UK Politics Essay Plans

Question 1

Evaluate how far constitutional reforms since 1997 have improved the British Political system.

Answer 1

(Improved system)

Labour 1997-2010

Coalition 2010-2015

Conservatives 2015-2018

Question 2

Should the UK adopt a codified constitution?

Answer 2

(Should adopt)

Codified constitutions are actually quite flexible

Codified constitutions are less ambiguous

A strong Supreme Court would end parliamentary sovereignty

Question 3

Evaluate the extent to which the Labour Party remains true to its traditional values and principles.

Answer 3

(Return back to traditional values)

Economy

Foreign Policy

Social Welfare and Worker’s Rights

Question 4

Evaluate the extent of internal divisions within the current UK political parties.

Answer 4

(Tories are more divided)

EU

Thatcherism vs One Nation

Old Labour vs New Labour

Question 5

Evaluate the extent to which the Conservative party is Thatcherite.

Answer 5

(Thatcherite to a great extent)

Economy

Role of government in society

Social Issues

Question 6

Evaluate the extent to which the UK is a two-party system.

Answer 6

(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

Question 7

Evaluate the extent to which the two main UK parties agree.

Answer 7

(Mostly disagree)

Brexit

Education

Healthcare and Welfare

Question 8

Evaluate the view that parties should not receive state funding.

Answer 8

(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

Question 9

To what extent is parliament able to control the executive?

Answer 9

(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

Question 10

To what extent is Parliament representative?

Answer 10

(Mostly representative)

Descriptive is improving

FPTP allows government to fulfil mandate model

Constituency representation is mostly attained

Question 11

Evaluate the view that the HoLs plays a meaningful role in UK democracy/is in need of major reform.

Answer 11

(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

Question 12

Evaluate the extent to which the increased use of referendums would improve democracy.

Answer 12

(Would not improve democracy)

By increasing direct democracy, parliamentary sovereignty is undermined

Referendum campaigns can become distorted by false claims

Turnout is usually low

Question 13

Evaluate the extent to which the use of alternative voting systems has improved democracy in the UK.

Answer 13

(Has improved democracy)

AMS

SV

STV

Question 14

Evaluate the view that FPTP should be replaced by an alternate voting system for Westminster elections.

Answer 14

(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

Question 15

The media is more significant than policy statements and manifestoes from political parties/ To what extent do social factors influence voting behaviours.

Answer 15

(Social factors declined in importance)

Social factors have declined in importance

Policy and manifestos

Media, leadership, campaigns

Question 16

To what extent is the PM able to control the Cabinet?

Answer 16

(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

Question 17

To what extent are PMs able to dictate events and determine policy.

Answer 17

(Depends on PM’s pre-dominance)

Pre-dominance

Pre-eminent

Other factors

Question 18

To what extent has the PM become more powerful?

Answer 18

(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

Question 19

Evaluate the view that pressure groups have a greater role in protecting human rights than government in the UK.

Answer 19

(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

Question 20

Evaluate the view that group activity/pressure groups undermine democracy in the UK.

Answer 20

(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

Question 21

Evaluate the view that the judiciary is the right body to protect civil liberties.

Answer 21

(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

Question 22

Evaluate the extent to which the UK parliament remains effectively sovereign.

Answer 22

(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

Question 23

To what extent is the House of Lords a more effective check on government power than the House of Commons.

Answer 23

(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

Question 24

Evaluate the extent to which the devolution process has successfully enhanced democracy in the UK.

Answer 24

(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