do?

they maintain party discipline

party line

official set of policies and goals in a party

what do whips report

potential large scale rebellions

what does a three line whip use?

it requires MPs to attend a vote

what is the role of a speaker in the HoC

ensure that parliament functions as effectively as possible

how is the speaker chosen in the HoC

by a secret ballot

what does the leader of the official opposition do

ensure that the government is thoroughly scrutinised, while convincing the public that they are a good alternative government

what does the official oppositions shadow government do

they hold the government accountable

why can the official opposition ask 6 questions during their question time

so they can put pressure on them and highlight their failures

who is on the front bench in the HoC

MPs who have been invited by the prime minister

who are back bench MPs in the HoC

they are MPs but they don’t hold any government office

How did life peers begin

they began in 1958 with the life peerage act

how are life peers chosen

the prime minister nominates life peers to the house of lords

what is the good thing about how life peers are chosen in the HoL

membership is based on how people have distinguished themselves to the country

what does the lord spiritual consist of

26 archbishops of the church of england

why is the lord spiritual in the house of lords

to bring religious and ethical perspectives

why is the lord spiritual controversial

it only brings christianity’s perspective, no other faith

what were hereditary peers

they would sit and vote, as the title was passed down but in june 2026, it was removed as a title

what is a constitutional monarchy

when a monarchs powers are limited by law

what does the houses of parliament consist of

two chambers inside the palace of westminister

what must MPs do before taking their seat

they must make an oath of allegiance to the crown

Why does Sinn Féin not take their seats in the HoC

they refuse to swear allegiance to the crown

legitimisation

gives laws and taxes democratic legitimacy

legislation

debates, amends and passes laws

representation in parliament

represents constituents and the wider public interest

recruitment in parliament

trains and selects future ministers and political leaders

debate

provides a national forum for debating major issues

scrutiny

questions, challenges and holds the government to account

speaker elections

the house elects a speaker at the start of each new parliament or if the post becomes vacant

candidates

to stand, MPs require the support of 12 MPs (at least three should come from a different party that isn’t there own)

sitting speakers

by convention, a sitting speaker who seeks re-election is reappointed after a general election

exhaustive ballot

losing candidates are gradually eliminated and MPs keep voting until one candidate has majority

impartiality

when an MP becomes the speaker, they must sever ties to their party and act completely impartially

house of commons standing orders

formal rules made by the house to govern how debates and decisions are conducted

erskine may’s ‘treatise on the law, privileges, proceedings and usage of parliament’

a guide to parliamentary procedures and conventions which have been regularly updated since 1844

despatch boxes

used by ministers and shadow ministers to deliver their addresses to chambers

mace

symbol of local authority in the HoC

what happens if there is no mace in the HoC

the house cannot meet or pass laws

who is in the oppositions front bench

the leader of the opposition, shadow chancellor and shadow cabinet ministers

who is on the governments frontbench

what is ‘the whip’

two way channel

carrot rewards

stick punishments

the ‘usual channels’

what are the benefits of the ‘usual channels’