Evaluate The View That Constitutional Reforms Introduced Since 2010 Have Had A Significant Impact On The UK Constitution. (30)

AGREE 1

Brexit has had a significant impact on the constitution particularly due to the fact that it resulted in parliament regaining sovereignty

Before Brexit there was a supremacy of EU laws over UK laws

Factortame case when the Law Lords ruled that the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 passed by the UK parliament breached EU law as it required UK registered ships to have a majority of British owners. UK parliament was forced to unmake the law.

DISAGREE 1

Brexit has had a limited impact on the UK’s constitution as the EU only had control over a limited number of areas of policy when the UK was a member.

UK parliament was already sovereign when a member of the EU: including most taxation, national defence, education, health and social security.

AGREE 2

Further devolution since 2010 has had a significant impact on the constitution.

Since the Scottish indy ref Scotland has gained more powers to try and satisfy calls for independence.

Scotland Act 2016 which gave Scot parliament further powers particularly in the area of raising tax.  They also gained control over the franchise which they used to reduce the voting age to 16.

DISAGREE 2

Further devolution limited impact on constitution as the true change to the UK constitution through devolution had already occurred.

Devolution was introduced by new labour in the late 1990s this was when significant power was devolved away from UK parliament for the first time. Reforms since then only build on this.

AGREE 3

Parliamentary reforms have had a significant impact on the constitution.

Fixed Terms Parliaments Act introduced by coalation govt in 2011 removed the power of the PM to call a snap election when it suited them.

DISAGREE 3

Fixed term parliament act had limited impact on the UK constitution as it was largely ineffective after the coalition and scrapped by johnsons government in 2022.

PM was able to successfully call a snap election in 2017 and 2019 by effectively shaming the opposition into voting for an election.