A*-achieving (in 2024) Politics Paper 2 (Uk government) essay plans for edexcel A Level
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Course
UK Government
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
I created and used these essay plans (with-up to-date until June 2024 examples) throughout my year 13 A Level Course and achieved a high-level A* (77/84 in paper 1, 75/84 in paper 2, 78/84 in paper 3). They cut right to the core of the structure and mark schemes that Edexcel A Level Politics examin...
CRUCIAL FOR ALL PLANS: MAKE SYNOPTIC LINKS
TO PAPER 1 EXPLICIT
Key:
–All the questions are here sorted into each spec point, and cover all questions unless they
throw a proper curveball. Questions in bold have a plan written for them, if there are any not in
bold that means no plan was made for them but the question is still possible (though this is rare
that I haven’t answered all of them).
–All examples are highlighted in yellow. Some paragraphs have multiple examples just because
its good to have as much knowledge as you can. Some essays require multiple examples in
each point (e.g. Do conservative and labour parties agree more than they disagree) but for most
essays you just need to do one example for the “On the one hand” point, and another for the
“however, it is a stronger argument” point.
–All plans are structured with three themes (if there are more that is because the question lends
itself to having a large choice of factors, such as reforms to democracy) and on the left side is
almost always the ‘on the one hand’ weaker argument which you then counteract with the right
side stronger argument. Each theme for each plan is clearly labelled at the top of each box.
Some plans have introduction boxes, some do not, this is because some essays, in order to
score higher, require some kind of criteria that you set out in the intro and link back to, which
would often be put in these introduction boxes.
2.1: Constitution:
- Evaluate the view that the UK Constitution is fit for purpose
- Evaluate the view that devolution has been a success
- Evaluate the view that constitutional reforms since 1997 have been effective
- Evaluate the view that the constitution requires codification (source in 2023)
- Evaluate the view that devolution has been a success (country-wise, do england,
scotland, wales, northern ireland)
- Evaluate the view that constitutional reforms since 2010 have been effective
- Evaluate the view that the House of Lords requires reform
- Evaluate the view that devolution should be increased in England
- Evaluate the view that the constitution requires further reform (codification, further
devolution to England, House of Lords becomes reformed)
2.2 Parliament
- Evaluate the view that Parliament is effective in fulfilling its functions
- Evaluate the view that Parliament is effective in its legislative function
, - Evaluate the view that Parliament is effective in its scrutiny function
- Evaluate the view that Parliament is effective in its representative function
- Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective method of scrutiny
- Evaluate the view that HM Opposition provide effective scrutiny
- Evaluate the view that the House of Lords fulfills its functions
- Evaluate the view that the House of Commons requires reform
2.3 The Executive
- Evaluate the view that the Prime Minister is too powerful
- Evaluate the view that we have recently seen a return to cabinet Government
- Evaluate the view that ministers are held to account by individual and ministerial
responsibility
- Evaluate the view that the conventions of ministerial responsibility are no longer
important
- Evaluate the extent to which the executive has become less powerful in relation to
Parliament in recent years (Commons own party votes, Lords legislative resistance,
committee oversight)
2.4: Supreme Court, Sovereignty and the EU
- Evaluate the view that the Supreme Court is independent and neutral
- Evaluate the view that the Supreme Court is too powerful
- Evaluate the view that Parliament is sovereign
- Evaluate the view that the EU has had a lasting impact on UK politics
Core ideology: Anarchism
- To what extent do Anarchists agree on the state?
- To what extent do Anarchists agree on society?
- To what extent do Anarchists agree on the economy?
- To what extent do Anarchists agree on human nature?
, Constitution
IMPORTANT: Make the synoptic link to paper 1 when talking about government majorities,
because FPTP creates a ‘winners bonus’ by ignoring non-majority opposition to create strong
government majorities. These synoptic links will be underlined in the below plans.
Evaluate the view that the UK Constitution is fit for purpose.
The UK Constitution is the set of political principles which sets out how the state must govern its
people. It is unique in that it is uncodified, and a collection of sources, rather than a single codified
document. However, to consider the constitution `fit for purpose` it must achieve its fundamental
aim: the consistent representation of the British people. With this in mind, it is clear that the UK
Constitution is not fit for purpose, with respect to the constitutional doctrine of the centralisation of
power, democracy, or the lack of it, and the flexibility regarding rights legislation.
, Devolution Devolution
- On the one hand, the UK Constitution is fit for - Despite this, the UK Constitution is unfit for
purpose because devolution has dispersed purpose because the institution of devolution
power across the United Kingdom, to ensure the has failed to sufficiently disperse power across
consistent representation of citizens and their the United Kingdom, undermining the ability to
regional identities alongside Westminster consistently represent citizens in devolved
representation. regions.
- The Scotland Act 1998, as has become further - Whilst there may be clear and formal powers
entrenched by the Scotland Act 2016, granted to Scotland, such as tax varying,
established a Scottish Parliament which would independent of Westminster, in the vast majority
`bring democracy closer` to home, and ensure of matters, Westminster supersede the authority
the representation of the Scottish people, who of Holyrood, underscoring the reality that
felt overlooked and beholden to the powers of Scotland are unable to ensure the consistent
Westminster, alongside Northern Ireland and representation of their people, seemingly
Wales. beholden to the arbitrary power of Westminster.
- This devolution has manifested in an - For example, this cannot be demonstrated
autonomous Scotland, independent of better than by the blocking of the Gender
Westminster as central authority, able to create Recognition Bill in 2023, which serves as
policy which reflects the needs of the Scottish evidence of an over centralised system of
people, many of whom do not see their values power, where Westminster encroaches on
compatible with the rule of Westminster. This is Scotland's ability to conduct social policy
representative as devolved regions have their autonomously. This is an important failure of
politicians elected in legitimate elections via an devolution as attitudes towards gender and
AMS system, providing highly proportional and LGBTQ community are perhaps vastly different
partially localised representation for just that in Scotland than in England, and such a
region. superseding of Scottish authority conveys a
clear misrepresentation of Scottish interests,
- For example, in 2023, Scotland created a new and reveals a fundamental flaw in the UK
top band of income tax, at 45%, for earners over Constitution.
£75,000, to plug a `black hole` in public finances,
demonstrating Scotland has the power to - In her justification for the tax hikes, Deputy
consistently represent their own citizens First Minister of Scotland, Shona Robinson said
independent of Westminster`s agenda. recent times have “exposed quite how beholden
we are to Westminster..fighting Westminster
- Furthermore, Humza Youssuf also sanctioned a austerity with one hand tied behind our back”
freeze council tax, in an attempt to ease the cost
of living crisis for Scottish individuals, support Judgement/Evaluation
they may have not received from central Therefore, the quasi-flexibility offered by the
government in Westminster, suggesting the unentrenched constitution has failed to truly
constitution is fit for purpose in its ability to be decentralise power, with Westminster still
flexible enough to allow for decentralisation of having central authority over regions, no matter
power, which ensured consistent plurality of their identities, suggesting that representation is
representation. inconsistent and the constitution is not fit for
purpose.
Democracy Democracy
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