The House of Commons

Structure

• 650 MPs (326 for a majority)

  • Voted in by their constituents (60-80 000 people)

  • Represent

    • The electorate

    • Their constituents (sometimes placed in a constituency by their party to get a seat (David Miliband))

    • Their party (most of them)

    • The national interest

    • Their interests

• Cabinet

  • Top front bench MPs

• Front benchers (around 150, 90 from governing party)

  • Part of the executive

  • Government ministers (senior and junior)

  • Leading spokespersons from opposition parties

• Back benchers (around 500)

  • Not part of the executive

  • Scrutinise and represent

  • Suffer job insecurity

  • Contribute to the legislative function by voting on bills and proposing changes to them

• Speaker of the House

  • Keeps the peace

  • Facilitates discussions

  • Elected by MPs

  • Neutral

  • Sir Lindsay Hoyle

• Party whips

  • Ensure everyone toes the party line

  • Inform MPs about parliamentary business

  • Decide on MP offices/rooms

  • Senior MPs

• Select committees (11-15 members each)

  • Permanent committees of backbench MPs, elected by all MPs

  • Roles:

    • Calling the govt to account

• Legislative/bill committees (20-40 members)

  • Scrutinise proposed legislation

  • Proposing amendments to improve the legislation

Roles

of MPs

• Debating legislation

• Voting in divisions

• Speaking in general debates on govt business

• Speaking in backbench debates when national or constituency interests can be aired

• Scrutinising proposed legislation at committee stage

• Member of HoC select committees

• Members of campaign committees of MPs

• Taking part in fact-finding missions

• Members of party-formed committees to develop policy

• Campaigning/lobbying/speaking

• Grievances

• Holding surgeries

• Attending constituency events

Legislation

• HoC legislates on behalf of the people as a referendum cannot be held on every single piece of legislation

  • Most important role of the HoC

    • Ensures the govt has democratic legitimacy and the support of the people

• Approves taxation and expenditure

  • Chancellor of the Exchequer: responsible for economic and financial matters, including overseeing the treasury and setting the budget every spring and summer

• Private Members' Bills

  • Allow individual backbench MPs to develop legislation and enter them into a ballot through a 10 minute speech or presentation

    • Animals in medical research prohibition bill (presentation) started by Steve Race, the Labour MP for Exeter (currently at second reading in the HoC as of 25/01/25)

Scrutiny

• MPs scrutinise the govt during PMQs and oral question hours (Mon and Thurs)

  • Also force the govt to justify its policies and decisions in the Commons

• Select committees investigate the quality of the govt

  • How well it’s governing and how well tax payer’s money is being spent

• Commons can limit executive power by refusing to pass a piece of legislation

  • This weakens the govt and makes them seem ineffective

    • 2019- May resigned due to her Brexit bill

    • 1979- vote of no confidence passed by the Commons

• Legislative committees examine proposed legislation to suggest additions and amendments

  • Protect the interests of minorities

Representation

• MPs represent constituents no matter who they voted for

  • Lobby ministers, raise matters in the HoC, grievances or join a local campaign

• Conflict:

  • Constituency interests can counter govt policies

    • Fracking

    • Gay marriage (Nikki Morgan)

    • Green energy (Adrian Ramsay)

  • Whips usually allow MPs to put constituency matters before party allegiance

• Represent specific groups

  • Their previous industry

  • Cross party groups

    • Sex equality

    • Older people

  • Exert pressure on the govt for key issues

• Represent political party

  • Stand for their policies

• Expresses ‘national will’ when a national issue that surpasses party politics arises

• Social representation not amazing (2024)

  • Gender

    • 264 women MPs have been elected, 40.5% of HoC

    • Labour's cabinet is notably gender-equal, with women holding 12 out of 26 positions.

  • Ethnicity

    • 93 MPs from minority ethnic backgrounds, 13% of the Commons.

    • Increase from 10% in 2019

  • Age

    • Median age of MPs now 46, the youngest in over half a century

      • Sam Carling, 22-year-old biomedical scientist, has become the first MP born in the 21st century