1. 2- constitutional reforms after new labour

Question 1

what constitutional reforms were passed under the coalition?

Answer 1

• fixed term parliament act
• implemented the recoomendations of the wright committee
• altered succession to the crown so that gender no longer played a role
• held referenums on devolution

Question 2

what were the wright commitee reforms?

Answer 2

• mps vote for the chairs of select commitees rather than them being chosen by whips
• public could put issues on the agenda if an e petition got more than 100,000 signatures. required for debate if backed by an mp

Question 3

what constitutional reforms were abandones by the constitution?

Answer 3

• AV was rejected by the electorate
• the coalition indoduced a bill to replace the lords with an 80% elected senate, members would have 15 year terms, rejected by parliament
• conservatives sought to reduce the no of mps and increase the size of constituencies, not supported by Lib Dems

Question 4

what did the fixed term parliament act do?

Answer 4

• removed the perogative power of the prime minister to call a snap election
• requred 2/3 of parliament to support a snap election
• designed to reassure the lib dems that cameron wouldnt call a snap election
• in 2017 and 2019 the opposition were shamed into voting for an election
• removed in 2022

Question 5

what powers did wales get in further devolution under the coalition?

Answer 5

• brought wales in line with the scottish and northern irish devolved bodies
• 2014 government of waled act gave control over landfill tax and stamp duty

Question 6

what powers were given to scotland after the 2016 scotland act?

Answer 6

• scotland gained control over 50% of VAT
• set all bands and rates of income tax
• control over the franchise (reduced voting age to 16)

Question 7

what was introduced in 2015 to adress the lack of devolution in england? how often was it used between 2015- 2017?

Answer 7

EVEL
- allowed english mps to veto any legislation that only affected england from being passed
- only used for 1/3 of bills between 2015 and 2017
- Was scrapped in 2020

Question 8

summarise constitutional reforms since 2015.

Answer 8

• recall of mps act
• EVEL
• devolution to scotland

Question 9

what was the fixed term parliament act?

Answer 9

• 2015
• if an mp is sentenced to a custodial sentence or is suspended from the commons for more than 21 days a byelection is triggerd if atleast 10% of constituents sign a recall petition

Question 10

give a recent example of a section 35 order.

Answer 10

• section 45 allows govt to block a bill from a devolved body in exeptional circumstances
• rishi sunak used a section 45 order to block the scottish gender recoginition act

Question 11

what would a british bill of rights change?

Answer 11

• ECHR rulings would not be binding in UK courts
• easier to deport foreign criminals
• introduce a permissions stage for human rights claims
• would breach the northern ireland peace treaty

Question 12

what was Domic rabbs criticism of the HRA?

Answer 12

• it had lead to unjustifiably successful court claims over issues such as terrorism and immigration