Parliament can control the executive

• parliament has the power to dismiss a government in the vote of no confidence- James Callaghan labour government lost a vote of no confidence in 1979 triggering a general election
• parliament has the power to veto government legislation- Thresea may sustained largest parliamentary defeat in history when her Brexit deal was rejected by a majority of 230 votes in 2019
• HOL can delay legislation for a year- plans to reduce tax credits were blocked by the lords in 2015
• commons can amend legislation- pressure from backbenchers made the government agree to an amendment which was the 2020 Internal market bill
• HOL can amend legislation although its decisions can be reversed in the HOC- lords backed the DUBS amendment to the EU withdrawal agreement bill in 2020 which aimed to protect child refugees however this was rejected by the HOC
• when government allows a free vote MPS or peers may vote according to their beliefs rather than the party allegiance- david Cameron allowed conservative MPS a free vote on legalising gay marriage
• Ministers are obliged to present themselves before parliament to account for their decisions and polices- increase in a number of urgent questions has forced ministers to answer before parliament