representative democracy operates effectively

Question 1

political corruption

Answer 1

-because of the power MPs hold,corporate interests tend to capture them via second jobs,can result in MPs prioritising this over their constituents
-e.g. Daily Telegraph paid Johnson £275,000 a year while he sat as an MP
-2009 expenses scandal exposed corruption, this resulted in widespread anger,resignations,retirements and 5 MPs going to prison
-misuse of tax payers money,Peter Viggers MP claimed £1,600 for a duck house

Question 2

political corruption evaluation

Answer 2

it would be unfair to suggest that all MPs are corrupt or that corruption is widespread. the vast majority of MPs are hard-working individuals who are committed to serving their constituents and the country as a whole.the UK has a robust system of checks and balances in place to prevent and punish corruption, including strict lobbying rules and an independent body (Parliamentary Standards Committee) responsible for investigating allegations of wrongdoing by MPs.

Question 3

elite trustees

Answer 3

-key advantage is that law making is handed to elite trustees , law making is complex in terms of the writing and considering the societal impact
-2019 parliament gives clear evidence for ‘elite’ MPs, 22% attended Oxford or Cambridge while nationwide only 1% did
-elite profile of MPs matters as they are suited to law making and resisting popular opinion if it isn’t in the national interest

Question 4

elite trustees evaluation

Answer 4

While it is true to suggest that MPs, as a whole, are better suited to complex law-making than the British public at-large, as Martin Williams argued in Parliament Ltd (available from the college library), this does not prevent them from being ‘captured’ by corporate interests (see the argument on political corruption).

Question 5

legislative compromise

Answer 5

-the parliamentary law making process allows for debate at multiple stages allowing for compromise and amendments
-MPs are effective at including different groups in society
-e.g. Same Sex Couples At 2013, allowed for compromise between LGBT campaigners and the Roman Catholic Church, gay marriage was legalised but religious institutions could opt out of ceremonies

Question 6

legislative compromise evaluation

Answer 6

The argument above assumes that the government is open to compromise. During times of majority government, the government rarely
compromises as it has the votes in the Commons. What’s more, the House of Lords can only make the government “think again” on issues due to
its lack of democratic legitimacy. In this sense, a majority government does not have to compromise with peers in the Lords (an element of the UK
Constitution known as the ‘Salisbury Convention’). Consequently, US-style compromise is not always a feature of law-making in the UK.

Question 7

prevents tyranny of the majority

Answer 7

-tyranny of the majority is an inherent weakness of majority rule when the majority pursues its own objectives at the expense of minority groups
-MPs who prefer compromise tend to try and protect minorities even if their stance is unpopular
-representative democracy plays a key role in protecting liberal democracy in the UK
-if the UK adopted a more direct style of democracy,minority rights would not really be protected

Question 8

tyranny of the majority evaluation

Answer 8

Professor Tridimas says the sovereignty of the people can trump the sovereignty of Parliament (Brexit).referendums on controversial issues,then Parliament will no longer be the “cooling saucer”that prevents the erosion of civil liberties. the rise of the delegate model of MP, Parliament has become the eroder,of civil liberties in recent years, legislated to criminalise protest:Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act 2022.This was a response to public outrage following direct action by groups such as Black Lives Matter and Just Stop Oil.