British Constitution: Issues And Debates Around Recent Constitutional Changes

Question 1

What were the main themes of Tony Blair’s ‘biggest programme of change to democracy ever proposed’ promised in the New Labour manifesto in 1997?

Answer 1

Modernisation, Greater Democracy, Devolution, Human Rights

Question 2

What did the House of Lords Act 1999 do?

Answer 2

Removed from the Lords all but 92 hereditary peers and allowed for the introduction for more nominated (not elected) life peers, including so-called ‘peoples peer’

Question 3

What did the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 do?

Answer 3

Created a separate Supreme Court, replaced the Law Lords, who sat in Lords

Question 4

What did the House of Lords Reform Bill 2012 propose to do?

Answer 4

Proposed that a reformed Lords should comprise of 80% elected members and just 20% nominated, removing hereditary peers, the Bill being abandoned after 91 Conservative backbenchers voted against it

Question 5

What did the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 do?

Answer 5

Enabled the eldest child of the monarch to send to the throne irrespective of gender

Question 6

What did the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 do?

Answer 6

Gave existing peers the right to retire from their seats in the Lords, as well as enabling the removal of peers convicted of serious criminal offences

Question 7

What are some examples of the House Of Lords Reform Act 2014 working?

Answer 7

By early 2020 six peers had been removed for non-attendance like Baron Wolfson in 2017, 106 retired including Lord Lloyd Webber in 2017 and former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Steel in 2020

Question 8

What are laws (or proposed laws) since 1997 that have modernised political institutions?

Answer 8

House of Lords Act 1999, Constitutional Reform Act 2005, House of Lords Reform Bill 2012, Succession to the Crown Act 2013, House of Lords Reform Act 2014

Question 9

What are laws since 1997 to increase greater democracy?

Answer 9

Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997, Greater London Authority Act 1999, European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999, Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, 2011 Fixed-terms Parliaments Act (FTPA)

Question 10

What did the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997 do?

Answer 10

Allowed referendums in both Scotland and Wales over the creation of devolved assemblies, yes in both countries lead to devolution taking place

Question 11

What did the Greater London Authority Act 1999 do?

Answer 11

Allowed for the setting up of a directly elected mayor for London, the Local Government Act 2000 contained provisions for elected mayors in other cities following local referendums

Question 12

What did the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 do?

Answer 12

Changed the electoral system for European Parliament elections in England Wales and Scotland from FPTP to the regional close list system

Question 13

What did the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011?

Answer 13

Allowed for the direct election of Police and Crime Commissioners

Question 14

what did the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act (FTPA) do?

Answer 14

Required the Prime Minister ti secure the support of at least two-thirds of MPs to call an early general election, it was repealed in 2022

Question 15

What did the Scotland Act 1998, Wales Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Act 1998?

Answer 15

Set up elected devolved assemblies/parliaments in these countries

Question 16

What laws since 1997 have been created to increase human rights?

Answer 16

Human Rights Act 1998, Freedom Of Information Act 2000, Equality Act 2010, Protection Of Freedoms Act 2012, Data Protection Act 2018

Question 17

What did the Human Rights Act 1998 do?

Answer 17

Incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK law

Question 18

What did the Freedom of Information Act 2000 do?

Answer 18

Gave individuals greater access to information held by public bodies including national and local government?

Question 19

What did the Equality Act 2010 do?

Answer 19

Brought together around 116 individual measures into a single Act to combat discrimination

Question 20

What did the Protections of Freedoms Act 2012?

Answer 20

offered citizens created protection from the state by enhancing scrutiny of the security services

Question 21

What did the Data Protection Act 2018 do?

Answer 21

This is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) all EU members states were obliged to implement the regulations

Question 22

What are some of the successes of modernisation of political institutions in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 22

The House of Lords has undergone a substantial transformation, the creation of the Supreme Court has enabled a clear separation between the executive and judiciary and the notion of gender equality has even reached the traditions of the royal family

Question 23

What are some of the failures of modernisation of political institutions in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 23

Reform of the House of Lords remains incomplete and unfinished, the creation of the Supreme Court has arguably led to too much power residing with unelected and unaccountable justices and the royal family alteration to the lien of succession Sia. very minor tweak

Question 24

What are some of the successes of Democratisation in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 24

There is greater autonomy in some large cities, the reform of European Parliament elections enabled a greater variety of parties to be represented, The direct elections of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) has also enhanced democracy

Question 25

What are some of the failures of Democratisation in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 25

The devolution in regions has mixed success, with Torbay voting to rid it in 2016 after approving it in 2015, with turnout at regional elections being extremely poor, lack of enthusiasm for reform of national elections and the provisions of FTPA were easily overcome in 2017 and 2019

Question 26

What are some of the successes of Human Rights in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 26

The renewed emphasis on and landmark legislation in the area of human rights, Laws concerning privacy and access to information have also enhanced and the important role of the UK Supreme Court

Question 27

What are some of the failures of Human Rights in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 27

The expansion of rights has led to the rise of ‘identity politics’ and also to a clash between individual and collective rights, the growing role of the courts in human rights case has led to much controversy, the Freedom of Information Act has many request for information declined for various reasons

Question 28

What are some of the successes of Devolution in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 28

Has worked well in Scotland and Wales, popular supra for devolution has increased, some argue devolved parliament stopped Scotland backing full separation, In Northern Ireland it at leats stopped the violence

Question 29

What are some of the failures of Devolution in the British Constituency past 1997?

Answer 29

Devolution and not succeeded everywhere like Northern Ireland and the long suspensions of that assembly, Support for devolution in England has not increased