unit 2- governing the UK analysis

types of government
1. presidential government
  1. members of executive are not members of legislator
  2. executive is not accountable and to legislature on their power cannot be removed through vote of no confident (impeachment)
  3. head of state & government is the same person
  4. president is most powerful
  5. P can appoint those outside legislator to be minister
  6. democratic as president is not accountable for legislature
  7. fixed term of 4 years & P can only do 8 years
  8. public have larger influence
  9. more successful in stability
2. parliamentary government
  1. members of executive are members of legislature
  2. executive is accountable for legislature
    1. vote of no confidence
  3. one is head of state (Queen) which other is head on government (PM)
  4. pm is most powerful and can only appoint members of parliament (incl. lords
  5. less effective in emergency/war
  6. tenure of executive is not fixed
  7. more democratic as executive is accountable to legislator
  8. council of ministers accountable to parliament
  9. bicameral system: 2 houses, lords&commons
3. executive: PM & cabinet Legislature: hoc&hol
Monarch
1. give royal assent
2. none declined since Queen Anne who died in 1714
House of Lords
1. delay legislation so it is debated
2. 678 life peers, 92 hereditary peers 26 lords spiritual
3. power to *offer ammendments *delay bills for a year *same veto powers
4. options for reform
  1. no change
    1. ✓effective ✓more representative ✓less party influence ✓appointment is effective
    2. ✗unrepresentitive & unaccountale
  2. all elected chamber
    1. ✗would mirror HOC ✗participation
    2. ✓democratic &accountable ✓Lords would have to turn up
  3. all appointed chamber
    1. ✓high quality members ✓avoid powerful government
    2. ✗preserve undemocratic nature ✗gives powers to leaders
  4. partly appointed & elected
    1. adv. of both systems
    2. ✗parties still have power
5. ✓independent and represent minorities e.g lord sugar
house of commons
1. has greatest influence
2. 650 mps, single member constituencies, subject to party discipline
3. supreme legislative powers but can be removed through vote of no confidence
4. role: scrutiny, legislation, debates, devolved powers
5. BLAIR: PMQT, 15to30 mins, liasion committee 2002, 2 yr heads select committees
6. BROWN: foreign affair reform 2007-10,
7. 13 openly not straight, 4mps disabled(need 65), M age 51,
functions of parliament
1. debating major issues
  1. held debates on Irac war
  2. mps can call for a legislation to be readressed or during recess
  3. limited time
  4. scottish referendum 2014
  5. types of debate: legislative, emergency, adjorment
  6. party loyalty can apply
2. legislation
  1. debates before making it a long process
  2. can be ammened at any time
  3. bedroom tax april 2013
3. scrutinise executive
  1. prevents elected dictatorship
  2. pmqt, debates, select committees, opposition days
  3. labour criticism of bedroom tax april 2013
  4. little time
4. sustaining government
  1. have an accountable parliamentary government
  2. governing party need majority seats
  3. compromises e.g coalition 2014
5. representation
  1. ✗only representative to those who vote for them
  2. ✓pressure groups can increase representation by showing government opinons
  3. uk bielection won by mark reckless october 2014
6. financial scrutiny
  1. scrutiny of public spending
    1. debates on BBC also included the £3,161.8 million in funding
  2. parliamentary committees check these
7. adressing greviencies
  1. mps can be lobbied
  2. private members bills
  3. change.org to stop eviction in council estates
role of mps
1. represent & raise issues for constituency
  1. mark lancaster(milton keys) writes to cheif executive about closure of GP surgery
2. serving constituents regular visits and oppertunities for ppl 2 ask 4 advice
  1. Lynne Featherstone had advice surgery as local mosque 2 discuss issues with congregation
3. voting on legislation
  1. list of mps votes on same sex marrige
4. debates
  1. ed balls reacts 2 name calling in spending review, zippy, bungle & muppets
  2. media coverage = support
5. be involved with committees
  1. public account C in 1862 to see spending in whitehall
Committees
1. general committees of either hosue
  1. 20-40 members
  2. each amendment is dicdussed
2. committees of the whole house
  1. when a bill is signiffcant the whole house is called
3. departmental committees
  1. smalls research staff,
  2. 19 specific committees e.g culture media & sport and work & pensions
  3. 11-14 nonpartisan members
  4. scottish affairs committee votes at 16
4. select committees
  1. public accounts committee , highly independant
    1. opposition in chair
  2. 11 members
  3. 60 days to reply
5. legislative committees
  1. HOC 15-40 backbench mps, concider ammendments
    1. work independant from government e.g communications
  2. HOL 15 or more, normally experts on a paticular issue, not effective as government have final say
6. regional assembly committee
  1. every mp in region attends
  2. welsh assembly 40mps
7. joint committees
  1. grants scheme from 2006 to 2015 still being discussed

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unit 2- governing the UK analysis

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	Created by Abbie Shaw about 9 years ago