What It Means:
|
|
B
|
Both provide
ministers:
Governments are answerable to both houses, ministers in each. 85
can be recruited, 20 from the Lords |
A
|
Authority
Transferred:
Reform Acts (giving more votes) increased Common’s legitimacy.
Parliament Acts (delayed from 2 years to 1 year) restricted to the
Lords power, |
D
|
Democratic
Credentials:
Commons is where everyone have the vote, Lords is hereditary |
|
|
|
L
|
Legislative Role:
Lords can only delay for one year now. Accept amendments more
because the Lords have more time |
O
|
Outspokenness of
Members:
Commons are told what to do by whips because they need a job,
Lords not reliant on party, usually retired and have no salary to
lose |
S
|
Scrutiny:
Commons have select committees, debates and PMQs. Most
backbenchers will not disagree with government because they’re
in the same party. Lords have the same but they attract little
publicity
|
E
|
Equal Debates:
Commons are partisan and restricted to 10 mins, Lords have no
restrictions and have no barriers.
|
R
|
Representativeness:
Commons, yes but FPTP makes the commons politically
unrepresentative. Lords are elderly and life peers are nominees of
the PM. Life peers are the voice of a interest group.
|
S
|
Sidelined Together:
Power has moved from constituents to MP, or to the EU.
|
Differences
Between Hereditary Peers And Life Peers:
- Hereditary: A member of the HOLs who since 1999 has been selected from those who inherit the title.
- Life Peers: Members of the HOL that have been appointed to the chamber for their lifetime, PM can appoint them more than hereditary peers.
The
1999 Act:
- Ended the right of all by 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Lords
- New category of ‘elected hereditary peers’ from a party or a cross bench
Parliament
Act 1911:
- HOL can only delay for 2 years, but changed to 1949 to one year
- Been used 4 times: War Crimes 1991, European Parliamentary Elections, Sexual Offences, Hunting Act.
Salisbury
Convention:
- HOL won’t block legislation if it was in the manifesto because the partisan peers can block if opposition are in government. Because they do not have legitimacy.
Reasonable
Time Convention:
- Government needs to pass legislation in quick time, Lords have unlimited times but they must not block for very long or on purpose for the good of the public.
A
More Assertive HOL:
- Becomes more assertive since the removal of hereditary peers
- Government defeats in the Lords have become more common – many on judicial review or constitutional matters
- 2010-2015, 99 defeats on welfare and judicial
- Of every 4/10 defeats one was accepted by Blair and Brown