Democracy And Participation - Case Studies + Evidence Flashcards
Direct Democracy - Turnout
Voting turnout in 2016 EU referendum - 72.2%
- 7.6% voting increase for 2016 EU referendum
Voting turnout for 2014 scottish independence referendum - 84.6%
Direct Democracy - Outcome
Over 1m people protested after the outcome of the EU referendum (argument against direct democracy)
2015 - recall of MPs act - successfully used to remove Fiona Onasanya and Christopher Davies-Ian Paisley Jr’s petition was unsuccessful (signed by 9.4% of constitutes)
Representative Democracy - Turnout + Results
London 2021 mayoral election - 42.2% voter turnout
2001 general election turnout- 59.4%
2005 Labour won majority with 35.3% of vote
2017 general election turnout - 68.8%
2019 general election turnout - 67.3%
Wider Franchise and Debates over Suffrage
Over 89% of the 16-17 year olds registered for Scottish Independence referendum
Elections act 2022 - New requirement for voter ID which could suppress voter turnout particular in areas where people have less authenticated ID - poorer areas can’t afford to travel so won’t have passports/licences (less likely to be conservative)
Measures proposed to weaken independence of electoral commission which supervises elections and investigates breaches of electoral law
Civil Disobedience
In 2023, Just Stop Oil abandons disruptive climate protests in the UK after being shamed by Tory Government
Fathers4Justice had to abandon methods of civil disobedience such as throwing purple flour on Tony Blair during a commons meeting (failed to achieve significant change)
Don’t Pay UK (grassroots) - In response to Cost of Living Crisis (echoes Anti-Poll Tax Alliance) 192,000+ people signed up for the campaign
Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022 - Strengthens police’s power to tackle disruptive protests
77% of junior doctors voted to strike in 2023
Insider Pressure Groups
CBI (Confederation of British Industry) - key insider group - 2022, Rishi Sunak made a speech on he CBI conference - CBI analysed the detailed of the 2022 of the 2022 Austin Statement - CBI responded to the speech by requesting to hear details of measures set to achieve Sunak’s goals.
BMA - lobbied policy makers through direct meeting, parliamentary briefing and media work to ensure the Health and Care Act 2022 addressed their concerns.
Outsider Pressure Groups
38 Degrees - uses social media to effect change and has 2.5 million members - successful in stopping privatisation of England’s forests + their website allows members to quickly choose and advocate for their own campaign
GreenPeace - influenced the decision by Michael Gove to ban bee harming pesticides however this ban was repealed in 2023
Marcus Rashford worked with ‘Fare Share’ on the #MaketheUTurn and convinced the government to provide families in England with vouchers for free school meals during summer for pupils in need
Think-Tanks
IEA (Institute of Economic Affairs) - neoliberal think tank - Liz Truss had important links with - had spoken at more of their events then any other politicians in 12 years
+ Truss’ Senior special advisor, Ruth Porter, as communications director at the IEA
- significant influence on brexit - revealed ‘fiscal hole’ after 2022 mini budget
Lobbying
2021 Greensill Scandal - Cameron lobbied Rishi Sunak via text message on behalf of the company ‘Greensill’ who paid $10 million over the course of two and a half years for part time work - accused of exploiting contracts for his own benefit
Owen Patterson left the commons after November 2021 after being accused of breaking lobbying riles
Bernie Ecclestone Affair
Rights in Context
Supreme Court declares governments 2004 Civil Partnership Act incompatible with HRA in 2018 - Government amended act in 2019
Blanket ban on allowing prisoners to vote was incompatible with ECHR - Due to 2005 case of John Hirst
However - two convicted murderers who argue that the ECHR gave them the right to vote had their appeals dismissed but the S.C in Westminster in 2013
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - allowed public to access the information of public bodies in the name of transparency and following expense scandals
Rights In Context (Cont.)
2013 - Court of Appeals upheld a legal challenge by 5 disabled people over the decision to abolish the independent living allowance
Abu Qatada - deportation to Jordan was blocked due the the belief that the evidence obtained under torture would be used against him - finally deported after 10 years
Investigatory Power Act 2016 - allows for greater state surveillance in Britain - collecting data from devices
2022 PoliceCrime and Sentencing Bill - Criminalises one person protests, gives police power to impose on noisy protests, creates ‘buffer’ around parliament
2023 Public Order Bill - further limits to right to protest
