Questions for the Prime Minister on Cable

[Paladin1950]

For several years I've been watching Questions for the Prime Minister, on Sunday nights on C-SPAN. I've always enjoyed watching and listening to it. However tonight, it had a completely different look in the House of Commons. Because of the election, the Labour and Conservative parties had to switch sides. The tall bald Scottish guy was still in his same spot though. It airs from 9:00-9:30. It's become a Sunday ritual for me. Probably because of my British roots.

 

[Warrigal]

Is he a member of the Cross Bench? In Australia we have two major parties, Labor (Left) and the LNP (a coalition of two conservative parties). In addition, there are independents and members of minor parties such as the Greens.

The party that has the majority sits on the Speaker's right and the minority party sits facing them on the Speaker's left. Everyone else sits as individuals or as a small block in the remaining seats in the middle down the back of the chamber.

The Senate seating operates in the same way.



When a vote is called members indicate their votes, not by a roll call, but by getting up and moving to the right of the Speaker for AYE, and to the left of the Speaker for NAY. Sometimes a motion is put that requires most members, but not all, to cross the floor. A vote of no confidence in the government would be such an occasion.

 

[Paladin1950]

All they air is the United Kingdom's parties answering & asking questions. No other country. There's no voting. Just members of "the Opposition party", ruling party, and other smaller parties asking the Prime Minister questions. Hence the title Questions for the Prime Minister.

 

[Pepper]

Sounds so interesting. Hope I remember to watch next Sunday 9pm C-Span. Remind me!!!!!!!!!

 

[hollydolly]

For several years I've been watching Questions for the Prime Minister, on Sunday nights on C-SPAN. I've always enjoyed watching and listening to it. However tonight, it had a completely different look in the House of Commons. Because of the election, the Labour and Conservative parties had to switch sides. The tall bald Scottish guy was still in his same spot though. It airs from 9:00-9:30. It's become a Sunday ritual for me. Probably because of my British roots.

Tall bald guy....hahha.do you mean the leader of the SNP... ( waste of space Scottish party)...

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I've watched "Questions" a few times. I've seen a few Prime Ministers. And I have to say I'm impressed in their depth of knowledge about minute affairs. An opposition member may be asking about international problems, and the next question is about ambulance service to a remote dot of land, then a sewer problem, then on international banking. Those PMs soundly respond.

 

[jimintoronto]

I've watched "Questions" a few times. I've seen a few Prime Ministers. And I have to say I'm impressed in their depth of knowledge about minute affairs. An opposition member may be asking about international problems, and the next question is about ambulance service to a remote dot of land, then a sewer problem, then on international banking. Those PMs soundly respond.

In the Canadian Parliament, the first 90 minutes of each sitting day is reserved for "Question Period " but the questions way be directed to ANY Cabinet Minister, not just the Prime Minister. If the PM is asked a direct question, he may refer the answer to a specific Minister, such as the Deputy Prime Minister, or the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

For our American friends, a Cabinet Minister is a person who has been elected to Parliament as a member of the party forming the Government, and then that person is selected by the PM to be a Minister in charge of a department. In the Canadian Parliament, the Speaker of the House has NO political power. He or she is simply the person who rules in the House, and decides who gets to speak during debates and in what order they will speak. The Speaker is neutral in all matters in the House.

The Speaker has the power to "Name a Member " who is out of line, and if required, the Speaker can eject a Member from the House, for a period of time which can be hours or days. Upon returning to the House after being ejected, a Member must fully apologize to the House for their behavior, before the Speaker will allow them to resume their seat.

All debates in the Canadian Parliament take place in both official languages, with instant translation through headphones to each Member. In order to run as a national party leader, a person must be functionally bi-lingual. Its not a law, but it is the reality in Canada. The current Canadian Parliament has 341 Members. Of that group 40 Members were born in another country. They came to Canada as Immigrants, then later became Canadian citizens, and were later elected to Parliament.

 

[Magna-Carta]

For several years I've been watching Questions for the Prime Minister, on Sunday nights on C-SPAN. I've always enjoyed watching and listening to it. However tonight, it had a completely different look in the House of Commons. Because of the election, the Labour and Conservative parties had to switch sides. The tall bald Scottish guy was still in his same spot though. It airs from 9:00-9:30. It's become a Sunday ritual for me. Probably because of my British roots.

The officially named "Questions to the Prime Minister" is also known as "Prime Minister's Question Time" or just "Prime Minister's Questions," and then simply PMQs. I suppose we can take our pick on what we want to call it.

As for the political parties switching and sitting on different sides of the House, that's because the party that is voted into power after a General Election always sits to the right of the Speaker. The opposition parties sit to the left of the Speaker.

There can be around 8 different political parties sitting on the opposition side. The party that has gained the most seats in the General Election becomes His Majesty's Government, whereas the party that has gained the second most seats, but did not achieve a majority in the General Election, becomes His Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

The main role of the 'Opposition' is to scrutinise and to hold the government accountable.

I can vaguely remember the news reporting that George W. Bush had said he wouldn't want to go head to head with the opposition in a debating chamber the way a British Prime Minister does, or something along those lines?

It doesn't really matter which party is in power, they all get similar treatment from the opposition. Brace yourslves, Prime Ministers Question Time:

 

[jimintoronto]

The officially named "Questions to the Prime Minister" is also known as "Prime Minister's Question Time" or just "Prime Minister's Questions," and then simply PMQs. I suppose we can take our pick on what we want to call it.

As for the political parties switching and sitting on different sides of the House, that's because the party that is voted into power after a General Election always sits to the right of the Speaker. The opposition parties sit to the left of the Speaker.

There can be around 8 different political parties sitting on the opposition side. The party that has gained the most seats in the General Election becomes His Majesty's Government, whereas the party that has gained the second most seats, but did not achieve a majority in the General Election, becomes His Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

The main role of the 'Opposition' is to scrutinise and to hold the government accountable.

I can vaguely remember the news reporting that George W. Bush had said he wouldn't want to go head to head with the opposition in a debating chamber the way a British Prime Minister does, or something along those lines?

It doesn't really matter which party is in power, they all get similar treatment from the opposition. Brace yourslves, Prime Ministers Question Time:

The Westminister Parliamentary system forces the Prime Minister to be in the House and answering direct questions from the Opposition on a daily basis. Imagine how that would go, if a US President had to stand up on a daily basis, and defend the Government's actions in front of the media ? As it stands now, a US President does not have to defend his policies, to anyone.

 

[VaughanJB]

The Westminister Parliamentary system forces the Prime Minister to be in the House and answering direct questions from the Opposition on a daily basis. Imagine how that would go, if a US President had to stand up on a daily basis, and defend the Government's actions in front of the media ? As it stands now, a US President does not have to defend his policies, to anyone.

This is an important difference, I think. In the UK, we get to hear from both the Prime Minister, and his opponent, daily (or at least, most of the time). So over the four or five years between elections, we see and hear them interact, battle differences, and answer tough questions. When election time comes around, we can have a good idea if our leader is up to the job.

In the US, there's a cult of personality thing that goes on. You get introduced to someone who may well be a stranger to most. You simply have to have a leap of faith that one individual is better than another. Personalities and media reputation mean a whole lot more in the US.