ParliamentParliament

Comparing LegislaturesComparing Legislatures

Westminster ModelWestminster Model

A democratic, parliamentary A democratic, parliamentary system of government modeled system of government modeled after that of the UK systemafter that of the UK system

Fusion of legislative and executive Fusion of legislative and executive branches in parliamentbranches in parliament

Enables a government to be Enables a government to be defeated (vote of no confidence) defeated (vote of no confidence) and to be dissolvedand to be dissolved

The Houses of Parliament, also The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of known as the Palace of Westminster, in LondonWestminster, in London

Westminster PalaceWestminster Palace

Prime MinisterPrime Minister

““First among equals”First among equals” Head of Government, MP, and leader Head of Government, MP, and leader

of majority party (Conservative Party of majority party (Conservative Party now)now)– Chosen by majority party in CommonsChosen by majority party in Commons

PM chooses cabinet ministersPM chooses cabinet ministers

Prime Minister David Prime Minister David CameronCameron

Deputy PM Nick CleggDeputy PM Nick Clegg

CabinetCabinet

P.M. and the cabinet are the center of P.M. and the cabinet are the center of policy-making in the British political policy-making in the British political systemsystem

Ministers are usually leading members Ministers are usually leading members of the majority party in the House of of the majority party in the House of Commons rather than policy expertsCommons rather than policy experts

collective responsibilitycollective responsibility – all – all members of the cabinet must publicly members of the cabinet must publicly support every cabinet decision support every cabinet decision

““Chancellor of the Chancellor of the Exchequer” Exchequer” Finance ministerFinance minister

Comparing ExecutivesComparing Executives

Prime Minister of UKPrime Minister of UK– Serves only as long as Serves only as long as

he/she remains leader of he/she remains leader of majority partymajority party

– Elected as MPElected as MP– Has an excellent chance Has an excellent chance

of getting his/her of getting his/her programs passed in programs passed in ParliamentParliament

– Cabinet members are Cabinet members are always MPs and leaders of always MPs and leaders of the majority partythe majority party

– Cabinet members not Cabinet members not experts in policy areas: experts in policy areas: rely on bureaucracy to rely on bureaucracy to provide expertiseprovide expertise

President of the USPresident of the US– Elected every four years Elected every four years

by an electoral college by an electoral college based on popular electionbased on popular election

– Elected as presidentElected as president– Has an excellent chance Has an excellent chance

of ending up in gridlock of ending up in gridlock with Congresswith Congress

– Cabinet members usually Cabinet members usually don’t come from don’t come from Congress (although they Congress (although they may)may)

– Some expertise in policy Some expertise in policy areas; one criteria for areas; one criteria for their appointment; head their appointment; head vast bureaucraciesvast bureaucracies

Westminster Palace - Westminster Palace - House of Commons House of Commons

House of CommonsHouse of Commons

650 MPs in Commons650 MPs in Commons Party that receives the plurality of Party that receives the plurality of

the votes becomes the Majority the votes becomes the Majority Party in Parliament, the party Party in Parliament, the party with the second most votes with the second most votes becomes the “becomes the “loyal oppositionloyal opposition””Shadow govt/cabinetShadow govt/cabinet

Coalition GovernmentCoalition Government

A cabinet of in which 2 or more A cabinet of in which 2 or more political parties cooperatepolitical parties cooperate Ex.) Conservatives + Lib DemsEx.) Conservatives + Lib Dems

Tends to result from fragmented Tends to result from fragmented legislature and can be unstablelegislature and can be unstable

House of Commons:House of Commons:Set-upSet-up House of Commons set-up with long House of Commons set-up with long

benches facing each otherbenches facing each other Prime Minister sits on front bench of Prime Minister sits on front bench of

majority side, directly in the middlemajority side, directly in the middle Directly across from the PM sits the Directly across from the PM sits the

leader of the “opposition” partyleader of the “opposition” party Between members of the majority Between members of the majority

and opposition parties is a long tableand opposition parties is a long table Cabinet members sit on the front Cabinet members sit on the front

rows of the majority party siderows of the majority party side

Party DisciplineParty Discipline

If party members do not support their If party members do not support their party leadership, the “government” party leadership, the “government” may fall into crisismay fall into crisis– So, vSo, voting behavior of MPs is determined by oting behavior of MPs is determined by

party affiliation party affiliation Vote of Confidence:Vote of Confidence:

– Vote on a key issue within the partyVote on a key issue within the party– If the issue is not supported, the cabinet by If the issue is not supported, the cabinet by

tradition must resign immediately, and new tradition must resign immediately, and new elections for MPs must be held as soon as elections for MPs must be held as soon as possiblepossible

Lots of motivation to vote the party lineLots of motivation to vote the party line

Example of Vote of Example of Vote of Confidence – Greece Confidence – Greece http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=g6RE0GciCjw

Vote of No ConfidenceVote of No Confidence

Govt. loses confidence of Parliament when it fails Govt. loses confidence of Parliament when it fails to gain a majority in Commons on a key voteto gain a majority in Commons on a key vote

Successful votes of no confidenceSuccessful votes of no confidence– majority vote in legislature forces resignation majority vote in legislature forces resignation

of govt.of govt.– govt. steps down and new govt. must be govt. steps down and new govt. must be

formed (new elections)formed (new elections) Very rareVery rare

– Most recent votes of no confidence were 1979 Most recent votes of no confidence were 1979 and 1924and 1924

Labour’s Vote of No Labour’s Vote of No Confidence (1979)Confidence (1979) Vote on issue of devolution for Vote on issue of devolution for

ScotlandScotland Opposition leader Margaret Opposition leader Margaret

Thatcher put motion to a voteThatcher put motion to a vote Labour lost by one vote (311-310)Labour lost by one vote (311-310) Led to dissolution of government Led to dissolution of government

and new general electionand new general election Thatcher’s Conservatives won, Thatcher’s Conservatives won,

began 18 year-long hold on began 18 year-long hold on governmentgovernment

Blair’s Vote of Blair’s Vote of Confidence: The Higher Confidence: The Higher Education BillEducation Bill Vote of confidence took place in 2005Vote of confidence took place in 2005 Bill squeaked by with an approval vote Bill squeaked by with an approval vote

of 316 to 311of 316 to 311 The bill proposed raising university The bill proposed raising university

fees, a measure criticized not only by fees, a measure criticized not only by the opposition, but by outspoken MPs the opposition, but by outspoken MPs from the Labour Party as wellfrom the Labour Party as well

The vote narrowly allowed Blair’s The vote narrowly allowed Blair’s government to remain in control of the government to remain in control of the CommonsCommons

Westminster Palace - Westminster Palace - House of Lords House of Lords

House of LordsHouse of Lords

Only hereditary parliamentary house in Only hereditary parliamentary house in existence todayexistence today– Hereditary peersHereditary peers (90) (90)– Life peersLife peers (698) (698)

Reforms have changed composition of Lords Reforms have changed composition of Lords over past decadeover past decade

House of Lords: House of Lords: PowersPowers Delay legislationDelay legislation Add amendments to legislation, Add amendments to legislation,

but House of Commons may but House of Commons may delete their changes by a simple delete their changes by a simple majority votemajority vote

Initiate billsInitiate bills– Lords may not initiate revenue billsLords may not initiate revenue bills

Only House of Commons may do thisOnly House of Commons may do this

Judicial BranchJudicial Branch

Parliamentary sovereignty – Parliamentary sovereignty – parliament’s decisions are finalparliament’s decisions are final– Limited the development of judicial reviewLimited the development of judicial review

British courts can only determine British courts can only determine whether government decisions violate whether government decisions violate the the common lawcommon law (precedents) or (precedents) or previous acts of Parliamentprevious acts of Parliament

By tradition British courts cannot By tradition British courts cannot impose their rulings upon Parliament, impose their rulings upon Parliament, the prime minister, or the cabinetthe prime minister, or the cabinet

Supreme CourtSupreme Court

Created in 2009Created in 2009 Court of last resort in all mattersCourt of last resort in all matters Has jurisdiction to determine Has jurisdiction to determine

devolution disputes – cases in which devolution disputes – cases in which laws made by devolved legislatures laws made by devolved legislatures are questionedare questioned

Limited powers of judicial review Limited powers of judicial review because of parliamentary sovereigntybecause of parliamentary sovereignty