Welcome to Parliament: The "Engine Room" of the UK
In this chapter, we are looking at Parliament. Think of Parliament as the place where the nation’s biggest arguments happen, where laws are born, and where the Government is forced to explain itself. While the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (the Executive) run the country, Parliament (the Legislature) is there to watch over them and make sure they are doing their jobs properly.
For your AQA Paper 1 exam, you need to understand how Parliament is structured, how it represents the people, and—most importantly—how effective it actually is at checking the power of the government.
1. Who is in Parliament? Roles of MPs and Peers
The UK Parliament is bicameral, meaning it has two "houses": the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The House of Commons (The Lower House)
The Commons is made up of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs). These are the people we vote for in general elections. Because they are elected, they have democratic legitimacy—they have the "right" to make laws because the people put them there.
Roles of MPs:
• Legislating: Voting on new laws.
• Scrutiny: Asking tough questions to ministers.
• Constituency work: Helping the people in their local area (their "constituents") with problems like housing or immigration.
The House of Lords (The Upper House)
The Lords is made up of Peers. Unlike MPs, they are not elected. Most are "Life Peers" appointed for their expertise (like scientists, lawyers, or former politicians). There are also some "Hereditary Peers" (who inherited their titles) and "Lords Spiritual" (Bishops). Because they aren't elected, they can't block laws forever, but they are great at revising them.
Roles of Peers:
• Expert Scrutiny: Using their specialized knowledge to spot flaws in bills.
• Delaying: They can ask the Commons to "think again" by delaying a bill for up to a year.
Quick Review: The Commons has the power because it is elected. The Lords has the expertise but limited power.
2. How do they represent us? (Theories of Representation)
How should an MP behave? Should they do exactly what you want, or what they think is best? There are four main theories you need to know:
1. The Trustee (Burkean) Model: Named after Edmund Burke. This theory suggests we elect MPs for their judgment. Once elected, the MP listens to the debate and votes for what they think is best for the country, even if their voters disagree.
Analogy: You hire a doctor to fix your leg; you don't tell them how to do the surgery!
2. The Delegate Model: The MP is just a "mouthpiece" for the voters. They shouldn't use their own judgment; they should just follow the instructions of the people who elected them.
3. The Mandate Theory: This is the most common today. Most people vote for a party, not a person. Therefore, the MP’s main job is to carry out the manifesto (the list of promises) that their party was elected on.
4. The Descriptive Representation: This looks at whether Parliament "looks like" the country. Does it have a fair balance of women, ethnic minorities, and working-class people?
3. The Legislative Process: How a Bill becomes a Law
Making a law is like a marathon with several hurdles. Most bills start in the Commons and go through these stages:
Step 1: First Reading: Just a formal announcement. No debate yet.
Step 2: Second Reading: The "big picture" debate. MPs argue over the main idea of the bill.
Step 3: Committee Stage: A small group of MPs (a Public Bill Committee) goes through the bill line-by-line to fix technical issues.
Step 4: Report Stage: The whole House looks at the changes made in the committee.
Step 5: Third Reading: The final "yes or no" vote on the finished bill.
Step 6: The "Ping-Pong": The bill goes to the Lords. If they change anything, it goes back to the Commons. They send it back and forth until they both agree.
Key Term: Parliamentary Privilege. This means MPs and Peers can say anything they want inside Parliament without being sued for libel. It ensures they can speak "truth to power" without fear.
4. Scrutiny: How Parliament Checks the Government
This is a huge part of your exam! How does Parliament stop the Government from doing whatever it wants?
Select Committees
These are small groups of MPs who investigate specific government departments (e.g., the Health Select Committee).
• Strengths: They are cross-party (MPs from different parties work together), they use experts, and their reports often get media attention.
• Weaknesses: The Government doesn't have to follow their advice, and they can't actually "fire" a minister.
The Opposition
The second-largest party (the Official Opposition) has a job to criticize the government and act as a "government in waiting." They get "Opposition Days" where they choose what Parliament debates.
Questions and Debates
Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) happens every Wednesday. It’s high-profile and dramatic, but critics say it’s more about "punch and judy" politics than actual scrutiny.
Key Takeaway: Scrutiny is most effective when the government has a small majority. If the government has a huge majority, they can often ignore Parliament.
5. Limits on Parliament’s Influence
Don't worry if it seems like Parliament is sometimes weak—there are structural reasons for this!
1. The Whips and Party Discipline: Every party has "Whips"—MPs whose job is to make sure their party members vote the way the leader wants. If an MP rebels, they might be punished or kicked out of the party. This makes it hard for MPs to act as "Trustees."
2. Executive Control of Committees: Although Select Committees are independent, the Government still has a lot of influence over who gets to sit on Public Bill Committees (the ones that look at new laws).
3. Civil Servant Appearances: When a committee wants to investigate something, the Government can sometimes limit which civil servants are allowed to appear or what they are allowed to say (Osmotherly Rules).
4. Government Control of the Timetable: The Government decides what is debated on most days, meaning they can avoid topics that make them look bad.
6. Interaction with Other Branches
Parliament doesn't exist in a vacuum. It interacts with:
• The Executive (PM/Cabinet): The Executive usually dominates Parliament because of the Mandate and the Whips.
• The Judiciary: While Parliament is sovereign (it can make any law it wants), the courts can rule that a government official has acted ultra vires (beyond their power). (Note: See the Judiciary chapter for more on this!)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Confusing Select Committees with Public Bill Committees: Remember, Select Committees are for long-term scrutiny and investigation. Public Bill Committees are temporary and only exist to look at a specific new law.
• Thinking the Lords is equal to the Commons: It isn't! Under the Parliament Acts (1911 and 1949), the Lords can only delay a bill, not block it forever. They also cannot touch "Money Bills" (taxes/spending).
• Forgetting the Whips: When writing about representation, always mention that even if an MP wants to be a "Trustee," the Whips often force them to follow the Mandate.
Key Takeaway for Exams: If you get a question on "Parliamentary Effectiveness," always argue both sides. Mention the strength of Select Committees (scrutiny), but balance it by mentioning the power of the Whips and the Government's majority (executive dominance).