Parliament

• Representation

  • 225 MPs (34%) are women in the House of Commons; 222 peers (28%) in the House of Lords. In UK general population this is 51% (2021 census)
  • 10% of MPs in the House of Commons are of BAME background; 6% of peers in the House of Lords . In the UK general population it is 18% (2021 census)
  • 56 MPs (9%) are LGB* in the House of Commons . UK general population 3.2% ( 2021 census  , although number likely to be higher because question in census was voluntary)
• Backbenchers


  Members of parliament who are not in the government
• Theresa May lost 33 times during her premiership; reflects how issues like Brexit divided her backbenchers
• 99 Tories rebelled against Covid passports under Johnson; influenced by the Covid Recovery Group
• The European Research Group (ERG) challenged Theresa May
• The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill was only allocated two days in the House of Commons
• The 1922 Committee (led by Graham Brady) were responsible for triggering a leadership contest in 2022, following 55 submitted letters. Just a scheduled meeting with the committee caused Truss to resign
• One Nation caucus


  An estimated membership of 110 Conservative MPs; lead by Damien Green
• In January 2021, the Covid Recovery Group wrote a letter to PM Boris Johnson. It stated his "leadership will be on the table" is he did not publish an exit strategy for lockdowns
• In 2024, backbench rebellion defeated the government on compensation for victims of the contaminated blood scandal (22 rebelled)
• In 2024, threat of a rebellion by 40 MPs caused Home Sec Cleverly to reverse plans to further criminalise homelessness
• Whips


  If MPs ignore a three-line whip, they can be removed from the parliamentary party as a sanction
• MPs who were removed from the parliamentary party for ignoring a three-line whip

  • Boris Johnson did this to 21 Conservative MPs who opposed his EU withdrawal Bill in 2019
  • Included senior MPs like Ken Clarke, Rory Steward and David Guake
• Resignations due to protracted debates

  • Zac Goldsmith resigned as a Conservative MP over the issue of a third runway for Heathrow in 2016
  • Greg Hands resigned from the government in 2018 over the same issue
• Resignations due to Brexit debates

  • Eight MPs resigned from the Labour Party
  • Three MPs resigned from the Conservative Party
  • They formed a new party, the Independent Group for Change
• Free vote allowed over the smoking ban
• Whip scandals


  • Chris Pincher (Deputy Chief Whip) sexual misconduct (last straw of Johnson years)
  • Gavin Williamson as Chief Whip found by independent inquiry to have been bullying (forced to apologised)
• Private Members Bills


  Bills introduced by backbenchers rather than the government
• From 2016-17, 25 out of 28 government bills that were introduced managed to gain royal assent, however only 8 out of 163 PMBs succeeded in the same way
• Discussing proposed government bills takes up over 1/3 of the commons time in any parliamentary session. The discussion of PMBs takes up less than 5% of the time
• Carer's Leave Act (2023)


  • Provides employment rights for those who juggle unpaid caring responsibilities with paid employment
• Worker Protection Act (2023)

  • Prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and drive a culture change (substantially watered down by Lords to avoid exposing employers to costly lawsuits)
• PMBs introduced by backbenchers are only likely to pass if they come from the ruling party. For example, during the coalition government, 41 out of 42 PMBs passed were from either the Conservatives or Lib Dems
• Benn and Cooper-Letwin Acts


  • Regarding Brexit, voted on against government wishes
• 1967 Abortion Act


  • Introduced by a Liberal MP during Harold Wilson's government, passed as gov was supportive
• select committees

  • In 2016, when the department for Exiting the European Union was established by Theresa May, the chairman, Hilary Benn MP and the committee had the opportunity to question ministers on the impact of many different scenarios that could take place due to our departure. This helped the government decide what kind of exit would be the most beneficial for the country, and also plan for every outcome to ensure whatever happens, there are as few limitations as possible.
• Frank Field


  • Elected head of the Work and Pensions Committee in 2015, re-elected in 2017
  • Politician since 1979
  • Experienced in welfare and poverty issues
  • One of the only Labour supporters of Brexit
  • Known for being straight talking
  • Confrontational nature helpful in pushing government for answers and holding them accountable
• Studies from 2015 have estimated that 30-40% of committee recommendations end up as government policy
• Turnover of members within committees

  Can damage the effectiveness of the committee
• There was an 83% turnover during the 2010-2015 period in the Defense Committee
• Replacements for these people might not be as informed or motivated as their predecessors
• Exiting the EU committee

  • Chaired by Labor's Hilary Benn
  • Testing cross-party cohesion
• In May of 2018, Conservative committee members John Whittingdale, Andrea Jenkyns and Jacob Rees-Mogg publicly criticised the committee for being too pro-remain
• According to Jenkyns only 7 of the 21 committee members voted leave
• The committee invited Amber Rudd to give evidence for its inquiry into the Windrush Scandal


  1. Rudd denied that the Home Office had targets for deportation of Illegal Immigrants

  2. Leaked emails after this inquiry revealed that there were targets that Rudd was very much aware of

  3. Rudd resigned from her post and took full responsibility
• Gracie


  • Editor for BBC China until 2018
  • Resigned over gender pay equality
  • Said the BBC was working under a "secretive and illegal pay culture"
  • Interviewed by the committee, enquiry into BBC pay is ongoing
• In June 2023, the Commons Privileges Committee found that PM Boris Johnson knowingly misled Parliament over Partygate; recommended his suspension
• Johnson quickly resigned as MP rather than risk a recall petition
• Police investigations and fines over Partygate are ongoing
• Sir Gerald Kaufman, long serving MP and ex minister: 'PMQS had become an "exchange of pointless and useless declamations."'