UK and US: The extent to which each of the Houses are equal. (OCR A-Level Politics): Revision Notes

22.3.2 UK and US: The extent to which each of the Houses are equal.

United Kingdom: House of Commons vs. House of Lords

House of Commons:

• Dominant House: The House of Commons is the primary legislative body in the UK. It holds more power and influence than the House of Lords.
• Elected Members: Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons are directly elected by the public in general elections held every five years.
• Legislative Power: The Commons has the final say on most legislation. While the Lords can suggest amendments, the Commons can ultimately reject these amendments.
• Financial Privilege: The Commons has exclusive power over financial matters (money bills). The House of Lords cannot amend or reject money bills.
• Executive Accountability: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are drawn from the House of Commons and are directly accountable to it. The government must maintain the confidence of the Commons to remain in power.
• No Fixed Term: The Prime Minister can dissolve the Parliament and call for an election, although the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 tried to standardise the intervals between elections (this act was repealed in 2022).

House of Lords:

• Subordinate House: The House of Lords is the upper chamber and is largely seen as a revising chamber, with less power than the Commons.

• Unelected Members: Members of the House of Lords (Lords) are not elected but are appointed, including life peers, bishops, and hereditary peers.

• Legislative Power: The Lords can delay legislation for up to a year (except for money bills) but cannot permanently block it. The Salisbury Convention means they will not oppose manifesto promises from the ruling party.

• No Financial Power: The Lords cannot amend or reject money bills, reflecting their limited power in financial matters.

• Judicial Role: The Lords had a judicial role until 2009 when the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom was established, removing its judicial functions. Equality:

• Inequality of Power: The House of Commons is significantly more powerful than the House of Lords. The Lords' role is more about revising and scrutinising legislation rather than directly controlling or influencing government policy.

• Checks and Balances: Although the Lords provide checks on the Commons by reviewing and suggesting amendments to legislation, their inability to block bills outright or control financial matters reflects a clear imbalance in power.

United States: House of Representatives vs. Senate

House of Representatives:

• Lower House: The House of Representatives is the lower house of the US Congress but plays a vital role in the legislative process.

• Elected Members: Representatives are elected every two years, with the number of Representatives per state based on population.

• Legislative Power: The House initiates revenue bills (taxation and spending). Both the House and Senate must pass legislation, but all revenue-related bills must originate in the House.

• Impeachment Power: The House has the sole power to impeach federal officials, including the President.

• Majority Rule: The House operates more on majority rule, with the Speaker of the House, usually from the majority party, holding significant influence over the legislative agenda. Senate:

• Upper House: The Senate is the upper chamber of Congress and is considered more prestigious.

• Elected Members: Senators are elected every six years, with each state represented by two Senators, regardless of population.

• Legislative Power: The Senate has significant legislative power, including the ability to amend revenue bills passed by the House. Both houses must agree on legislation for it to become law.

• Confirmation Power: The Senate has the exclusive power to confirm presidential appointments (e.g., judges, cabinet members) and ratify treaties.

• Impeachment Trials: The Senate conducts impeachment trials and has the power to remove federal officials from office if convicted.

• Filibuster: The Senate allows for the filibuster, which requires a supermajority (60 out of 100 Senators) to end debate on most issues, giving the minority party more influence than in the House. Equality:

• Co-Equal Chambers: Unlike the UK system, the US House of Representatives and Senate are more equal in terms of legislative power. Both houses must agree on all legislation, and each has unique powers that the other cannot override.

• Checks and Balances: The bicameral structure of Congress provides a system of checks and balances within the legislature itself, with the Senate's confirmation power and the House's control over revenue bills illustrating their distinct but balanced roles.

Comparison of the UK and US Systems

Aspect	UK: House of Commons	UK: House of Lords	US: House of Representatives	US: Senate
Legislative Power	Dominant legislative power.	Revising chamber, limited legislative power.	Initiates revenue bills, passes legislation.	Must pass legislation, amends bills, ratifies treaties.
Election/Appointment	Elected by the public.	Appointed, includes life and hereditary peers.	Elected by the public every two years.	Elected by the public every six years.
Financial Control	Exclusive control over money bills.	Cannot amend or reject money bills.	Initiates revenue bills.	Amends revenue bills, cannot initiate them.
Executive Accountability	Direct accountability; PM must have confidence.	Limited accountability; more advisory.	Can impeach federal officials.	Holds impeachment trials, confirms appointments.
Judicial Role	No judicial role.	Lost judicial role in 2009 (to UK Supreme Court).	No judicial role.	Conducts impeachment trials.
Power Balance	Significantly more powerful.	Less powerful, more advisory.	Co-equal with Senate.	Co-equal with House of Representatives.

Conclusion:

• UK: The House of Commons is the dominant chamber, with the House of Lords playing a secondary, revising role. This reflects an imbalance in power, with the Commons holding greater authority over legislation, government policy, and financial matters.
• US: The House of Representatives and the Senate are co-equal chambers with distinct but balanced powers. Their roles in legislation, impeachment, and oversight provide a robust system of checks and balances, making the US Congress a more evenly balanced bicameral legislature than the UK Parliament.