pred questions plans

Question 1

Evaluate the view that the need for further English devolution is now overdue

Answer 1

P: metro mayors
E: USEFUL: ULEZ, Boris Bikes
However: Low turnout - London 42% 2021, 40.5% 2024

P: West Lothian question (EVEL)
E: Blair use Scot MPs to get English tuition increase
However: EVEL abandoned as unnecessary

P: English Parliament
E: Barnet Formula (£2k more spent on Scot)
However: English MPs dominate Westminster -> pointless, costly, time consuming

Question 2

Evaluate the view that the UK constitiution is in urgent need for further reform

Answer 2

P: Parliamentary reform
E: need prop rep - winners bonus. Sinn Fein 2019 0.6% -> 7 seats
However: no demand. AV ref 32% support

P: codification
E: protect rights better, Safety of Rwanda Act, Nationality and Borders Act 2022
However: better at protecting rights, can change and update collective rights better - Coronavirus Act 2020, Bill of Rights (proposed 2022)

P: devolution
E: Scotland can’t make international decisions (62% remain), gender recognition bill rejected
However: too much disunity, NI need restrained powers. Others currently have strong powers, 48% top rate tax Scot, 45% England.

Question 3

Evaluate the view that since 2010 constitutional reform has not gone far enough

Answer 3

P: Parliamentary reform
E: need better representation - winners bonus, 2019 SF 0.6% => 7 seats, 2015 UKIP 12.6% => 1 seat
However: Had chance, nobody cared => AV 32% voted in favour

P: Devolution
E: need more devolution as still demand - Scot IndyRef 2 (2017, 2022) Indy majority in Scot Parliament
However: got more powers 2016 Scotland Act, Wales Act 2014, demand fallen (Lab set to take Scot seats, 28)

P: Human Rights
E: need more HR protection because violated recently - Safety of Rwanda Act, 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, BBoR proposed
However: adaptable constitution has allowed form protection of rights (collective), 2020 Coronavirus Act

Question 4

Evaluate the view that since 2015 constitutional reform has not gone far enough

Answer 4

P: Parliamentary reform
E: need better representation - winners bonus, 2019 SF 0.6% => 7 seats, 2015 UKIP 12.6% => 1 seat
However: Had chance, nobody cared => AV 32% voted in favour

P: Devolution
E: need more devolution as still demand - Scot IndyRef 2 (2017, 2022) Indy majority in Scot Parliament
However: got more powers 2016 Scotland Act, demand fallen (Lab set to take Scot seats 28, Lab still dominate Wales)

P: Human Rights
E: need more HR protection because violated recently - Safety of Rwanda Act, 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, BBoR proposed
However: adaptable constitution has allowed form protection of rights (collective), 2020 Coronavirus Act

Question 5

Evaluate the view that there are more advantages to having a codified constitution than an uncodified one

Answer 5

P: Protection of rights
E: attempt to appeal HRA, BBoR, Safety of Rwanda Act, 2022 Nationality and Borders Act
However: adaptable - 2010 Equality Act, Dunblane Massacre

P: strengthen SC
E: Impartial so good, make rulings based on HR - independent selection commission. Rwanda policy illegal as Rwanda unsafe, Johnson attempt to prorogue parliament.
However: SC become politicised - Lord Chancellor is member of cabinet (Alex Chalk)

P: clarity (fuck conventions)
E: BoJo prorogue parliament, SNP opposition day Palestine, May not consult parliament on Syria, PM dominate cabinet (Blair)
However: flexible government, suspend stuff, CMR suspended during Brexit

Question 6

Evaluate the view that parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law has been undermined in recent years

Answer 6

P: EU
E: ECHR says no Rwands
However:

P: Devolved
E: Scot ability to push for indyref takes away parliamentary sovereignty
However:

P: interpretation of law by SC and Parliament
E: Parliament positioned above rule of law (as sovereign) but undermine rule of law - Rwanda. Parliamentary privilege
However:

Question 7

Evaluate the view that backbenchers have little influence on parliament

Answer 7

P: Select committees
E:
However:

P: BBBC/legislation and debate
E:
However:

P: support
E:
However:

Question 8

Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective means of scrutiny in parliament

Answer 8

P: Select committees are bipartisan
E: Write reforms make select committee chairs elected. Business and Trade select committee currently chaired by Liam Byrne (Labour). Scottish Affairs select committee currently chaired by
However: Government has majority in select committees because they are proportional to seats. Only around 20% of SC recommendations deal with flagship manifesto policies

P: SCs are independent from government - escape the whip
E: Jeremy hunt chair social care select committee 2021 pushed Jan lockdowns. 2022 gov accepted recommendations of education select committee when criticised on state school children catch up
However: gov doesn’t have to take up recommendations. BUT Amber Rudd resign as home sec in 2018 after misleading Select Committee on Windrush scandal

P: Lords select committees - expertise and specialization
E: Science and technology committee chaired by Baroness Brown (an engineer). Constitution committee member Lord Anderson (a barrister).
However: more narrow scope (specific and specialised but not broad) - currently only 5 Lords committees like EU committee and Economic Affairs committee

Question 9

Evaluate the view that the opposition is effective in the House of Commons

Answer 9

P: Opposition legislation (opposition days)
E:
However:

P: Governments depend on opposition sometimes
E:
However:

P: Scrutiny
E:
However:

Question 10

Evaluate the view that the executive dominance ensures parliament has little meaningful control over the legislative process

Answer 10

P: Proposal of legislation
E: PM primary leg proposer.
However: BBBC and op days

P: Gov largest party
E: bruit force legislation, Johnson Brexit whereas May fail x3
However: Don’t have to follow whips. BUT big majoirity dont really matter

P: Scrutiny from Lords
E: patronage from PM so ideologically align and stack Lords in their favour. Peter Cruddas pushed through by BoJo, Tory donor.
However: Lords still scrutinise well, experts, committees. Science and technology committee chaired by Baroness Brown (an engineer). Constitution committee member Lord Anderson (a barrister).

Question 11

Evaluate the view that the House of Commons is in urgent need of reform

Answer 11

P: Proportional representation
E: winners bonus, Sinn Fein 0.6% => 7 seats, UKIP 2015 12.6% => 1 seat. It is meant to be a representative chamber
However: winners bonus allows for effective governance, respond to crisis, so no to reform. Also no demand, AV 32%.

P: Commons procedures/scrutiny
E: Often theatrical, PMQs not scrutiny just theatrics - Sunak ask Starmer question in April.
However: Scrutiny still occurs, commons committees allow for escape of whip, Write reforms. Theatrics play important role in engaging the public, Q1 2024 YouGov 81% “fame” rating

P: Fused powers (exec should be independent from HoC)
E:
However: There is sufficient independence. BBBC provides chance for non-gov ministers to debate stuff (2022 cost of living debate highlighted need for gov independence to ease burden on working class families).

Question 12

Evaluate the view that the PM has become a president in all but name

Answer 12

P: National representative (head of state)
E:
However:

P: Erosion of cabinet government
E:
However:

P: Centre of media attention
E:
However:

Question 13

Evaluate the view that ministers are irrelevant

Answer 13

P: CMR
E: Payroll vote. Irrelevant as can’t express their own views publicly -
However: Suspended at times of significant division (2011 AV, 2016 Brexit). Also resignations make them relevant

P: PM/cabinet leadership
E:
However:

P:
E:
However:

Question 14

Evaluate the view that cabinet government remains central to the workings of the executive

Answer 14

P: CMR
E: Irrelevant as can’t express their own views publicly -
However: Suspended at times of significant division (2011 AV, 2016 Brexit). Also resignations make them relevant

P: PM/cabinet leadership
E:
However:

P:
E:
However:

Question 15

Evaluate the view that the PMs have little control over events

Answer 15

P: Economic events
E:
However:

P: Foreign events
E:
However:

P: National crisis
E:
However:

Question 16

Evaluate the view that the executive fulfils its functions poorly

Answer 16

P: Creation of policy
E: got brexit done, Rwanda,
However: the quad, only part of exec successful - policy often generated from small portion of executive (2019 Brexit, 2010 quad)

P: Control over departments
E: Taken responsibility for departments through IMR - Kwasi resign
However: only convention to take accountability - Chrissy G

P: Government operations and actions
E: declare war, May bomb Syria
However: conventions limit, Blair 2003 Cameron 2013. limits on exec statutory powers, prorogue parliament

Question 17

Evaluate the view that leaving the EU has decisively returned sovereignty to the UK Parliament

Answer 17

P: Courts
E:
However:

P: EU policy and regulations
E:
However:

P: legislation
E: BBoR could have overturned EU stuff. ECHR stop Rwanda flights
However: residual legislation of EU remains in UK law. 1998 HRA embeds ECHR.

Question 18

Evaluate the view that the location of sovereignty has moved in recent years

Answer 18

P: Brexit
E: Could be said that sov was with EU but now isn’t (back with Parliament). Common fisheries policy disadvantaged UK fishers
However: sov was always with Parliament so never really changed.

P: People
E: People voted Brexit so people have sov.
However: Convention that ref was followed, Parliament had legal authority to not carry out result. Form of Brexit determined by Parliament, not people. Parties propose second ref.

P: Devolution
E: Recent years more devolved powers - 2016 Scot Act. Wales and Scotland have all powers other than those reserved by Parliament. Taxation variance, smoking, tuition.
However: Parliament reserves some powers. Gender recognition bill, IndyRef 2.

Question 19

Evaluate the view that the UK Supreme Court is effective at checking on the power of the government

Answer 19

P: Interaction with legislation
E: Dec of incompatibility
However: just change law bro

P: Interaction with gov actions
E: ultra vires, BoJo prorogue
However:

P:
E:
However: