A key doctrine of British democracy is ‘parliamentary sovereignty’. This tenet was commonly utilised by Eurosceptics to “take back control” from the EU’s supranational power. In principle, nothing should undermine parliament’s authority. The monarch’s role has been purely ceremonial since the English Civil War. Even devolved and regional authorities, which Starmer has been keen to strengthen, can be suspended by Parliament. But how does Parliament operate internally?
Voting in Parliament
The Commons is the beating heart of the British system. 650 single member seats are elected for each constituency through ‘first-past-the-post’. The party with a simple majority (over 325 seats) forms a new government.
While this system is simple to understand, it produces a relatively low level of representation. MPs are often elected who were not the choice of more than half of their constituency. Additionally, where mandate stems from local representation, the focus often shifts to the party or leader.
First-Past-the-Post also underrepresents minority parties, clearly demonstrated by Reform’s 2024 performance. Majoritarian systems that favour two major parties fosters adversarial politics. This can be seen through the physical architecture of the Commons as the Government faces the opposition unlike the usual horseshoe shape of consensus-driven parliaments across Europe.
First-Past-the-Post also introduces the need for tactical voting, as ticking the box of a party unlikely to win is perceived as wasted. 29% of Labour voters said they would be voting tactically in the 2024 election. Many claim this system creates stronger governments, yet a majority is not always produced, as evidenced by Theresa May’s hung parliament produced in 2017.
Party loyalty remains extremely important, with managers, known as ‘Whips’, keeping every MP in their place. This means government bills are usually passed with ease, yet private member proposals are drawn from a ballot and rarely become law. Free votes sometimes occur, such as the Assisted Dying Bill, where MPs are not tied to party lines.
After a bill is proposed, an initial debate follows and often a voice vote occurs, where MPs shout “Aye” or “No”; simply, the loudest wins. After this, MPs work on committees and reports to iron out the details. Finally, at the ‘Third Reading’, a vote by the House either rejects or passes the bill to the Lords.
A relic of the past
Once the main chamber, the Lords’ relevance has dwindled throughout history. The idea of unelected hereditary peers and bishops influencing law is increasingly unappealing as representation becomes key to governance.
Life peers are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, based on their expertise as policy specialists. Proponents argue the Lords serve as a deliberative feature, acting as a platform for open discussion. Their chamber is less bound to party allegiance and the pressures of re-election, meaning freer debates with longer-term perspectives can occur.
So what powers do the Lords actually have? Primarily, through a process described as ‘ping-pong’, they can delay legislation by sending it back to the Commons, placing higher scrutiny on the bill and its proposed amendments. Yet, the Lords cannot vote on money bills or manifesto commitments. Moreover, if the Lords reject any bill twice, the Commons may bypass their decision through the Parliament Act.
The Government and opposition
Parliament is not the Government. However, unlike other democracies, the executive is completely integrated within the legislature, sitting on the front benches. The Prime Minister is the leader of the party, and selects ministers from either House to run governmental departments. Ministers engage in ‘Question Times’, where MPs scrutinise the Government’s actions and aim to represent a wide range of minority and constituency views.
Alongside the Government, the shadow cabinet falls to the next largest party, which represents a government-in-waiting. Altogether, the opposition’s role functions to spotlight flaws in proposed legislation and communicate them to the electorate.
However, the opposition usually struggles to combat the Government’s majority. In comparison to other systems, there are limited mechanisms to formally integrate minority perspectives after an election. However, the Green’s best election performance to date, and the ascendency of figures like Nigel Farage into Parliament signals a shift towards an increasingly multi-party system.
This evolving landscape poses a challenge to mainstream parties and the existing political framework. Yet, as Labour’s landslide remains overwhelmingly dominant within the current system, we are unlikely to see this dynamic play out until the next election.
