Modern Studies Democracy in Scotland

Democracy in the UK

The Role of an MP

An MP’s working life is split into two roles: parliamentary work and constituency work.

Parliamentary Work

1. MPs will participate in many debates. This gives MPs the chance to put forward the views of their constituents. This allows the MP to get their point across and be an effective part of changing legislation in Britain.

2. The Government hosts question times in which MPs can be critical over policies and current issues. This allows the MPs to express their constituents’ views and bring up key points in relation to current issues in their constituencies.

3. MPs can write to the Government and expect a written answer back. This allows the MP to provide a constituent with a direct answer which is relevant and from the Government, which is much more credible than the opposition providing a view on an issue.

4. MPs can vote on new laws on whether they agree or disagree with the proposed bill. They can do this with influence from their constituencies view(s).

Constituency work 

1. MPs will usually schedule surgeries once a week within their constituency as an open advice clinic on political concerns. Constituents can drop in to the surgery to express their problems on local and national issues.

2. MPs can get involved in the local media in order to keep people aware of their work and express their views. They can use the media to highlight the Government’s activities and also interact with constituents over a phone call in a public hearing.

3. Constituent letters, emails and social media are a great way to interact with their MPs. MPs will have a constituency office in order to manage the high volume of queries which may occur. MPs will use their personal social media accounts to literally interact with the public, without help from workers.

4. MPs will meet with their colleagues occasionally at local party meetings to discuss issues that concern the party as a whole. The MP will then feed this information to constituents and the party’s leader.

Role of the UK Parliament

House of Commons

• The House of Commons operates on the principle of democracy and debate and is classed as an adversarial…