UK Politics Essay Plans Flashcards
Evaluate how far constitutional reforms since 1997 have improved the British Political system.
(Improved system)
Labour 1997-2010
Coalition 2010-2015
Conservatives 2015-2018
Should the UK adopt a codified constitution?
(Should adopt)
Codified constitutions are actually quite flexible
Codified constitutions are less ambiguous
A strong Supreme Court would end parliamentary sovereignty
Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party remains true to its traditional values and principles.
(Return back to traditional values)
Economy
Foreign Policy
Social Welfare and Worker’s Rights
Evaluate the extent of internal divisions within the current UK political parties.
(Tories are more divided)
EU
Thatcherism vs One Nation
Old Labour vs New Labour
Evaluate the extent to which the Conservative party is Thatcherite.
(Thatcherite to a great extent)
Economy
Role of government in society
Social Issues
Evaluate the extent to which the UK is a two-party system.
(More multi party)
Rising support and influence of smaller parties
Two party dominance only a break from a trend of 60 years
Polarisation of the main parties
Evaluate the extent to which the two main UK parties agree.
(Mostly disagree)
Brexit
Education
Healthcare and Welfare
Evaluate the view that parties should not receive state funding.
(No, current system should just be reformed)
State funding favours larger parties
Wealthy individuals would still be able to influence policy with state funding
State funding would not be more democratic
To what extent is parliament able to control the executive?
(Not to a great extent)
Backbenchers can be undermined and are too partisan in their scrutiny
Committees are weak in their powers
HoLs are restricted by conventions
To what extent is Parliament representative?
(Mostly representative)
Descriptive is improving
FPTP allows government to fulfil mandate model
Constituency representation is mostly attained
Evaluate the view that the HoLs plays a meaningful role in UK democracy/is in need of major reform.
(Plays a meaningful role and is not in need of major reform)
Lords are effective in checking the government
Lords has become more representative
Lords has become less corrupt
Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy.
(Would not improve democracy)
By increasing direct democracy, parliamentary sovereignty is undermined
Referendum campaigns can become distorted by false claims
Turnout is usually low
Evaluate the extent to which the use of alternative voting systems has improved democracy in the UK.
(Has improved democracy)
AMS
SV
STV
Evaluate the view that FPTP should be replaced by an alternate voting system for Westminster elections.
(FPTP should not be replaced)
FPTP prevents extremist parties from getting in power
Other systems still result in wasted votes
FPTP provides a more effective government
The media is more significant than policy statements and manifestoes from political parties/ To what extent do social factors influence voting behaviours.
(Social factors declined in importance)
Social factors have declined in importance
Policy and manifestos
Media, leadership, campaigns
To what extent is the PM able to control the Cabinet?
(Can’t control Cabinet when PM is lacking in their pre-dominance)
Powers of patronage
Collective ministerial responsibility
PM’s ability to drive the agenda
To what extent are PMs able to dictate events and determine policy.
(Depends on PM’s pre-dominance)
Pre-dominance
Pre-eminent
Other factors
To what extent has the PM become more powerful?
(PM has not become too powerful)
Media and Personality can reduce power of the PM
Weak governments can reduce the power of the PM
Events and constitutional changes can reduce the power of the PM
Evaluate the view that pressure groups have a greater role in protecting human rights than government in the UK.
(Pressure groups do have a greater role)
Government only make laws protecting human rights when it must
Pressure groups can protect human rights by drawing attention to issues
Government only protects the interest of the majority
Evaluate the view that group activity/pressure groups undermine democracy in the UK.
(PGs do undermine democracy in the UK)
PGs do not impartially facilitate participation and engagement
PGs complicate the government’s function
PGs take decision making away from those who understand the issues best
Evaluate the view that the judiciary is the right body to protect civil liberties.
(Judiciary is the right body to protect civil liberties)
Judges are not influenced by the public or the government
SC judges have a legal expertise
Judges can put a lot of public pressure on the government to comply with human rights
Evaluate the extent to which the UK parliament remains effectively sovereign.
(Parliament does remain sovereign)
Parliament can opt to leave the European Union whenever
De jure status of devolved bodies isn’t guaranteed
Parliament can pass retrospective legislation over HRA
To what extent is the House of Lords a more effective check on government power than the House of Commons.
(Lords are a less effective check)
PM can stack Lords in the their favour
Lords restricted by conventions
Lords is full of members who don’t contribute to debate
Evaluate the extent to which the devolution process has successfully enhanced democracy in the UK.
(Has not enhanced democracy in the UK)
West Lothian question complicates political system
Turnout is low for devolved bodies
Minority governments in devolved bodies are unstable and unproductive
