Is the UK in need of democratic reform

potential democratic reforms

• replace house of lords w elected chamber

• replace FPTP w more proportional one

• codify UK constitution

• create devolved english parliament to equalise dev

• intro full state party funding

• intro compulsory voting

• replace monarch w elected head of state z

replace HOL w elected chamber + -

+remove unelected unaccountable body from UK democratic process

-what replaced it might cause great rivalry w HOC, leading to gridlock in political process, expertise in the lords could potentially be replaced by career politicians

replace FPTP electoral system w more proportional one + -

+remove negative features of FPTP, safe seats, minor constituencies, unfair rep and gov w minority of support

-proportional systems make coalitions more likely and harder to hold accountable, systems more complex and risk losing close mp-constituency link that currently exists

codify UK constitution + -

+clarify processes of uk political system and provide higher law that would be entrenched, rather than flexibility of current uncodified constitution

-codified constitution might prove too rigid and there are questions abt who would write it and how it would be implemented, raise questions over location of sovereignty, give more power to unelected judges

Create devolved english parliament to equalise dev + -

+solve west lothian question, and create more equal level of rep across the uk

-eng is too large a single entity to work within devolved system, but regional dev has been rejected by voters

Intro full state party funding + -

+allow politicians to focus on main job rather than fundraising, potentially remove need to acquire money from powerful groups and vested interests that donate for own ends not national interest

-process of fundraising helps to keep politicians and parties connected to voters, questions would be raised over how funding would be allocated and whether taxpayer money should be given to parties that some may find objectionable

introduce compulsory voting + -

+would increase turnout in all elections, helping improve legitimacy of elected officials

-forcing ppl to vote may not improve public engagement in politics, right to vote also includes right not to vote.

replace monarch w elected head of state + -

+remove unelected figurehead and replace them with an elected and accountable figure

-monarch is popular and neutral can act as unifying figure in way elected politician cannot.