Consitutional reforms 1997-2010 Flashcards
What is constitutional reform?
The act of modernising the way a country’s run
Why would reform a constitution?
Fears of parliamentary sovereignty
Corruption and sleese associated with the HoC
Fairness in electoral system
Future of HoL
Exclusion of civil liberty’s
What are the different areas of reform
Parliamentary reform
Rights
Electoral reform
Devolution
Judiciary
What are the different parliamentary reforms?
House of lords act 1998
Pmq
MP express scandal
Parliamentary reform- House of lords act 1999
stage 1- to remove all but 82 hereditary peers
Stage 2- new procedure if electeting peers into an new democratic chamber
Stage 3- never occurred
Parliamentary reforms- PMQ
Replaced 2 15 minute sessions with single 30 minute sessions
Parliamentary reforms- MP express scandals 2009?
Prompting a new system where by the issue if expenses and MPs pay was placed in hands of independence comments
What are the rights act?
Human rights act 2003
Freedom of information act 2000
Rights- HRA 1998?
Ensuring most of the provisions of the EU convention on human rights
Examples of human rights?
-Right to libertys
-Personal security
-A right to a fair trial
Times when human rights reflected work?
-A gay couple refused a flat due to benefit- this act protected them as it was the right to treat equally
-A man with special needs protected from going to care home
-Politician Abu Qatar refusal from being sent back to country on suspicion of terrors
Rights- freedom of information act?
Rights for citizens to see information about themselves held by public bodies
Makes govt transparent
Electoral reform acts?
STV
AMS
Regional list
Electoral reform- STV?
Introduced in local election in scotland and northern ireland in 1999
Electoral reform- AMS?
Introduced in scottish parliament 1990 and welsh assembly 1990 and national assembly in n. ireland 2001
Electoral reform- Regional list?
In EU parliament 1999
Constitutional reform Devolution?
Scotland act 1998
Wales act 1998
N. Ireland act 1998
Devolution constitutional reform- Scotland act?
Yes 74.3%
Asked if they want tax varying powers by 1%
Also allowing administrative legislative and financial devolution allowing to do reserved matters and now devolved matters
Devolution- Welsh act
Welsh national assembly created in 1999, weaker than scottish parliament
Had second legislative and executive powers but no primary legislative authority
Only in policy areas like education
Develution- Northern ireland
Good friday agreement created N. Ireland assembly
Powers over primary legislation over education and health agenda of foreign policy and relationship with irish republic economy policy (social policy and taxation in west minster)
Granted legislative powers iver similar range of policy areas as the scottish parliament but not tax varying powers
Judiciary constitutional reform?
Constitutional reform act 2005
Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (2010)
Judiciary- constitutional reform act 2005
Establishing a new supreme court
-Reform role of lord chancellor (all 3 branches of govt decided into 3 jobs so one person didn’t overlook all)
-Reformed process of appointing judges
-Positions are now advertised instead of a talent scout, supreme court selection
Criticisms of new labour policy’s- Liberalism?
Not gone far enough
Still hereditary peers in HoL
Still no written constitution
Criticisms of new labour- conservatism?
Gone to far
Parliament has lost too much strength eu has it
HoL was institutional and it worked well
Devolution will break union
Evaluation of constitutional changes?
Modernisation of political institution
Democratisation
Devolution
Human rights
Evaluation of reform- Modernisation of political institutional - successes
-Creation of supreme court enabled separation between executive and judiciary
-HoL are now smaller so therefore more diverse and less controversial
-Gendered equality’s reached royal family
Evaluation of reform- Modernisation of political instetutional - Failures
-Reforms of the HoL remain incompetent and unfair
-The altercation to the line of royal succession is minor
Evaluation of reform- Democratisation - succsesses
-Direct election of police and crime commission enhanced opportunity for political party’s
-Reform has european park elections has enabled a greater variety of party’s to be replaced
-Greater authority in larger city’s
Evaluation of reform- Democratisation- Failures
-Turnout in mayoral election was bad
-Lack of enthusiasm for from the voting system for national election e.g. AV
-Provisions of FPT were easy
Evaluation of reform- Devolution- successes
-A huge role in the UK supreme court
-Interpretive legislation and has increased protection of citizens rights
-Renewed emphasis landmark legislation has increased awareness of citizens rights
-Laws concerning privacy and access for information have enhances rights
Evaluation of reform- Devolution- Failures?
-Rights lead to a rise in of identity politics and a class or collective rights
-Growing role of the constitution on human rights have lead to controversy
-Freedom of information act has not worked as for many requests from politicians the info breech was denied
Evaluation of reform- Human rights- success
-Popular support for devolution has increased hugely in 1997
-Wide spread demand indy ref
-Devolution has worked increasingly well especially in Scotland and Wales
-N. ireland devolution process has helped end the violent period known as the troubles
Evaluation of reform- Human rights failures?
-Support for england develution has increased
-Only a devolved parliment that stopped full seperation from the UK in 2017
-Develution hasn’t succseeded everywhere e.g. N.ireland policy
