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How is parliament representative?

  1. BBs UNDERREPRESENTED
  • Only thirteen Fridays are allocated each year for PMBs, which amounts to a maximum of 65 hours, in which a large number of bills aim to be considered.
  • The Citizenship (Armed Forces) Act (2014) was one of just three ballot bills to pass that year, while the Assisted Dying Bill (2015) was defeated 330-118, despite polls showing that 82% of the public support such reforms.
  • They have little chance of success without government backing as exec control legislative timetable and can use ‘guillotine motions’ to limit debate on certain bills, as Cameron did in 2011 on AV System.
  • It is harder for UK MPs to feel that they have a personal mandate, and they may well feel compelled to follow the party whip even when constituents disagree, because they owe their position in the House of Commons to their party.
  1. MPs
  • Represent constituents and party.
  • MPs will hold ‘surgeries’ where local people can meet with their MP
  • Some MPs send out newsletters to their constituents and communicate via their own website or social media accounts.
  • MPs are asked to attend a large number of meetings and events, including with their local constituency political party. They require the support of the local party to ensure that they will be selected to stand as a candidate in future elections.
  • Speaking in Parliament during a debate, asking questions during PMQs.
  • Debates give the opportunity for MPs and Lords to voice the concerns and interests of their constituents with regards to government policy.
  • Each party appoints a number of MPs to act as WHIPS – ensure MPs attend votes, issue instructions on how to vote – ‘three-line whip’ – attendance is essential and you must vote in line with party,
  • Websites such as Theyworkforyou.com reveal how MPs vote and the issues on which they speak in the HofC.
  • This level of scrutiny ensures MPs who do not represent their constituencies are likely to lose their seat in the HOC. This serves as a powerful sanction to ensure MPs do not act too independently in accordance with Burke’s trustee model.