Harrison Sylvester
Politics
COMPONENT 1: UK Democracy and Participation
Chapter 1: Democracy and Participation
Evaluate the extent to which UK democracy is in crisis (30) Evaluate how far Parliament retains sole sovereignty
Point 1: There is arguably a participation crisis due to within the UK political system (30)
falling party membership. Evidence: Only 1.6% of the Point 1: The uncodified form of the constitution allows fast
electorate now belongs to one of the major political and simple changes to law through Parliament. Evidence:
parties, whereas in 1983 the figure was 3.8% and
After the Dunblane primary school massacre in 1996,
expected to increase. The main example of this is the
changes were quickly made in the constitution to gun
Conservative party, who had just under 150,000 members
in 2016 compared to their estimate of 400,000 in the mid laws, as the Conservative government legislated the
1990s. banning of high calibre handguns in 1997, and after
Labour came into power in May they extended the ban to
Point 2: It could also be argued that there is a crisis in 22. Calibre handguns. This overall resulted in 700,000
participation to due falling turnout in general elections. tonnes of ammunition and over 160,000 firearms being
Evidence: The average turnout from 1945-1997 was 67% surrendered.
but since then it has been lower. The turnout for 2001 was
just 59.4% Turnout is also even lower in local elections,
Point 2: Parliament also holds sole sovereignty due to its
with average turnout in England in 2016 at just 33.8%.
democratic legitimacy. Evidence: ALL MP’s are elected
Point 3: However, people are still concerned with through the FPTP system with the candidate who gains
important government decisions and politics, as shown by the most votes securing a seat in Parliament. This form of
the high turnout in referendums. Evidence: The turnout for representative democracy is held with the judicial
the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 was challenge to sovereignty, as judges are unelected and
84.6%, a highly strong turnout including 16 and 17 year thus do not have authority over Parliament.
olds. A strong turnout was also seen in the 2016 Brexit
referendum, in which 72.5% (33 million) of the electorate Point 3: Parliament arguably does not hold sole
(46 million) voted.
sovereignty due to the increasing use of judicial review.
Evidence: Judicial review has risen from around 4240 in
Point 4: Since the rise of the internet, there are far more
ways of participation available. Evidence: The Labour 2000 to 15,600 in 2013, with significant challenges to
party has over 1 million likes on Facebook, with the Liberal government policy such as Gina Millar’s challenge to
Democrats having 185,000. Furthermore, an e-petition on Brexit, where Parliament were ordered to secure a
the Downing Street website in 2007 for road-charging was Parliamentary mandate before going ahead with their
signed by 1.8 million people. The Labour party also deal. However, this also shows that the law actually
extensively used Snapchat in their 2017 election reinforces the sovereignty of Parliament. Although,
campaign, in which the turnout bucked the decreasing Parliament can still be challenged by EU law on human
trend at 68.7%.
rights, as seen by Supreme Court ruling that sex
offenders should not have to register for life with the
police, and could appeal against registration after 15
years.
Point 4: Parliament also does not retain sole sovereignty
due to Parliamentary Government. Evidence: Pressure
Groups are able to lobby the government, who employ
over 4000 people to deal with lobbying and spending £2
billion on it a year. Policy to favour these companies can
then be passed through Parliament through the
introduction of a 3 line whip, forcing MPs to vote in line
, Harrison Sylvester
Politics
with their party instead of the interests of their
constituents, which thus undermines Parliamentary
Sovereignty. This is emphasised by the fact that the Prime
Minister and her Cabinet also all have seats that they
must represent, and can thus vote through their own
policy.
Evaluate the extent to which UK governments control over Evaluate the view that pressure group activity supports
Parliament has reduced in recent years (30) democracy and participation (30)
Point 1: UK government’s control over Parliament has Point 1: Pressure group activity supports democracy and
reduced in recent years due to Yvette Cooper’s recent participation as it allows representation of different groups
Amendment 7. Evidence: Yvette Cooper’s Amendment 7 of people with certain interests, and applies democratic
was passed by Parliament in January 2019 by 303 votes pressure to the government to serve in these people’s
to 297, and it was the first finance bill presented by the interests. Evidence: Pressure groups often rely on public
Government which was rejected by Parliament in the last support for their success. An example of this is after the
41 years. The amendment showed significant 1996 Dunblane primary school massacre, the Snowdrop
Parliamentary rejection of a potential no deal Brexit, and campaign to ban the use of handguns was largely
thus signified that the government has been unable to successful due to the prominent public outcry at the time.
retain control of Parliament. First, a coalition of Labour and The Conservative government under John Major
Conservative MPs organised an amendment to the finance responded to this by 1997 by banning high calibre
bill to curb the government’s tax powers in the event of no handguns, and the Labour government under Tony Blair
deal. Then May was defeated again over another took this further by also banning 32. Calibre handguns.
amendment, this one forcing her to present MPs with a Favouritism in the media undoubtedly plays an important
new Brexit plan within three days if she loses next week’s role in amassing support for the pressure group among
vote. the public, with another example being TV celebrity
Joanna Lumley’s support for retired Gurkha soldiers being
Point 2: UK government’s control over Parliament has also important in the government overturning a ban on their
reduced in recent years due to their loss of a majority. right to live in the UK.
Evidence: The Conservatives lost 22 seats whilst Labour
gained 21 seats, and this made the Conservatives a Point 2: Pressure group activity also undoubtedly
minority in Parliament. The Conservatives were thus supports and encourages participation. Evidence: An
forced to negotiate a £1 billion supply and demand example of this is the ‘Occupy’ movement which
agreement with the DUP in order to retain a parliamentary organised sit-ins in places such as St. Paul’s Cathedral in
majority for their policies and Brexit deal. Yet the DUP 2011. The protestors saw government as tightly linked to
have shown disdain over the issue of the Northern Irish the UK’s capitalist system, which they were protesting
‘backstop’ within May’s plans, suggesting that it separates against. A more recent example is the march for a
NI from the rest of the UK. Thus, it is highly unlikely that ‘People’s Vote’ on the government's final Brexit decision
May will be bale to pass her deal through Parliament in October 2018. Pressure groups allow organised
without support from the DUP, which shows that the expression of free speech in the public sphere, which is
Government’s authority in Parliament has been undoubtedly a form of democracy and participation. MP’s
undermined despite their huge efforts to retain it after such as David Lammy and celebrity figures such as Gary
failing in the 2017 general election. Lineker have responded positively to the People’s Vote
campaign, showing that pressure groups can influence
Point 3: UK government’s control has not been lost as they Parliament and the media.
retain parliamentary government and whip power over
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Politics
their MP’s. Evidence: Yet Government still retain huge Point 3: However, pressure groups also often rely on
influence in Parliament with their ability to use the 3 line resources that have little link to democracy, such as
whip and thus force MP’s to vote for their policy whilst the resources and suiting the government agenda through
cabinet also vote through their own policy. The 3 line whip lobbying. Evidence: The government spends £2 billion on
was used when David Cameron originally rejected a a year and employs 4000 people for lobbying, in which
referendum on membership of the EU in 2011, yet was pressure groups that do not represent the democratic
also used in 2018 regarding the expansion of Heathrow. interest of the country can successfully lobby the
government. An example of this are undercover
Point 4: The Government has also shown it’s recent ability journalists posing as lobbyists to entrap MP’s with offers
to undermine Parliament. Evidence: Theresa May of financial rewards and thus violating the parliamentary
postponed the Parliamentary vote on her brexit deal from code of conduct.
December to the 15th January which was described by
speaker of the house, John Bercow as ‘inconsiderate’ Point 4: Pressure groups can also encourage violence or
whilst also being branded as ‘blackmail’ between May’s use legal challenges, not representing the people.
deal and a no-deal Brexit. This shows the government’s Evidence: Some of those who took part in the 2010 tuition
ability to undermine Parliament despite its sovereignty. fee increase demonstrations were prosecuted for
Furthermore, the government also undermined Parliament disorderly conduct. Furthermore, the Countryside Alliance
by failing to publish legal advice published by Geoffrey took its case to the ban of fox hunting in vain to the High
Cox regarding leaving the EU despite being ordered to do Court in 2004. Pressure Groups also make use of both
so. While the government were found in contempt of insider and outsider status, such as the BMA (British
Parliament (in December 2018) which reinforces the Medical Association) usually enjoying insider status, but
argument that they have lost control over Parliament, the faced with the Conservative government's determination
legal advice provided was still criticised by some as to impose a new contract on junior doctors, it indicated its
unsubstantial. support for strike action in the Autumn of 2016.
Evaluate the view that citizens can no longer feel confident Evaluate the extent to which representative democracy is
that their rights in the UK are secure and established (30) superior to direct democracy (30)
Point 1: People can feel secure about their rights due to Point 1: Representative democracy ensures that a large
the judiciary holding the government and Parliament to amount of people aren’t left out of the vote as they are
account. Evidence: The number rose from around 4240 represented. MP’s represent the interest of their
cases in 2000 to around 15,600 cases in 2013. constituents and prevents individuals riding on waves of
Furthermore, successful challenges to government populism and racism. Evidence: The EU referendum of
policies include Gina Millar’s argument that the 2016 meant that 48% of the public that voted are not
government needed to secure a Parliamentary decision for represented, as Brexit is now going through with an
their brexit vote. This is a vital means of defending citizens increasingly likelihood of a no-deal. With representative
rights, enabling the legality of government actions to be democracy,the 48% is more likely to have a voice in the
properly scrutinised. democratic system through their MP. Representative
democracy also prevents racist campaigners from
Point 2: People can also feel secure about their rights due growing in prominence, which happened during the EU
to the Human Rights Act of 1998. Evidence: The Human referendum (Nigel Farage’s ‘breaking point’ poster and
Rights Act (1998) enforced by the EU courts which hold hate crimes increasing) and thus there is no extremist
Britain accountable, protect rights such as the right ot party with a seat in Parliament. Therefore, people are
privacy, the right to free speech, the right to fair and equal represented and the stability of society is more secure.
treatment under the law. This shows that the UK, under
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Politics
EU law, must conform with these rights, and thus the Point 2: Representative democracy allows more
people can challenge the government through EU law in knowledgeable MPs to take part in the legislative process,
order to maintain their rights. enabling effective decision making. Evidence: MPs are
more likely to have better knowledge of how to create
Point 3: Sacrifice of civil liberties due to protection over legislation and implement it, and can hold government
terrorism. Evidence: The 7/7 London bombings in 2007 directly accountable. The FPTP often allows large
and 9/11 terror attacks in the USA in 2001, led to the majorities in Parliament, which means that the
limitation of civil liberties, with ministers arguing they were government can instigate effective change in legislation
entitled to detain terror suspects without trial on the without being hugely divisive, unlike a referendum which
grounds that a national emergency existed. The causes division, as seen with the 2016 EU referendum.
government introduced a system of control orders that Representative democracy is more effective as it does not
enabled suspects to be closely monitored through require the public to vote on every single issue, which
electronic tagging, removal of mobile phones and internet saves time and enables more effective change, as seen
access. Control orders were kept in place, despite adverse with the reform to Gun laws that occured from 1996-1997.
rulings by judges until 2011 where the coalition
government replaced this with the modified version of Point 3: Direct democracy encourages active engagement
Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures. The in the UK political system. Evidence: The British
Howard League for reform has also failed to persuade the population were largely educated about the role of the EU
government to implement its agenda. in migration, the economy and society which they were
previously less aware of. Referendums advocate
Point 4: Frustrations regarding the Human Rights Act, education of various political issues that are voted on.
prioritisation of Article 8 over Article 10. Evidence: The Widespread debates enable public participation, and thus
protection of Abu Qatada from deportation to Jordan under the turnout of the referendum, at 72%, with many voting
the premise that he may be tortured shows the frustration despite having never voted before, show that
of the Human Rights Act. The Conservative government referendums encourage interest in democracy and
have consistently argued for the replacement of the act politics.
with a ‘British bill of Rights’ that prioritise British courts.
The Human Rights Act have consistently given priority to Point 4: Direct democracy ensures that the public
Article 8 of the ECHR (the right to privacy) over Article 10 represent their own interests. Evidence: MPs often fail to
(the right to freedom of expression) as claimed by the represent the interests of their own constituents, such as
press, and thus people should perhaps be concerned with Kate Hoey’s campaigns for a no-deal Brexit despite her
their right to free speech. In 2008 the High Court awarded constituency, Vauxhall, voting by 70% to remain in the
Max Mosley, the head of the Formula 1 motor racing EU. Referendums enable the public to represent
organisation, substantial damages when News of the themselves and have an immediate impact on the vote,
World published a story about his sex life, yet the ECHR which they are often unable to do due to FPTP, in which
refused to rule that newspapers should notify people ‘safe seats’ have led to over 66% (2017 election) of votes
before printing stories about their personal lives. (and 1.8 million in Scotland) not actually directly
contributing to the result of the General Election.
Evaluate the extent to which the UK political system is Evaluate the extent to which the UK can be said to suffer
undemocratic (30) from a participation crisis (30)
Point 1: Many votes are neglected as it is the candidate Point 1: There is arguably a participation crisis due to
with the most votes, rather than a majority. Evidence: It is falling party membership. Evidence: Only 1.6% of the
estimated that over 66% of the votes in the June 2017 electorate now belongs to one of the major political
parties, whereas in 1983 the figure was 3.8% and
