Constitutional Reform - 2010 Coalition Flashcards

1
Q

coalitions const changes

general successes and failures

A
  • when Tories and LD formed a coalition gov in 2010, they had to agree on const refomr
  • LD main priority was a referendum on electoral reform, delivered in 2011
  • further achievement of coaliton included fixed term parliament act in 2011, protection of freedoms act in 2012 and recall of Mps act 2015
  • further devolution introduced in S and W during coalition and subsequent tory govs
  • other reforms fell through –> reducing MP number, introducing elected HoL element and introducing british bill of rights
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2
Q

10 things the coalition gov of 2010 achieved

A
  1. fixed term parliaments act 2015 –> established a pattern of GE every 5 years
  2. Scot Devolution –> 2012, gave scot gov further powers via devolution 2016 (more fiscal (money) autonomy)
  3. Welsh devolution 2014 –> response to the silk commission, further W devolution (taxation powers)
  4. protection of freedoms act 2012 –> aim to restore protection of civil liberties
  5. lord reform act 2014 –> act aimed at halting the number who can sit and vote in the HoL
  6. commons reform –> carried on wright committee suggestions
  7. west Lothian question –> S,W, NI votes on E but not vice versa, EVEL arises
  8. electoral reform –> conservatives did not want a new system but LD wanted to replace FPTP with STV
  9. recall of MPs act 2015
  10. British bill of rights –> 2010 cameron manifesto, bill of rights instead of HRA to fix the ‘mess’ it was
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3
Q

3 successes of fixed term parliaments

A
  1. more power to parliament: removed the PMs ability to call parliament at a particularly advantageous time
  2. general elections still held at regular intervals today
  3. coalition stays together, agreed: brings stability in parliament
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4
Q

3 failures of fixed term parliaments

A
  1. an early election was called in 2017, showing its limitations
  2. governments can still retain powers through appointing leaders by other votes
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5
Q

3 successes of S devolution

A
  1. powers over tax gained (income tax), regulation of controlled drugs and can borrow 2.2 bn per annum
  2. fiscal autonomy under 2016 act
  3. Scottish gov cannot be abolished with referendum
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6
Q

2 failures of S devolution

A
  1. not entirely independent, cannot vote on english laws
  2. major UK laws still decided by west minister
  3. raising 50%> of finances, now want to be independent, erodes UK stability
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7
Q

3 success of W devolution

A
  1. control over smaller taxes passed to devolved W institution
  2. name of welsh executive changed to welsh gov (Senedd Cymru) –> only abolished by referendum
  3. choose their own electoral system
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8
Q

failures of W devolution

A
  1. not alot of demand for devolution/independence in wales –> 2011 referendum: 36% turnout (1/3 of pop)
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9
Q

3 successes of protection of freedoms

A
  1. act offered citizens greater protection from the state by putting in place proper scrutiny of security services, oversight or surveillance + data collection (if charges on a person is dropped, all data on them is destroyed)
  2. police stop and search is limited
  3. terrorist suspects held for 14 not 28 days, unlike labour reforms
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10
Q

2 failures of Protection of freedoms

A
  1. went to far for protecting information (DNA) and ignored expert advice, that helped investigators find criminals
  2. legislation is incoherent, focused on intrusion on public sector not private sector
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11
Q

a success of the lords reform

A
  1. gives existing peers the right to retire or resign from their seats –> can also be removed in criminal cases
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12
Q

2 failures in lords reforms

A
  1. burns report: should only be 600 seats on a 15 year peerage each
  2. lib dems: 300 elected peers but cameron dropped it as the more party (tories) - threatens the coalition
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13
Q

3 successes in commons reform

A
  1. chairs of HoL selected, which scrutinise gov departments
  2. Wright Committee e petitions
  3. back bench committee determines HoC business once a week
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14
Q

3 failures in commons reform

A
  1. wanted 600 MPs instead of 650 meaning a more evenly distributed spread constituencies but lib dems blocked as tories blocked their lords reform LOL
  2. wanted to change constituencies boundaries –> labour said these changes would lead to Jerry manning, unfair advantage to tories
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15
Q

3 successes in EVEL

A
  1. funding is more evenly distributed in the country (S, W, NI had better funding per person b4)
  2. England devolvement –> has its own power
  3. EVEL used in jan 2016: leg grand committee reps england and decides what involved england only
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16
Q

5 failures of EVEL

A
  1. Uk stability: separate powers
  2. S,W,NI can still vote despite EVEL –> members of HoL
  3. doesnt do alot really
  4. politicises the role of the speaker
  5. creates classes of MPs (grand committee and normal)
17
Q

success of electoral reform

A
  1. conservatives keep their promise for the referendum –> 68% said no to reform, so FPTP conserved
18
Q

2 failures of electoral reform

A
  1. could be due to SVT unpopularity compared to PR, not a lack of wanting change
  2. seen by the public as a protest vote against LD, rather than electoral reform (unpopular)
19
Q

2 successes of recall of MPs

A
  1. in cases of serious misconduct MPs can be recalled
  2. can happen if they are sent to prison, have false expenses claims, or is suspended for 2 weeks from commons
20
Q

2 failures of recall of MPs

A
  1. some argue the bar is set too high (too hard to get them really recalled) –> paisley and sri lanka (he advocated for them but did not mention they paid for his trip there), but 44 votes short of recall
  2. process is too watered down and voters cannot recall simply for doing a poor job unlike other countries –> commission of standards decides everything
21
Q

2 failures of the British bill of rights

A
  1. cameron made a commission but didnt get anything agreed after 20 months
  2. pushed back due to Brexit
22
Q

huge success for tories in 2010

A

European union withdrawal act 2020
- huge tory success as johnsons campaign to ‘get Brexit done’ came through