Evaluate The View That Backbenchers Exert Significant Influence In Parliament.

Introduction

• Backbenchers are all MPs who arenʼt in the government/shadow cabinet.

• The vast majority of MPs are therefore backbenchers.

Paragraph Focus

• Para 1 = Rebellions

• Para 2 = Debates and Urgent Questions

• Para 3 = Legislative Influence

Para 1 = Weaker Argument - Not Significant

• When the government has a significant majority in the House of Commons, rebellions are much less likely to be successful and are therefore a great deal less common

• When the government has a large majority, the influence of backbenchers in Parliament can therefore be seen as limited.

• Despite being very unpopular, Sunak has been defeated just once since being Prime Minister.

• In the 2022/23 parliamentary session, the government introduced 56 bills

• Of these, 43 received royal assent including the Illegal Migration Act and Online Safety Act

Para 1 = Stronger Argument - Significant

• backbenchers of the governing party can exert influence is through rebelling against government bills in order to defeat the government and prevent a law being passed.

• The frequency of government defeats has increased a great deal since 2010, in large part due to governments having smaller majorities/being coalitions

• Theresa May was defeated thirty-three times when she had a minority government.

• Boris Johnson was defeated twelve times in just 6 months when he had a minority government and four times in 3 years when he had a majority government

Para 2 = Weaker Argument - Not Significant

• whilst Urgent Questions and debates may be able to raise the profile of an issue and get it on the agenda, they are much less likely to get any action taken or influence government policy.

• Further, MPs today spend a lot less time in the House of Commons debating legislation than they used to.

• MPs spent just 24% of their time in the chamber between 2006 and 2021, compared to

  44% for Peers

Para 2 = Stronger Argument - Significant

• Urgent Questions allow backbenchers/the opposition to question ministers on matters of urgency and public importance.

• a government minister is required to attend the House of Commons to answer it immediately.

• They can be significant in allowing backbenchers/the opposition to question and scrutinise the government over important issues

• On 30th March 2023, for example, there was an Urgent Question in relation to Junior Doctors strikes that asked the government what they were doing to resolve the situation

Para 3 = Weaker Argument - Not Significant

• Backbenchers can propose amendments to government legislation through Public Bill Committees, but governments have a majority in these committees and will usually defeat amendments it doesn't support.

• Further, Private Membersʼ Bills have very little chance of success if they arenʼt supported by the government

• In the 2022/23 parliamentary session, the government introduced 56 bills, 43 received royal assent by the end of the session.

• In comparison, in the 2022/23 parliamentary session, 297 Private Memberʼs Bills were introduced, of which just 24 received royal assent by the end of the session

Para 3 = Stronger Argument - Significant

• Backbenchers can also propose Private Membersʼ Bills through entering a ballot which allows an backbench MP to make their case for a new Bill in a speech lasting up to ten minutes

• These allow backbenchers to pass legislation with cross party support eg. the Abortion Act 1967, which legalised abortion,