Democracy And Participation Flashcards
Direct democracy:
Citizens assembly on climate change - 2019, 108 members and recommendations on various policy areas increasing public representation and direct democracy
Referendums:
- Scottish independence referendum 2014
- AV referendum
- EU referendum - divided Tory eurosceptics, were settled by referendum.
Other:
- Recall of MPs act 2010
- Switzerland are a direct democracy and use initiatives, votes for president and has citizens assembly, federal.
- New England - citizenship legislature and local town hall elections
- UK Citizens Assembly On Climate Change with 108 members that mirror diversity in society in terms of gender, age, ethnicity etc…
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Representative deomcracy
- range of elections gives voters more chances to participate: police crime commissioners since 2012, metro mayors election since 2017, London mayor elections since 2000.
- deflected MPs shows judgement they can make to support what’s best for constituents. E.g. Wakeford in 2022 resigned after Party Gate due to poor leadership and other things.
Disadvantages: elected parties don’t always follow will of people e.g. Lib Dem’s when in coalition with tories went against promise to cut tuition fees and instead, increased them. - MPs deflecting could undermine rep democracy as they change party to the one they were elected to serve and represent.
Participation crisis:
- yes: low turnout in 2001 at 58% compared to 1997 at 76%
- only 1.6% of population belong to political party membership which was 3.8^ in 1983
- no: increase in participation in pressure groups like climate crisis and Iraq war
- over 5.5 million signatures for petition to revoke Article 50.
Membership: - Tory - 2019 = 180000. 2022 = 172000
- labour - 2019 = 485000. 2023 = 400000
Turnout:
Highest:
UK - 1992 GE 77.7%
Scotland - 2021 63%
Wales - 2021 46%
Greater LND - 2016 45%
Lowest:
UK - 20012 GE 59.4%
Referendums:
Scottish Independence - 85%
EU - 72.2%
Good Friday - 81%
Welsh devolution - 50%
AV ref - 42%
1992 GE
Turnout - 77.7%
Winner - tories
% votes - 41.9%
1997 GE
Turnout - 71.4%
Winner - lab
% votes - 43.2%
2010 GE
Turnout - 65.1%
Winner - Tories + Libs
% Votes:
Libs 23%
Tories 36%
2015 GE
Turnout - 66.2%
Winner - Tory
% votes - 36.8%
2017 GE
Turnout - 68.8%
Winner - Tory
% votes - 42.3%
2019 GE
Turnout - 67.3%
Winner - Tory
% votes - 43.6%
Votes differ in importance and significance:
2019 GE - Sheffield Hallam
- 8.8 % between 1st and 3rd
- Knowsley labour majority of 72.71% so SURPLUS
Pressure groups
- Green peace - 3 million members so good funding
- National farmers union - insider lobbyists, over 55,000 members, lobbies with DEFRA who benefit from NFU expertise and advice, lobbies for new funding to fit farmers needs (£45M)
- National autistic society - ‘I EXIST” campaign bought Autism act 2009 by MP Cheryl Gillian through private members bill.
- ## 2023, despite Just Stop Oil protests (outsiders), Sunak granted 100 new North Sea oil and gas licenses
Think tanks
Fabian society = centre left has influenced kier starmer
Tony Blair Institute offers policy advise aligning with centrist progressive ideas
Lobbying scandals
2020:
Cameron messaging Sunak to get company Greensill onto COVID corporate finance facility scheme.
2024:
Scott Benton MP for Tories and Blackpool South constituency .
Faced by election after weaker of lobbying scandal.
Filmed offering to lobby minister for a fake company in a newspaper sting. He was offering to leak confidential policy paper from parliamentary questions.
Suspended and resigned.
2024:
- Tabasco and Vapes Act
- 383 MPs for and 67 against
- lobbying from tobacco companies failed
- cancer research UK (insider) = successful
Judicial review
Irrationality = Hndcock sent home Covid patients from hospital leading to many deaths
Freedom of info act + scandal
2000
- mp expenses
- Peter viggers claims £1645 for duck house
Anti terrorism crime and security act
- 2001
- Detains suspected non-British terrorists.
- Protects collective rights but limits individual rights.
Prevention of terrorism act
- 2005
- Control suspected terrorists with house arrests, phone restriction and lack of freedom of movement.
- Restricts individual rights but protects collective rights.
Terrorism act
- 2006
- Arrested suspects held for 90 day period before being charged with crime. 90 days rejected in report stage and reduced to 28 day detention.
- Individual rights limited and possibly breached if innocent and collective rights protected from dangerous people.
Counter terrorism act
- 2008
- Detain suspects for 42 days but was rejected. So protects individual rights as it prevents longer detention.
- But it doesn’t protect collective rights if a guilty person is let free.
Terrorism asset freezing act
- 2010
- Reduced right to enjoyment of property like financial restrictions.
- Restricts individual rights to protect collective rights.
Investigatory powers act
- 2016
- Retention of personal electronic data.
- Limits individuals rights to privacy.
Police crime sentencing and courts act
- 2022
- Restrictions on protesting freedoms.
- Reduces individual freedom of expression but does protect collective from harmful impacts of protests.
Public order act
- 2023
- Prevents ‘locking on’ and other disruptive physical forms of protest.
- Protects collective, limits individual.
