How Parliament Works
The aim of the evening was to learn something of the way we are governed.
The first section we looked at was the British Constitution. Much of it is not written down as in most other countries but it has grown from several sources from Magna Carta onwards. It has evolved over time as needs arise and can be amended by majority votes in both Houses of Parliament followed by Royal Assent.
We looked at how Bills are passed in Parliament. This was made much more accessible by role play with members being in two parties with a Speaker, Prime Minister, two Ministers, two Whips and some Backbenchers. We then followed the progress of a Government Bill, a Private member's Bill and an Early Day Motion. Questions were also asked of the Prime Minister and the two ministers.
We then considered the role of an MP - his responsibilities to his Constituency, to Parliament and any Committee work he undertakes. We also looked at our local MP's website to see what his interests are and which Early Day Motions he has sponsored or supported.
Finally, we looked at some alternative voting systems including Proportional Representation, the Single List System and a mixture of the two. There was a fascinating report, The Jenkins Report, which looked at the General Election results in 1997 and the difference that the varied systems would have made to the overall state of the Parties in the ensuing Parliament.
Everyone found it an enjoyable and thoughtful evening.
