ELTE, AME-121, Legislative in the UK, notes

ELTE, AME-121, Legislative in the UK, notes
by UNKNOWN author
Voting Systems
1. Plurality
- Plurality of votes count
2. French system
- 50% of the votes is needed
- If no one reaches that, all but the first two are eliminated, and go for a second run
3. Alternative vote
- People rank from 1-n (the number of candidates)
- The fewer ranks get eliminated
4. Supplementary vote system
- 2 preference votes (which two do you like)
- The ones with higher votes remain
5. List System
- Party-based, you vote for parties
- Proportions count
6. Individual MP + party system
- 50%+1 vote for person
- If not, then party votes count too
British Legislation
1. First Reading
2. Debate on the bill – not detailed
3. Committee discussion (everyone there graduates from Cambridge or Oxford)
4. 3rd reading
5. Debate
6. Division: Voting by going through yes/no doors
7. If accepted, goes to the Lords, except for money bills which go straight to the Queen
8. Royal Assent: She signs it.
House of Commons
- Representation of people
- Representation the whole constituency
- Representation of pressure groups (trade unions, butterfly catcher associations, etc)
House of Lords
- 1200 members, but they rarely go in.
- You inherit the title "Lord"
- 26 bishops of the Church of England
- 19 law-lords
- 700 someones
- 470 others