Yesterday, the Queen’s Speech cleared Parliament with every amendment defeated. This shows that Theresa May’s £1bn deal with the DUP is working when it comes to votes on key legislation. However, as Isabel notes, while it can govern in a technical sense, it cannot guarantee that it will get what it wants in the Commons.
In order to prevent a Tory rebellion on Stella Creasy’s abortion amendment, the Chancellor had to grant a concession for free abortions for women from Northern Ireland. So, how do the whips intend to stave off future rebellions in the House? The DUP agreement means that the Conservatives have a working majority of 13 when it comes to votes on key legislation. With the numbers so tight, it takes just a handful of Tory MPs to either be away or be sympathetic to the opposition’s amendment and the government faces defeat.
In order to deal with the former, Conservative MPs have already been given strict instructions about their movements during term time. There will be no holidays while Parliament is sitting. What’s more, those with ‘safe seats’ have been told they will be expected to stay in Westminster for the bulk of their time – with no ‘unnecessary’ constituency visits. When the numbers allow for MPs to be away, it will be those politicians in marginal seats (a growing number of which there are) who will be given priority.
As for rebellious MPs, the government is having to change the way it interacts with its backbenchers. One MP remarks that they have had more contact with Theresa May in the past two weeks than they have in the past two years. The Prime Minister who bragged about never hanging out in Westminster watering holes is having to change her ways – and the door to No 10 has never been more open.
Another way in which May hopes to dissuade MPs from rebelling is by appealing to their ambition. This week, the list of new Parliamentary Private Secretaries showed that there are now 47 PPS’s. The high intake will mean that these backbenchers are not only obliged to vote with the government, but that they will feel less inclined to kick the hornet’s nest now they are on the path to promotion.
Of course, these measures won’t stop every rebellion. As yesterday’s concession shows, where there is cross-party support on an issue, the government is vulnerable. But a bit of TLC for previously spurned backbenchers will no doubt help to keep the Parliamentary arithmetic on the side of the Conservatives.
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