1. Parliament and Parliamentary Reform

2. In decline?
Labour backbenchers — the most supine Members of Parliament in British history — must decide where their loyalty lies.
– Roy Hattersley (2005)
The House of Commons… had [1995] yet to adopt that posture of slavishness and ineffectuality that now characterises it.
- Simon Heffer (2005)

3. In decline?
It is one of the assured parts of his [Blair’s] legacy that he leaves the House of Commons in a far worse state than he found it. The place is a glimmer of its former self...
– Henry Porter (2007)

4. In decline?
The Executive in Britain is now more powerful in relation to Parliament than it has been probably since the time of Walpole…
The whips have enforced party discipline more forcefully and fully than they did in the past.

5. Four criticisms Blair’s attitude ‘Modernisation’ Lords reform
Labour MPs – especially the women

6. But imagine a parliament…
With rock solid discipline
With part-time MPs, with no resources
With MPs isolated from their constituents
With no investigatory scrutiny committees
With a defunct second chamber

7. MPs now more likely… to come from their constituency
to live in their constituencies
to have staffed offices in their constituency
to spend time in the constituency
to receive mail (and s)
to be writing to their constituents

8. The rise of the Lords Effectively dead in 1950s
More than 400 defeats since 1999
Forget Tony’s cronies

9. Modernisation
Meaningless term - meaning different things to different people
Patchy – and dependent on people (both LoH and CW)
But not all bad:
Changes to Select Committees
Standing Committees
Timetable
Carry-over
Westminster Hall,
Liaison Committee

10. …and more likely to defy the whip
A majority of 60+, but four defeats
Free votes and other retreats
Rebellions runs at 28% in first session
Other victories by single figures
Other victories thanks to Conservative support

11. % rate of rebellion, whole parliament

12. % rate of rebellion, first sessions, 1945-05

13. Record breakers
Largest rebellion since the repeal of the Corn Laws (Iraq)
Largest ever Labour rebellion on a health issue (foundation hospitals)
Largest ever Labour rebellion on an education issue (top-up fees)
Equal largest rebellion at Second Reading (top-up fees) since 1945
Largest ever Labour rebellion at Third Reading (schools reform)
Largest ever Labour defence rebellion (Trident)

14. 4259 votes cast against the Conservative whip, 1979-1990

15. 6520 votes cast against the Labour whip, 1997-2007

16. Correlation, rebellions 1997-98 and 2001-05

17. Correlation, rebellions 1997-98 and 2001-05 0.91

18. Correlation, rebellions 2001-05 and 05-06 0.93

19. How long do honeymoons last?
Shortest: Churchill (1951): 5 days
Major: 6 days
Callaghan: 7 days
Thatcher: 20 days
Attlee: 5 months
Blair: 6 months
Longest Wilson (1964): 16 months

20. More record breakers Record was: Under GB: 5 days (Churchill)
Time till first revolt
5 days (Churchill)
45 minutes
No of rebellions in first month
2 (Major) 9
Largest rebellion in first month
7 (Major) 17
Total no of MPs to rebel in first month
8 (Major) 21

21. Rebellious votes in first month of premierships, 1945-2007

22. The Governance of Britain
Restoring power?
Vote for armed conflict
Vote for dissolution
Scrutiny of treaties
Departmental debates
Vote for Recall
Regional Committees