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Uk Politics Essay PlansEvaluate the view that there is a crisis of participation in politics in the UK - correct
answers 30 marks
Intro - correct answers Overall, yes, because despite effectiveness of pressure
groups, lobbying and alternate forms of participation like social media, the fact
that people have had to find alternate, non-traditional methods of participation
proves a dissatisfaction with current system, meaning there is participation crisis
P1: party membership vs pressure groups - correct answers - YES, participation
crisis, as traditional forms of participation have decreased
- political party membership has been decreasing since 1980, now less than 1%
currently a member of any party
- suggests lack of faith in political system
- two main parties have become too similar since new labour, e.g. starmer would
not nationalise energy (he said in 2023), meaning labour has shifted right
- leads to people not joining parties
- HOWEVER, work of pressure groups has been significant
- pg = org with a single interest or goal that aims to influence policy
- insider groups like NICE work with the gov, BMA represents around 160,000
doctors
- 2011, greenpeace launched campaign to stop practice of tuna fishing and by 2014
all UK supermarkets announced they wouldnt purchase tuna fished unsustainably
- ppl not joining parties because theyre joining pgs?
,- however, still a failure of political system as pressure groups not always effective
and if people require alternative avenue of participation, means there is a crisis
P2: low turnout vs other forms of participation - correct answers - YES,
participation crisis, as turnout is regularly quite low, suggesting either people not
informed or not interested in voting
- G.E turnouts
- 2001: 59% (lowest ever), 2005: 61%, 2010: 65%, 2017: 69%, 2019: 67%
- young people less likely to vote, ethnic minorities less likely to vote etc
- local elections turnout around 30%
- disillusionment with system
- FPTP leads to wasted votes
- HOWEVER, turnout has increased since 2001
- referenda tend to have high turnout e.g. Brexit 2016 turnout was 72%
- people participating through other means
- e.g. 1.6m signed a petition to stop trump making state visit to UK in 2018, was
changed from state to 'working' visit
- 2017 - "youthquake" - corbyn's facebook page outscored theresa may's 5 million
vs 771,000
Evaluate the view that think-tanks, pressure groups and lobbyists have little impact
on government decisions - correct answers 30 marks
,P1: work alongside gov vs gov sovereignty - correct answers - YES have impact, as
they can work alongside the gov and with the gov to create policy and make
decisions representing the people
- Taxpayers alliance is a pressure groups with links to cons
- national farmers union represents 55,000 members and is representative body
for agriculture and horticulture, and works with gov, e.g. submitted written
evidence to parliament for creation of agriculture bill 2020
- adam smith institute is a think tank focusing on free market economics
- CBI (confederate of british industry) has managed to pressure gov to give more
power to devolved govs
- pressure groups act as another way of participating and another source of info
for the gov to best govern the country, therefore do have impact
- HOWEVER, parliament is still sovereign, as gov created from parl, gov has power
to ignore pressure groups, think tanks and lobbyists
- pressure groups only effective if the government decides to consult them or does
not ignore them
- during RMT and doctors and nurses strikes of 2022 and 2023, keir starmer
refused to support the trade unions, and sacked labour mp sam tarry for doing
broadcast interviews from a rail strike picket line in 2022
P2: representing voices in society vs time it takes to make a significant difference -
correct answers - YES, have impact as they can represent voices in society that fly
under radar, and through protesting, lobbying, campaigning, force the gov to make
certain decisions
- BMA (representing 160,000 doctor) lobbied policy makers and as a result health
care act 2022 passed, making it easier for health orgs to deliver joined-up care for
people relying on multiple different servies
, - greenpeace pressure the gov - gov then announced ban of sale of new diesel and
petrol cars from 2030
- greenpeace also pressure in 2011 against unsustainably sourced tuna, from 2014
it was banned in uk supermarkets
- HOWEVER, clearly an arduous process, took three years for tuna ban and the
extension of the ULEZ in 2019 came two years after greenpeace published a report
on air pollution
- clearly more difficult for outsider groups to make a difference
Evaluate the view that the franchise needs to be extended to 16-17 year olds -
correct answers 30 marks
Intro: - correct answers - franchise does need to extended 16-17 year olds
-
P1: improve democracy by increasing turnout vs young people not as politically
interested - correct answers - scotland passed the scottish elections (reduction of
voting age) act allowing 16-17 year olds to vote and they voted in 2014
independence referendum
- turnout was 85% in referendum, and turnout of those aged 16-17 was 75%, while
turnout in g.es (where 16-17s cannot vote) has been historically low (2001: 59%)
- young people clearly interested in being politically involved, and when given
vote, would likely vote
HOWEVER: turnout is low generally, including 18-21, suggesting 16-17s would not
vote either
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