YR 13 UK Politics best examples

Example showing ineffective representation function in parliament demographic.

As of may 2025, 41% MPs in Commons are women.

Example showing flaws in electoral system outcomes.

Labour win Commons with only 33.7% of the vote and win 63.4% of the seats , 412/650

Example showing effective participation function of referendums.

Scotland 2014 referendum 84.6%

2016 Brexit 72%

Example showing ineffective representation because of distribution by FPTP. (1)

Reform win 14.3%, 4.1 million votes, but only gain 5 seats which is 0.8% of commons

Example showing greater powers of devolved assemblies.

Scotland Act 2016, add their own tax bracket that better reflects their liberal nation.

Example showing ineffective accountability of MPs.

Recall of MPs act 2015, need high threshold to be sacked, i.e. get suspended sentence or exclusion from Commons.

only been successful 5 times most recently Peter Bone 2023.

Example showing questionable legitimacy of voting system. (1)

Low voter turnout; May 2025 local county council elections was 34.3%.

Combined Authority Mayoral Elections was 30.8%.

Example showing ineffective representation by House of Lords.

92 hereditary peers in Lords

26 Bishops in Lords

Both are unelected groups

Example showing effective representation via electoral systems.

AMS used in Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections.

2021 SNP win 47% on vote and get 49% of seats 64/129.

Example showing free and fair elections upheld by institutions.

The Electoral Commission; created in 2000 is an independent body ensuring election rules are followed.

2016 Gave Vote Leave £61,000 fine for breaking laws during EU referendum.

Example showing enhanced rights protection in 2025.

June 2025 decriminalisation of abortion outside the legal framework/ time zone as an amendment to governments crime and policing bill.

Example showing increasing participation within elections. (1)

2001 voter turnout 59%

2017 voter turnout 69%

2019 voter turnout 67%

Example showing better representation via devolution (England).

Repeal of EVEL in 2022

Example showing greater representation through parliament composition.

13 different parties were elected in 2024

21 Independents, highest number ever.

Example showing effective representation via alternate means of direct democracy.

2020 Climate Assembly.

108 citizens proposed ideas to help meet net zero by 2050, some of them were adopted such as ban on sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2030.

Example showing decreasing participation in elections.

Voter turnout has not been more than 70% since 2001, 25 years ago.

1945-92 consistently above 75%.

Example showing ineffective devolution.

Low rates of participation in mayoral elections

London mayoral election 2024 40.5%

Local elections May 2025 34.3%

Example showing decreasing participation via party.

In 1950s 2.8 million members of conservative party

In 2025 just 131,000

Example showing increasing participation via party.(1)

Labour membership grown to over 500,000 since 2015 general election.

Due to Corbyn and low membership fees

Example showing increasing participation via party. (2)

Reform UK 250,000 members as of 2026

Exampling showing increased participation via alternate means of direct democracy.

E-petitions

2016 revoke Article 50 attracting 6.1 million signatures

Counter to e-petitions?

No E-petition has ever led to change in policy.

Example showing increasing participation in elections. (2)

AV voter turnout of 42%

2014 Scotland 84.6%

Brexit 2016 72%

Example showing ineffective representation of FPTP. (2)

73.4% of votes casted are wasted.

Example showing ineffective regulation of free and fair election.

Electoral commission can only act retrospectively.

By time sanction is issued party’s would have already benefitted.

Example showing ineffective rights protection in the UK. (1)

Parliamentary sovereignty which threatens HRA 1998 as can easily repeal.

Proposition of British Bill of Rights.

Example showing ineffective legitimacy of political system.(2)

Electoral Commission survey 2025- 14% people trust their politicians.

Example showing ineffective representation by MPs.

Nadine Dorries did not hold a surgery in her constituency, Flitwick, since 2020.

Did not speak in Parliament for a year July 2022-23

Only voted 10 times 2022-23

Example showing ineffective rights protection. (2)

Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022

Public Order Act 2023

Both acts restricted rights to protest and allowed stop and search by police without suspicion.

Example showing weak legitimacy of electoral outcomes.

Over 113 seats in parliament were won by majorities less than 5%

Example showing significance of manifetoes in electoral outcomes.

Micheal foot 1983 election; manifesto longest suicide note in history

contained pledges to leave NATO and European Community and nuclear disarmament.

Thatcher; pragmatic policies like continuing ‘Right to Buy’ scheme

Example showing significance of media in electoral outcomes. (1)

1997 Labour; The Sun advocates for Labour in papers pushing them to readers. This occurs 2 weeks before election.

Example showing insignificance of media in electoral outcomes.

1997 Labour had been ahead in the polls for 3 years, since 1994, before The Sun promoted them only 2 weeks before election.

Example showing significance of electoral systems in electoral outcomes.

In 2010 every electoral system, AV, AV+ & STV, would have led to a hung parliament with Conservatives as largest party (246)

Example showing significance of leadership in electoral outcomes. (1)

2015 Ed Miliband; Bacon sandwich incident

Example showing significance of leadership in electoral outcomes (2)

An Ipsos Mori poll prior to the 2010 election came out with 33% people arguing Cameron to be a more capable potential PM than Brown (29%)

Example showing the significance of media in electoral outcomes.(2)

2024 Ed Davey, LibDem leader, used media stunts such as a water obstacle course news presentation, to increase his popularity and favorability as a charismatic leader

Example showing significance of leadership in electoral outcomes.

2017 May campaign was described as the worse campaign in living memory with her being described as ‘MayBot’.

She went on to be unable to win majority have to form a confidence supply agreement with the DUP as a result.

Example showing significance of electoral systems in determining electoral outcomes. (2)

Under FPTP in 2024 Labour won 33% and got 63%, 412 seats.

Under PR; STV. Labour would have won 264 and reform who got 14.3% of vote would have won 71 seats. Leading to hung Parliament.

Example showing a lack of internal democracy due to challenge of candidate selection.

In 2023 Leigh Drennan, an ally of Angela Rayner was excluded from candidate shortlist in Bolton North East selection.

Leads to resignation of local party selection committee.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to poor policy formulation contribution.(1)

2022 delegates at the Labour Party conference pass motion calling for PR to be adopted, backed by 140 Labour parties.

Starmer does not include it in pledges.

Example showing internal democracy due to collaborative leadership selection. (1)

Since 2014 Labour have adopted a One Member, One vote system (OMOV) for leadership elections.

This increases influence of all members within the party, making more representative.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to poor policy formulation contribution.(2)

2017 Theresa May, Conservative manifesto was written by her advisors, with cabinet members only seeing it 20 minutes before announcement.

Leads to formation of unpopular policies like the ‘Dementia Tax’.

Example showing internal democracy due to representative leadership selection.

In 2015 325,000 new Labour party raising membership to 515,000.

As a result the members, who joined due to Corbyn’s charm elected him in 2016'.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to small minority controlling leadership of party.

Boris Johnson wins party leadership by 66% of votes but is ousted after his cabinet ministers resign to force a lack of confidence.

Cabinet remove an majority leader without proper internal election process.

Example showing internal democracy due to collaborative policy formulation. (2)

At 2021, Labour conference motion for a Green New Deal, which called for:

Public ownership of energy

£28bn annual investment in green jobs

This investment became part of manifesto in 2024, just less money.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to high criteria for leadership selection.

Tory MPs mandate for 100 MPs to support a candidate for leadership meant the only person eligible for selection was Sunak, without members having a say.

Example showing internal democracy due to collaborative policy formulation. (3)

2019 LibDems manifesto to revoke Article 50 after consultation with members and research group.

Example showing internal democracy due to high support for leader during selection.

LibDems leader needs nomination from 20 local parties as well as 200 party members.

Ed Davey, elected with 1870 members and 343 parties support.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to illegitimate candidate selection.

2009 Sarah Wollastone, wins the Tory primary in Totnes by only 24% of votes. Less than a quarter mandate by voters.

Example countering 2009 Sarah Wollastone illegitimacy.

Still beats 2 other Conservative thus making her a candidate who reflects and represents party views.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to non elected candidate selection.

In 2022 the Conservative party abandoned their use of primaries to select candidates.

Example showing lack of internal democracy due to leader interference with candidate selection.

In 2005 Cameron introduced the A-list for candidate selection, which provided direct recommendations.

This restricted the influence of local parties in candidate selection.

Example showing internal democracy due to representative leadership selection by entire party.

Truss won the leadership through winning support of 57% of all party members, Sunak (43%).

Sunak one the MPs over with 38% share vs Liz’s 32%.

Which social class is AB & C1?

Upper-middle and middle class

Which social class is C2?

Skilled working class

Which social class is DE?

Unskilled working class

What % of AB voters voted Conservative since 1997?

39% 1997

39% 2010

45% 2015

46% 2017

42% 2019

What % of AB voters voted Labour since 1997?

34% 1997

27% 2010

26% 2015

38% 2017

32% 2019

What % of C1 voters voted Conservative since 1997?

37% 1997

39% 2010

41% 2015

41% 2017

43% 2019

What % of C1 voters voted Labour since 1997?

29% 2015

43% 2017

34% 2019

What % of C2 voters voted Conservative since 1997?

27% 1997

37% 2010

32% 2015

47% 2017

49% 2019

What % of C2 voters voted Labour since 1997?

50% 1997

29% 2010

32% 2015

40% 2017

31% 2019

What % of DE voters voted Conservative since 1997?

21% 1997

31% 2010

27% 2015

41% 2017

47% 2019

What % of DE voters voted Labour since 1997?

59% 1997

40% 2010

41% 2015

44% 2017

34% 2019

What are the two primary sources of political party funding in the UK

Membership subscriptions from members: in order to become a card-carrying member of a political party, you need to pay a monthly/annual fee.

Donations

Example showing significance of membership fees?

In 2024 Labour made £18,321,000 from membership fees.

Example challenging significance of membership fees?