main factors that limit the effectiveness of parliament
- Created by: Reece Colley
- Created on: 22-05-13 15:15
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- 1) the main factors that limit the effectivness of paliament
- the electoral system
- First past the post almost always guarantees a majority in the commons
- this majority tends to be rather large EG: Blair, Thatcher
- exaggerates even a modest lead in actual votes EG: Labour in 2005 got 3% + votes but 60 more seats
- Party Unity
- the party in power is usually quite well held together
- most evident in 1950's and 60's
- Party whips make sure MP's vote correctly
- a unified majority government can usually pass whatever it likes
- the party in power is usually quite well held together
- Primeministerial patronage
- there is only one career path in politcs, towards PM or minister
- all ministers are selected by the MP thus loyalty is rewarded
- over 100 members of paliament in both houses are ministers so guaranteed loyalty
- Sanctions of the whip
- A whip can exclude or suspend party membership due to lack of loyalty
- MP's are almost useless without the party (independents have no power neither do small parties
- EG: George Galloway + Unite
- Independents will do poorer in elections than if associated with a party
- PM can call an election
- John Major brought rebels into line by threatening to call an election
- this could have lost MP's their jobs
- Lack of Lords power
- the power of the Lords has been decreased
- the Lords cannot stop government bills
- lack of authority, not elected some not even appointed
- all though lords is stronger now it will never have the power to stop gov. without major reform
- the electoral system
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