UK Politics Paper 1 Examples

Question 1

Fathers4Justice : Sectional Groups / outsider groups

Answer 1

History :

• was founded by Matt o’Connor in 2001 after he was denied access to his two boys, following a difficult divorce
• they represent 36,000 registered families and are the worlds largest parenting group

Main campaign

• F4J aim to champion the causes of equal parenting, family law reform, and equal contact for divorced parents for children

Question 2

Fathers4Justice : in the media

Answer 2

• best known from its campaigning techniques of protest stunts, with participant dressed as superheroes
• e.g Jason Hatch climbing onto Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman
• former members of the groups claim that O’Connor has sidetracked from reforming family law, and lowered into personal attacks [e.g on libel which they were sued for] and illegal acts [putting an MP under surveillance - GPS]

LATEST
- 2 members of F4J staged a messy protests claiming Kelloggs Slogan ‘loved by kids, approved by mums’ was discrimination against dads,
- resulting in kellogs apologising and changing their slogan to ‘loved by kids, approved by parents’

Question 3

British medical association : Sectional group / insider group

Answer 3

Main aim

• BMA main purpose is to protect the interests of doctors, it also functions as a cause group on issues that affect public health
• professional status and ability to provide scientific evidence [e.g The BMA has contributed to the introduction of a ban on smoking in enclosed public areas 2007]

Examples of their influence

• Nov 2011, campaigned originally for an entire smoking ban but ended up focusing on ban on smoking whilst children were being carried. This then came into force in 2015
• brought the attention of Asthma UK

Question 4

BMA : Junior Doctor Strikes 2015

Answer 4

• junior doctor strike by the BMA, with the 37,000 junior doctor members
• 98% of junior doctors voted to reject the contract and in favour of industrial action

Question 5

Human rights Act 1998

Answer 5

Opened the possibility for Uk citizens to apply European convention on human rights on the state.
Using the act to avoid exploitation by the government

Question 6

Equality Act 2010

Answer 6

Post the Race Relations Act 1965

Prevented employers discriminating employees based on race religion, gender or sexuality etc

Question 7

Prisoners right to vote

Answer 7

In 2005 the ECHR ruled that the rights of the UK prisoners were breached as they are prevented to vote in UK elections

However Parliament has failed to pass any legislation to prevent this breach

Question 8

Protection of Freedoms 2012

Answer 8

Wide-reaching act that ranges from strenghtning the freedom of information act 2002 to how DNA, inter prints and foot prints should be stored, handled and destroyed

Use as an example of representative democracy creating protection of rights within UK

Question 9

N.Ireland Assembly suspension - until 2020

Answer 9

The N.Ireland assembly was shut down due to power-sharing leaders being unable to reach agreements on policy etc. Causing the powers to be given back until Jan 2020
Similar to how power was revoked in 1972 (due troubles)

Use as a critique of PR, Coalitions and devolution

Question 10

Cash for honours

Answer 10

Several wealthy donors to the Labour Party had been nominated for an award (lordship)

Question 11

The Sun : influence

Answer 11

British newspaper that has backed the winner in many elections

• 1997 sun headline ‘The SUN BACKS BLAIR’
• 1992 sun headline ‘It’s The Sun Wot Won It’
• 1989 wrongly accused the victims of the hilsborough victims of causing their own deaths and injuries
• 2017 election saw radical media campaigns against Corbyn [headline - ‘Don’t throw Britain in the CORBIN’, yet Labour still received their highest vote share]

Question 12

2017 ANTI CORBYN CAMPAIGNS

Answer 12

The 2017 election saw radical media campaigns against Corbyn

Headline - ‘Dotn throw Britain in the CORBIN’

However, labour still received their highest votes share

Use for example of how the media doesn’t influence or impact voting behaviour

Question 13

‘I agree with Nick’ 2010

Answer 13

Went on a tv debate to which Nick Clegg showed off his charismatic and persuasive persona, which heavily attracted new voter into voting for the Lib Dem’s

Question 14

2022 N.Ireland election

Answer 14

Sinn Fein beat DUP

Sinn Fein received 27.9% of seats and 29% vote

Use for example of STV being beneficial and in action

Question 15

The Poundland Case 2013

Answer 15

Governments “back to work” schemes were challenged by a graduate who was made to work for FREE at Poundland and a HGV driver made to clean furniture

Question 16

Think Tanks : The centre for social justice

Answer 16

Set up by Ian Duncan Smith 2004, former Conservative Party member to look for new solutions to the problems for people who living in disadvantaged communities

The centre for social justice allowed Duncan Smith to then later implement his ideas like universal credits

Question 17

Starmer Pledges

Answer 17

1. Pledged to increase income tax for the top 5% of earners within society
2. Indicate continued support for common ownership of rail, mail etc
3. Abolish HoL are replaced with elected chamber based on regions and countries

Question 18

Confederation British Industry : insider group / Sectional groups

Answer 18

Made up of 188,500 non members and 1,500 direct members

Main aims / campaigns

• works to promote business interests by lobbying and advertising governments
• works both in the UK an internationally creating intelligence through analysis of governmental policies and stats

Question 19

CBI : in the media (examples)

Answer 19

• March 2023, Guardian reported on a sexual harassment complaint made against the CBI director general Tony Danker (as well as other staff)
• Danker was replaced by Fell but then companies like BMW and Jaguar suspended their membership because of allegations for harassment, frug taking, rape and assault against colleagues
• Jan 2024

Question 20

Amnesty International : Outsider group

Answer 20

Found in 1961

Main aims / campaigns

• currently their main project is to help immigrants, refugees and slum seekers across Europe
• they have a campaign to get the death penalty removed
• they also have campaigns for human rights across 150 countries world wide

Actions

• various actions like media attention, direct appeal campaigns and legal advocacy
• raising money is various ways like [e.g sponsored bike races]

Question 21

Amnesty Int : in the media

Answer 21

Presented mostly positively with their recent successes being :

• e.g gaining the release of Shaker Aamer, the last UK citizen being held captive in Guantanamo bay . Held there for 13 years
• received a noble piece prize for their work to secure justice

Question 22

Owen Paterson Lobbying Scandal

Answer 22

• uncovered that the guardian that he had repeatedly lobbied two companies who were paying his 100,000+ a year
• causing his constituency to vote LIb Dem, even though their safe seat was conservative

Question 23

What are the main reasons as to why the UK is and is NOT suffering for a ‘participation crisis’ ?

Answer 23

They are because…

• FALLING VOTER TURNOUT [E.G IndyRef1 / 2016 Scottish election VT =56%/ N.Ireland 1998 VT = 50%
• LACK OF REPRESENTATION., leading to voter apathy [E.G 32% of parliament are women]
• LACK OF CHOICE, leads to voter fatigue as they know that it’s a 2 party system [e.g FPTP]
• LACK OF PUBLIC TRUST [EG. Owen Paterson scandal, Nicola Sturgeon husband embezzlement, Party Gate Bojo]

They are not because …

• despite it being low the VT hasn’t dropped below 50% for elections since 2001 [E.G 2001 VT = 59% 2017 = 69%] / A
• HIGH ENGAGEMENT [E.G IndyRef1 shows and increase engagement when the franchise is extended VT =84.6%] AND [2017 ‘youthquake’ where J.Corbyn caused the highest youth engagement since]
  -PPRESSURE GROUPS help give voice to minorities + dont seek political power [E.G Liberty helping to create the HRA 1998 and Amne Int. releasing prisoners : Shaker Aamer Guantanamo Bay]
• SOCIAL MEDIA releases story or scandals which influence the way in which individuals vote

Question 24

Expense Scandal 2009

Question 25

Nicola Sturgeon Embezzlement

Question 26

Dominic Cummings RESIGNATION

Question 27

Gordon Brown : ‘Bigoted woman’

Question 28

‘Save our Bacon’ - Ed Milliband sandwhich scandal

Question 29

Examples of the influence of policies / manifestos

Answer 29

1983
Labours manifesto was labelled “the longest suicide note in history” and was seen too extreme
[e.g commitment to unilateral nuclear disarment]

1997
New labour introduced new policies [e.g minimum wage] and [no income tax pledge]

2010
All 3 parties pledged to make savings without sacrificing essential public services

2017
Very popular Labour policies [e.g scrapping tuition fees] and some unpopular ones [e.g the so-called dementia tax]

Question 30

“Crisis ? What crisis ?”

Answer 30

Use as an exmaple of how the media can influence the voter results

Jim Callaghan said this about the winter of discontent, making his seem less concerned or worried about the crisis

Question 31

How did leadership/image influence the results ? Examples

Answer 31

1979
Callaghan had a more popular image with Thatcher being viewed a

1983
Thatcher became more popular than Michael Foot, his image was a problem [wearing a “donkey jacket” at the Cenotaph]