The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Edexcel Government & Politics - Unit 2 Governing the UK (09/06/16)

Scroll to see replies

Original post by hkatief123
English votes on English laws has happened hasn't it?


I think you're right. I think they set this up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Grand_Committee
Original post by xxvine
What sort of things would you write for that one


Like reducing 650 MPs to 660 that was a fail
Recall
Giving more devolution powers to Scotland and Wales
There's more but I can't remember I'm in a different lesson
I'll tell ya more when I get home


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by UKStudent17
The reforms I know of include:

- Devolution (E.g. Wales, Scotland, NI)
- House of Lords Reform. (House of Lords Act 1999)
- Electoral Reform (E.g. SV, STV)
- Human Rights Act 1998.
- Freedom of Information Act 2000.
- Constitutional Reform Act 2005.
- Supreme Court 2009.
- Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011.
- House of Lords Reform Act 2014.
- Power of Recall (Recall of MPs Act 2015).

Proposed Reforms / Failed Reforms:

- Introduction of AV for general elections [Failed] 2011.
- Extended Devolution. (E.g. West Lothian Question; establishing an English Parliament)
- Changing constituency boundaries.
- Reducing the size of the Commons from 650 to 600. (Failed? Or still going on)
- 'Mostly' elected House of Lords [Failed] (House of Lords Reform Bill 2012)
- Wholly elected House of Lords.

Any I've missed out, or I've made mistakes on?


To evaluate I guess you could argue that the power of recall is a bit of a mute point (lots of requirements for it to be possible).
Reforms to the backbenches failed too , the House Business Committee project was abandoned.

Handily our very own government have a site on it !
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-constitutional-reform/2010-to-2015-government-policy-constitutional-reform
Post 2015
https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/constitutional-reform
(edited 7 years ago)
I get confused whether things like more devolution and idea of leaving EU is a reform of parliament or not. Because I swear you could argue it is in that both of them change the powers of parl and therefore are reforms?
The Question 'Why are some PMs more powerful than others', Anyone have an essay plan or know how to answer this?


Posted from TSR Mobile
If anyone needs figures and facts for representation in the Commons

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/08/record-numbers-female-minority-ethnic-mps-commons
Anyone know any judicial cases I should look at also anyone have an essay plan on post 2010 reforms.
Original post by King Geedorah
The Question 'Why are some PMs more powerful than others', Anyone have an essay plan or know how to answer this?


Posted from TSR Mobile


you just need to look at the things that affect prime ministerial power such as the

-Size of parliamentary majority- Major 21, Thatcher '83 over 100
-Unity or otherwise of the ruling party- Major had a divided party
-Public and media profile- Thatcher viewed as authoritarian
-Confidence of cabinet and parliament
-Opposition of cabinet and Parliament
-Coalition problems- Cameron &Clegg
-Events beyond PMs control- Financial Crisis '08-'09

hope that helps xx
Anyone know how to answer this question. Distinguish between parliamentary and presidential government.
Original post by UKStudent17
I think it might come up too. Or at least be included in a question like "The House of Lords is in greater need of reform than the House of Commons". I'm hoping that something like this will come up, preferably as a 40 marker. :smile:


So you have to talk about both
What would you write for HOC needing reform?
Original post by Mars321
Anyone know any judicial cases I should look at also anyone have an essay plan on post 2010 reforms.


For judicial cases you can look at the belmarsh case 2004, mental health act case 2002 and suspected terrorist bank assists case 2010
AH thank you so much!! amazing stuff.
Original post by Shaziye
Anyone know how to answer this question. Distinguish between parliamentary and presidential government.


in presidential government there is a clear seperation of powers between the executive and legislature but in parliamentary they are fused.

in presidential legislature can't dismiss the president except in special circumstances but in parliamentary legislature can dismiss executive

in presidential, president is directly elected but parliamentary elections decide the government

in presidential the president is also the head of state but in parliamentary, they have a separate head of state
Original post by King Geedorah
The Question 'Why are some PMs more powerful than others', Anyone have an essay plan or know how to answer this?


Posted from TSR Mobile


It's practically same as the presidential one, I would focus a lot on context though


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 654
Avatar for Tej98
Tej98
3
Or with PM and Cabinet have a question such as 'To what extent does a PM's personality/leadership style affect their ability to control their cabinet'.

A pretty good 25 marker if that was to come up but I'm skeptical about that.
What's an example of an mp doing work for their consistency?
Guys you know the Qu
Assess the significance of constitutional reforms since 1997

What do you say to suggest they haven't been significant?
Reply 657
Avatar for yasmi
yasmi
Original post by UKStudent17
I think you're right. I think they set this up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Grand_Committee


would you quote this for having happened in 2015 then? or 2016?
Original post by yasmi
would you quote this for having happened in 2015 then? or 2016?


I'd say it happened in 2015, because the wiki page says that "standing orders to establish a grand committee for England were approved in the House of Commons in October 2015" However, I'm not sure if it's actually been set up yet.

Also, I guess it's subjective as to whether the "West Lothian Question" has actually been resolved with this? Some might still be in favour of an English Parliament. Not sure.
Reply 659
Avatar for Tej98
Tej98
3
Original post by xxvine
Guys you know the Qu
Assess the significance of constitutional reforms since 1997

What do you say to suggest they haven't been significant?


There are rarely any that have many if any real negatives to them but the Fixed Terms Parliament Act 2011 you could argue was more beneficial to the Lib Dems/Tories at the time as opposed to the constitution as a whole making a vote of no confidence even harder in a circumstance where it may be in the best interests of the House of Commons.

The House of Lords Reform Act 1999 was significant in getting the number of hereditary peers down to 92 however it was a watered down version of the original reform. By this time, the New Labour government had become complacent and as such they became less interested in carrying out major reforms for Parliament.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you