What Is The Parliamentary Function Of "Legitimacy"�?

Parliament has six main functions. The first is that it has a duty to provide the government and political process with legitimacy. Elected representatives to parliament (MPs) do this by supporting the government (which is formed by the party with an overall majority or a coalition of parties) by giving their assent to government proposals to change laws. Of course, members of the opposition parties oppose many pieces of legislation. But as long as the governing party has a large and supportive majority in the House of Commons, there is usually no problem in rubber-stamping the government's agenda.

The loss of legitimacy can only be restored if a vote of confidence in the government is passed. The process of legitimacy coming from parliament as a whole is a further dimension. It is the agreement from all sides in parliament that once parliamentary approval has been given to a change in the law, the new law should be obeyed unless and until Parliament changes the law again.