Title: What powers do MPs have and what are the limitations on their powers
1What powers do MPs have and what are the
limitations on their powers?
2Contact with constituents
- Duty to represent all of the people in their
constituency - Through surgeries, websites, emails etc
- In 2001 estimated that 201 MPs had developed
websites - Use of email seen as an important way of
contacting the young voter
3Powers of backbench MPs
Can ask questions at Question time eg war in Iraq
Can Lobby Ministers
Can vote on a wide range of issues (can vote
against government e.g. top-up university fees)
Can introduce a Private members bill e.g. Tony
Benn introduced a Bill to reduce the powers of
the PM
4Limitations Political Party Support
- Many voters vote for their party preference
rather than their MP - Therefore many MPs consider it important to be
loyal to their party as well as a good local
reputation
- To some extent MPs political progress will
depend on their capacity to impress party leaders
5Conflicting interests
- MPs will often hold strong personal beliefs
which will lead them to support causes - As a result conflict will arise when MPs are
attempting to provide effective representation - Eg constituents may not be happy with the
building of nuclear power stations
6MP and the whip system
- Voting is undertaken by MPs walking through doors
either into the Ayes lobby or the Noes lobby - Party leaders want to ensure MPs vote with their
party to push through legislative programme
whilst the opposition attempt to delay and
disrupt process - The task of maintaining discipline falls to the
party whips, this is a promoted post
7MP and the whip system
- An MP who remains loyal is likely to receive
promotion - It is not in the interests of the MP to defy the
whip as they are the link to the front bench and
make recommendations for jobs
Tour row MP loses Tory party whip Mr Sayeed said
his suspension was "unjust and wrong" 2005
8MP and the whip system
- If an MP defies the whip they may have the whip
withdrawn - This means they no longer receive normal party
support
9MP and the whip system
- Each week the whips send the order of business to
MPs - Matters to be discussed will be underlined
once,twice or three times depending on importance
- Government MPs may have a pair with the
opposition and agree to stay away from divisions - However as in 2001, Labours majority meant teams
of MPs called bisques were organised that can
be excused without affecting the majority
10MP and the whip system
- Even Gordon Brown had to rearrange his trip to
Tel Aviv for the terror vote - He received a message from the chief whip that
he had to return to Britain.
11Other limitations
- if the government has a large majority eg Labour
gov in 2001 MPs will find it difficult to
challenge the government - Due to the number of MPs in the house there are
few opportunities to talk in debates, lobby
ministers or speak to the PM
Former Cabinet minister Clare Short is a fierce
government critic
12- Research task
- Describe the work of a backbench MP both inside
and outside parliament - Use Int 2 presentation also
- the conflicting demands of the constituency,
national interest, the Parliamentary party,
pressure group interest, personal conscience make
the role of the MP in our democracy impossible - Examine this view