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THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE IS TO OUTLINE THE CHANGES IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT THAT DEVELOPED IN THE 1970'S, FOCUSING ON THE DECLINE OF GOVERNING MAJORITIES, THE RISE OF INTRAPARTY DISSENT, AND GOVERNMENT DEFEATS IN THE DIVISION LOBBIES. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE TRENDS FOR THEORIES OF PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT, WITH ITS ASSUMPTION OF HIGH DEGREES OF PARTY LOYALTY, ETC., ARE DISCUSSED.

BRITISH GOVERNMENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER DEFEATS IN CONSEQUENCE OF INTRA-PARTY DISSENT IN STANDING COMMITTEES THAN AT OTHER STAGES OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, AND THE NUMBER OF SUCH DEFEATS SHOWED A MARKED INCREASE IN THE 1970-4 PERIOD OF PARLIAMENT. SUCH DEFEATS ARE NOT INFREQUENTLY ACCEPTED BY GOVERNMENTS, ESPECIALLY LABOR GOVERNMENTS.

THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A DETAILED VIEW OF THE LEGISLATION INVOLVED IN THE DEFEAT OF THE IMMIGRATION RULES OF 1972 AND USES THIS PARTICULAR CASE TO ELABORATE UPON CERTAIN PATTERNS OF DISSENTION TO BE FOUND IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. AN EXCELLENT CONCLUSION IS INCLUDED, PROVIDING A COHERENT LIST OF THE FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE DEFEAT. THE AUTHOR PROVIDES A FULL ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION.

THIS ARTICLE CONSIDERS COMPETING HYPOTHESES--THE MARGINALIZATION AND THE CONSTRAINING HAND THESES--ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO GOVERNMENT DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT RELATIONSHIP FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PEACETIME. THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE CONSTRAINING HAND HYPOTHESES, WITH THE SITUATION CREATED BY WAR GENERATING A HOUSE OF COMMONS WITH MORE INFLUENCE OVER THE EXECUTIVE THAN IS GENERALLY CONCEDED. HOWEVER, THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT EXPERIENCE WAS TO DETER THE HOUSE OF COMMONS FROM UNDERTAKING SIGNIFICANT, AND ARGUABLY NECESSARY INSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN PEACETIME.

IT IS ONLY RELATIVELY RECENTLY THAT THE TWO BRITISH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT HAVE SEEN A DEGREE OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION THROUGH THE USE OF SPECIALIZED COMMITTEES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION HAS BEEN LIMITED AND THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR REFORM, SHIFTING THE EMPHASIS FROM THE CHAMBER TO COMMITTEE WORK, HAVE BEEN A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, POLITICAL WILL AND LEADERSHIP. AFTER THE 1997 ELECTION, PARLIAMENT MAY MOVE FROM A NASCENT TO A DEVELOPED INSTITUTIONALISM IN THE NEW CENTURY.

THE WORK OF DONALD SEARING PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF THE MOTIVATIONAL ROLES OF BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S. DRAWING ON SEARING'S WORK, THIS PAPER CONSIDERS THE EMERGENCE OF THE POLICY ADVOCATE, IDENTIFYING THE LIKELY REASONS FOR THE DECLINE OF MORE TRADITIONAL ROLES, THE UNEXPECTEDLY LARGE NUMBER OF POLICY ADVOCATES IN LATER PARLIAMENTS. COGNITIVE MOBILIZATION HAS GENERATED A NEW BREED OF M P AND CHANGES IN PARLIAMENTARY BEHAVIOR AND STRUCTURES HAVE CONSOLIDATED THE POSITION OF THE POLICY ADVOCATE. THE RISE OF THE POLICY ADVOCATE HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND, GIVEN INCREASING DEMANDS MADE OF MPS, THE NUMBER OF POLICY ADVOCATES IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE IN THE FUTURE.