The Legislative Process in the UK

Modalités d’Examen : 30 minutes QCM, 30 questions, une seule bonne réponse, sanctions
réponses fausses et absence de réponse.

Introduction

How did make law in the RU?

Boris Johnson, the head of the government, his nickname is Bo Jo. He is not the head of State
because, there is not president. The head of state is the Queen.
Boris Johnson belong in a system where the head of the government is the chief of the executive
branch. In others terms, the monarch is useless, and must be replaced by the government. The
parliament is the central piece. Was he elected? How did become Prime minister? You have to be the
leader

-Every five years, use to be different, general election, the citizen of England

-Legislation prepared by the Government with help of civil service (unselected members of
government)
-Must be Validated by Parliament (Parliamentary sovereignty)
-Government= majority in Parliament (Convention).

Boris Johnson was not elected, he replaced the farmer leader of the Majority, Theresa May. Boris
replaced her and didn’t be elected.

Basically, the easiest and basic government, the head of the government is president of the
Parliament. The government is designed to make the system easy. But really it’s not easy.
-“elective dictatorship”. The risk is to be an elective dictatorship, it was probably was a dictatorship,
but now with the Brexit is not truth.
-An all-powerful executive?
Can the Go

For the Government, it is possible to loose the control of Parliament. Probably no, because, it’s the
product of the government.

Can the Government lose control of Parliament? Yes

-If very slim majority.

Why did she leave and replaced by Boris Johnson?

-2017: snap election (Teresa May needs stronger majority).
When you get out from the European Union you get out from the laws.

After the election, she didn’t have majority.

-Failure: Tories lost their majority

-Need for support outside Tories.
-Coalition with Democratic Unionist Party. Weakened her politically.

By choosing, these two women to support her politics, she shattered her career, because they were
not appreciated by public opinion what made the government vulnerable to rebellions

-Small majority government= weak government.

The backbenchers is the name given to members who is neither a minister nor a shadow cabinet
member, nor holds another parliamentary office such as whip or caucus chair of the House of
Common.

-Rebellions from backbenchers (MPs from the ruling party who are not in the Government)
-divisive issue of Brexit
-not enough support for Brexit withdrawal bill
-The deal she had negotiated with the EU which Parliament had to approve.
-Caused her departure.
You have lose your party your credibility, so, you have to go.

Recent attempt to take control of the legislative agenda

Successor to May= BORIS JOHNSON was the shining star, rising star of the government, because is
the minister of Brexit. He stood for an election.
-Context: by-elections (élections partielles)= majority by 1 MP

He was stop by the Brexit, because no majority wants to support Brexit. He said, if I don’t have
majority of sieges I can’t have passed de Bill. Will going out a deal. Everybody was surprised.

-Johnson’s solution: take the UK out of the EU without a deal (no Deal Brexit). This kind Trump,
similarities, but Boris is more educated. Boris Johnson had a reaction worthy of Trump, but is more
educated than him, at least socially, he adopts a behavior that makes his choices even if they are
radical, hard at first, strategic choices and open to negotiation. He took a step back, to take a break.
The, parliament is dysfunctional, he will shoot the parliament and make without him. It’s a strategy
very bounds, because he don’t respect majority.

-August : decision to prorogue (suspend) Parliament for five weeks

-little chance for Pt to scrutinize the Govt’s Brexit strategy and prevent a no-deal Brexit. It’s
necessary to her to talk and suspend Parliament, the Queen is bullshit. He convince her, and killing
the democracy.

-Criticized as undemocratic and challenged before courts for constitutionally.

Recent attempt to take control of the legislative agenda

-Labor party MP called an emergency debate on the introduction of a bill to prevent a no-deal Brexit

-Support from all parties except most of the Conservatives and the DUP

-debate called for the supporters of the bill to be given control over parliamentary time instead of
the Govt.
-One Tory MP defected to the Liberal Democrats before the vote= loss of majority