Tag Archives: House of Commons

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Boris?

Posted on July 6, 2022 by jasonloch

Westminster is in turmoil. The news that Boris Johnson appointed Chris Pincher as Deputy Chief Whip even though he knew Pincher had been accused of sexual misconduct has fanned the flames of discontent within the Conservative Party. The Chancellor of … Continue reading →

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Thoughts On The Judge Amendment

Posted on February 10, 2022 by jasonloch

Yesterday, the House of Lords made a major change to the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill. Lord Judge successfully moved an amendment that would give the House of Commons a veto over the dissolution of Parliament. I’ve discussed the … Continue reading →

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Should Ministers Be Appointed From Outside Parliament?

Posted on July 13, 2021 by jasonloch

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, has made headlines by suggesting that ministers need not always be MPs or peers, something the Commission for Smart Government also mooted in a recent discussion paper. While outsiders can make … Continue reading →

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One Person, Many Votes: Plural Voting In The UK

Posted on January 31, 2021 by jasonloch

Although the concept of ‘one person, one vote’ seems axiomatic these days, that hasn’t always been the case. In the UK, plural voting was a legitimate practice for many centuries.    The right to vote in the UK was traditionally … Continue reading →

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Government Unveils Bill To Repeal The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011

Posted on December 1, 2020 by jasonloch

The Government today unveiled a draft bill to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011. If the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (Repeal) Bill becomes law, the UK will go back to the pre-2011 arrangement where the Queen dissolves Parliament at the … Continue reading →

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What Happened With The Brexit Bill?

Posted on October 22, 2019 by jasonloch

Today was another day of high political drama in the House of Commons. Although MPs voted to give the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill a second reading, they failed to pass the programme motion necessary to progress the bill. But … Continue reading →

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Bercow Fumbles

Posted on March 27, 2019 by jasonloch

As MPs debate Brexit for what seems like the millionth time, Speaker Bercow has reiterated his opposition to a third ‘meaningful vote’ on Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement without substantive changes. Unfortunately, he also indicated that he won’t allow the Government … Continue reading →

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Can MPs Really Take Control Of Brexit?

Posted on March 22, 2019 by jasonloch

As the Brexit drama drags on, some commentators have suggested that MPs might try to take control of the process next week. But as we shall see, this would be easier said than done. The simplest way for MPs to … Continue reading →

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Why Do People Bow When The Results Of Votes Are Announced In The Commons?

Posted on March 18, 2019 by jasonloch

With all the drama in the Commons lately, there have been quite a few videos showing the moment when the results of key votes are announced to the House. They always show the same scene: four MPs line up in … Continue reading →

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Bercow Nixes Third Vote On May’s Brexit Deal

Posted on March 18, 2019 by jasonloch

Speaker Bercow has just ruled that there can’t be a third vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal unless it is substantially altered. While I’ve questioned Bercow’s handling of Brexit in the past, this ruling is spot on. Erskine May, the … Continue reading →

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