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ContentsPaper 1.................................................................................................................. 3
Sample................................................................................................................ 3
Using the source, evaluate the view that UK democracy is in crisis................3
Using the source, evaluate the view that the major parties still remain the
dominant force in UK politics...........................................................................5
Evaluate the view that general elections in the UK are lost by the
government rather than won by the opposition..............................................5
Evaluate the view that social factors determine voting behaviour..................7
2019................................................................................................................... 8
Using the source, evaluate the view that the outcomes of general elections
are stable and predictable...............................................................................8
Using the source, evaluate the view that proportional representation would
improve elections to the House of Commons..................................................9
Evaluate the view that think-tanks, lobbyists and pressure groups have little
impact on government decisions...................................................................11
Evaluate the view that the only political parties that matter in our political
system are the Labour and Conservative parties..........................................12
2020................................................................................................................. 14
Using Source 1, evaluate the view that a person’s age and the media have
now replaced social class and region as clear indicators of voting behaviour.
...................................................................................................................... 14
Using Source 2, evaluate the view that state funding of political parties would
be preferable to a situation in which a party can win a general election
because it has more members and income than other parties.....................15
Evaluate the view that the actions of pressure groups have been more
significant than government legislation in defending and promoting rights in
the UK............................................................................................................ 17
Evaluate the view that the various electoral systems in use in the UK make
significant differences to party representation..............................................18
2021................................................................................................................. 19
Using the source, evaluate the view that opinion polls bring more advantages
than disadvantages to elections and referendums........................................19
Using the source, evaluate the view that in a democracy MPs are free to
ignore referendum results and their own political party’s manifesto............21
Evaluate the view that the emergence of multiple parties in the UK means
that the Westminster electoral system must be changed.............................21
Evaluate the view that the influence of the media in politics is exaggerated;
it is not heavily biased and has little power of persuasion............................23
2022................................................................................................................. 24
Using the source, evaluate the view that ‘pick-and-mix’ politics is replacing
‘Left-Right’ politics and political parties are becoming more internally divided
than ever....................................................................................................... 24
, Using the source, evaluate the view – with specific reference to at least one
devolved region using an alternative electoral system – that the case for PR
to replace the Westminster FPTP voting system has now been established..25
Evaluate the view that it is the media not pressure groups that has the
greater influence on governments................................................................26
Evaluate the view that neither individual rights nor collective rights in the UK
are adequately protected and guaranteed....................................................27
2023................................................................................................................. 28
Using the source evaluate the view that in 1997 the election was lost by the
governing party rather than it being won by the Labour opposition..............28
Using the source evaluate the view that the UK has a democratic deficit.....28
Evaluate the view that referendums held in the UK since 1997 have brought
more disadvantages than advantages..........................................................29
Evaluate the view that the current funding of political parties in the UK
requires reform.............................................................................................. 31
Paper 2................................................................................................................ 35
Sample.............................................................................................................. 35
Using the source, evaluate the view that the logical next step after
devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the devolution of
further power to England............................................................................... 35
Using the source, evaluate the view that Constitutional reforms in the UK
since 1997 have been weak, incomplete and require further change...........36
Evaluate the view that Parliament retains sole sovereignty within the UK
political system............................................................................................. 36
Evaluate the view that the UK government’s control over Parliament has
reduced in recent years.................................................................................37
2019................................................................................................................. 38
Using the source, evaluate the view that devolution is in danger of
undermining the unity of the United Kingdom...............................................38
Using the source evaluate the view that Prime Ministers have too much
power............................................................................................................ 40
Evaluate the view that membership of the EU undermined parliamentary
sovereignty.................................................................................................... 40
Evaluate the view that although the House of Lords has less power than the
House of Commons, in practice it exerts more influence on government
decisions........................................................................................................ 41
2020................................................................................................................. 42
Using the source, evaluate the view that the principal role of backbench MPs
is now to hold the government to account....................................................42
Using the source, evaluate the view that the UK’s constitution requires major
change........................................................................................................... 43
Evaluate the view that the Supreme Court has too much influence over the
executive....................................................................................................... 45
Evaluate the view that since 2010 the UK has seen a return to cabinet
government................................................................................................... 46
, 2021................................................................................................................. 47
Using the source, evaluate the view that the roles and membership of the
House of Lords require reform.......................................................................47
Using the source, evaluate the view that the Supreme Court has
strengthened parliamentary sovereignty......................................................48
Evaluate the view that devolution has been good for Wales and Scotland but
not for England and Northern Ireland............................................................48
Evaluate the view that since 2010 the executive has dominated Parliament.
...................................................................................................................... 49
2022................................................................................................................. 50
Using the source, evaluate the view that Parliament is largely ineffective in
shaping government legislation....................................................................50
Using the source, evaluate the view that devolution has created more
problems than it has solved..........................................................................51
Evaluate the view that the Supreme Court operates with sufficient judicial
independence and neutrality.........................................................................52
Evaluate the view that the concepts of individual ministerial responsibility
and collective ministerial responsibility are both still important...................53
2023................................................................................................................. 55
Using the source, evaluate the view that the UK now needs an entrenched
and codified constitution...............................................................................55
Using the source, evaluate the view that power lies mainly with the prime
minister rather than the cabinet....................................................................56
Evaluate the view that when it comes to fulfilling their respective functions,
the House of Lords can be seen as more successful than the House of
Commons...................................................................................................... 57
Evaluate the view that select committees are the most effective way for the
House of Commons to hold the Executive to account...................................59
Extra................................................................................................................. 60
Evaluate the view that the pm has too much power.....................................60
Paper 1
Sample
Using the source, evaluate the view that UK democracy is in
crisis.
Judgement= Disagree
For Against
“Levels of trust in government “The decline in trust and
and confidence in the political turnout is not due to long-term
system are lower than they social forced, but to short-term
were little more than a decade political ones.”
, ago”. the public outcry after the
questions over David episodes of sleaze has resulted
Cameron's Greensill lobbying, in tighter controls on politicians’
and Johnson's flat allowances.
refurbishment which have both reforms such as the Freedom of
resulted in many of the public Information (FOI)
calling out the Conservative UK democracy is not in crisis as
party for 'cronyism', and some intervention is not required. All
'corruption'. that is required is for the
government and political
system to organically evolve.
Electoral turnout has fallen it is too simplistic to look only at
sharply, as seen by events such turnout levels to understand
as the 2001 general election political participation.
59.4% great deal of political
Local election 2024 voter engagement and activity on
turnout 40.5% - 42% in 2023 social media
Weak argument tho The Independent encouraged
electoral turnout has improved the use of the hashtag
steadily since 2001. #refugeeswelcome. 651,494
In 2019 it was 67%. posts used = immense support
Rather than indicating a crisis, for political issues which would
recent turnouts indicate a not be registered through the
strong recovery. traditional metric of support.
This is true also when The claims of crisis are
examining the turnouts of inaccurate given the rising
important issues. turnout and the prevalence of
The 2014 Scottish other forms of engagement.
Independence referendum
turnout was 85%.
-The 2016 Brexit referendum
was 72%.
issue with new constitutional 'Constitutional change should not be
institutions. regarded as a quick fix.'
Thus the attempted remedy has Establishment of the Supreme
not worked and UK democracy Court in 2009 =strengthened
is still suffering in a 'crisis'. the distance between the three
NI devolution branches of government:
judiciary, executive and
legislature.
SC able to scrutinise and check
each other e.g Miller vs the pm
= enhancing democracy
Using the source, evaluate the view that the major parties still
remain the dominant force in UK politics.
Judgement= Agree
For Against
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