Parliament: More Bleak House than Great Expectations

Abstract

2003 could well become remembered as the year when backbench voting became both exciting and revealing. The prospect of military action against Iraq triggered the two largest backbench revolts by government MPs since the middle of the nineteenth century. Labour MPs also caused the government headaches on a range of domestic issues. Revolts over foundation hospitals led to the largest rebellion by government backbenchers against the second reading of a government bill since the Shops Bill in 1986—and at one point reduced the government's majority to 17. Proposals for the second stage of Lords reform collapsed amid a series of controversial votes in the House of Commons, whilst the supposedly interim House continued to inflict defeats on the government at a rate not seen since the middle of the 1970s.