the UK and the European Union

Question 1

The aims of the EU

Answer 1

• promoting peace and the EUs values
• establishing a single european market
• creating a monetary union (the euro)

Question 2

How far has the EU achieved its aims?

political aims

Answer 2

ECHR: member countries like Poland and Hungary passed anti-gay rights legislation, which goes against the ECHR
peace across the EU: good! there have been no wars

Question 3

How far has the EU achieved its aims?

economic policies

Answer 3

• the euro was established in 1999
• however, not all states have joined the euro, like Denmark and the UK
• the economic recession in 2008 put pressure on the EU as they had to ‘bail out’ economies in the south

Question 4

How far has the EU achieved its aims?

social policies

Answer 4

there has been tensions in eastern europe over LGBTQ+, racism and gender rights as they are more socially conservative

Question 5

How far has the EU achieved its aims?

the four freedoms of the single market

Answer 5

free movement of goods: no taxes or trade barriers between member states
free movement of services:A service, such as financial services or advertising, can be offered by any company in one part of the EU to another company in the EU without additional regulations or rules.
free movement of people: a citizen can travel, work and reside in any part of the EU without the need for a visa or work permit
free movement of capital: removes any restrictions on financial investment from one part of the EU to another and allows money to move freely across the EU

Question 6

the impact of EU policies on the UK

what is the 300kg haddock quota?

Answer 6

max of 300kg can be brought into the UK

Question 7

how did the 300kg quota impact the UK political system and decision making for Brexit?

Answer 7

fishermen voted Conservative during 2019 as they promised to get Brexit done as the UK fishing policy would be better than what the EU have offered

Question 8

drawback of the 300kg haddock quota

Answer 8

has lead to decline in number of fishermen, and less fish being caught, 20,000 to 12,000 fishermen.

Question 9

the impact of EU policies on the UK

human rights act

Answer 9

protecting workers rights (hours of work, breaks, holidays etc)

Question 10

drawback of human rights act (opt out)

Answer 10

the UK did have an opt out, like how workers could work over 48 hours if requested, but this policy made the UK less competitive in the international market, and factories will go to other parts of the world like india and china where employment is cheaper

Question 11

how did the human rights act impact policy making in the UK?

Answer 11

highlights cultural differences in the UK and other member states. the UK favours free market capitalism (minimum state intervention) and oppose european style (state intervention) of employment

Question 12

the impact of EU policies on the UK

how did the UK go against EUs ideal immigration policy ?

Answer 12

one of the four freedoms is the free movement of people, the EU wanted citizens to be treated equally in whichever country they live in.

however, the UK wanted to block the free movement of people from Romania and Bulgaria as they believed people from poorer countries were travelling to the UK to take advantage of benefits

Question 13

the constitutional impact of the UKs exit from the EU

Answer 13

UK parliament retained all sovereignty, EU laws are no longer part of UK law and the UK is no longer subject to EU treaties

Question 14

what is legal sovereignty?

Answer 14

The legal right to exercise sovereignty, refers to the single body whose laws will be supreme in all circimustances i.e. parliament is sovereign

Question 15

what is political sovereignty?

Answer 15

the politial ability to exercise sovereigty, for example, like how UK parliament has the sovereignty to take away all of Scotlands powers, but they wouldn’t

Question 16

the changing location of sovereignty

Answer 16

• the people are sovereign at elections and referendums
• the executive is sovereign when it has a majority in the HOC and a strong electoral mandate
• the courts when they are enforcing the ECHR on human rights

Question 17

sovereignty today

Answer 17

• the people have sovereignty over devolution, the EU and the independence of Scotland
• the SC is politically sovereign when civil rights and liberties need to be defined
• devolved administratios are sovereign when policies concern Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
• the PM is sovereign when determining who will form the government

Question 18

to what extent does the UK parliament retain sovereignty?

sovereignty retained

Answer 18

• There has been no challenge to the legal sovereignty of Parliament.
• The UK’s departure from the EU restores full parliamentary sovereignty over those areas that had been delegated to the EU.
• The UK does not have to conform to rulings by the European Court of Human Rights.
• Devolution can be reversed by Parliament.

Question 19

to what extent does the UK Parliament remain sovereign?

sovereignty threatened

Answer 19

• The executive continues to claim political sovereignty as long as it has a mandate.
• Devolution has been called ‘quasi-federalism’ in that it is unlikely that devolved powers will ever return to the UK Parliament.
• Though Parliament must confirm a referendum result, it is virtually unthinkable that Parliament would defy the will of the people.
• The European Convention on Human Rights is increasingly entrenched, making it difficult for Parliament to defy its terms.