Politcs - Uk politcs

Representative democracy

citizens choose others to represent them, making important decisions on their behalf

Social representation

• political space should be broadly representative of the population it represents

• a microcosm of society as a whole

• Burnham cabinet = 12/23 female so proportional to 51% of uk population, 22% private education 3x general population

representation of national interest

• issues of national interest may clash with issues important top their consituency

• e.g locals may oppose building new airport for noise and pollution but brings national interest of economic growth

constituency representation

• represent whole constituency issues like public service

• represent individual constituents, e.g mistreated by NHS or miscarriage of justice

• issues can arise when MP doesn’t align their beliefs or opinions with the constituencies

Party representation

• in public party MPs must support the parties manifesto

sectional representation

• APPG (All party parliamentary group) meet to discuss particular issues to do with their topic

• APPG’s regularly examine issues

• this can also be done by pressure groups but MP’s play a role too

Causal representation

• bodies not representing people but instead causes e.g environmental issues

• largely carried out by pressure groups

advantages of representative democracy ?

• only practical system in larger modern state

• parties bring coherence to political system, both gov and opposition would be disorganised without the parties which provide leaders and policies

• parties provide choice of representation to the public, views from left right and centre

• minority rights protected by the first past the post system which keeps extremist views from parliment

• elections allow the public to keep MP’s accountable (every 5 years)

• politicians better informed than general public 85% in university

Disadvantages of representative democracy

• if MP holds a safe seat they are unlikely to loose it, leads to complacency from MP’s so less inclined to follow wishes of constituents

• parliament not reflective of society

• hard for smaller parties to get elected even if they have lots of support e.g UKIP won 3.8 million votes and only got 1 MP

• party infighting undermine the coherence of the political system

• The practicality of using representatives instead of referendums leads to disengagement with politcs

• Mps are generalists not experts and their views are often dictated by party whips meaning they often are not following the actual wishes of their constituents and instead what the party wants (not true representation)

Direct democracy

a form of democracy in which individuals express their opinions themselves and not through representatives

Referendums

• method of direct democracy

• everyone vote yes or no on a policy issues

• should give a policy decision legitimacy however faces issues (people often don’t know about them or have enough information)

Recall petitions

• allows constituents to remove MP’s

• MP must either break the rules of the Commons so that they are suspended for 10+ days or be convicted of providing false election expenses claim OR commit a crime that brings a custodial sentence under a year (over leads to immediate seat loss)

• Then a petition is opened in their constituency for 6 weeks, if 10% or more sign then the Mp looses their seat and a by-election is called (the candidate can potentially stand again)

Advantages of direct democracy

• encourages popular participation in politics by expecting people to take their duties as citizens seriously

• people making the decisions themselves give them legitimacy

• can break a dead lock in the political system

• purest form of democracy, the popular will is clearly heard

Disadvantages of direct democracy

• impractical in large, heavily populated nations and is very time consuming

• some issues may be too complex and people may not be or feel qualified enough so will discourage votes

• open to manipulation by the cleverest most articlulate speakers who will persuade people to their view point

• will of people not mediated so minority views often silenced

Scottish parliament Referendum

• 1997

• Parliament: Yes = 75%, NO= 25% , turnout = 60%

• devolution of power from Westminster but they still hold sovierenty

• plan for labour to win more support by having less people voting for SNP is they give them this devolution

Good Friday Agreement Refurendum (NI)

• 1998

• Yes = 72%, No = 28%, turnout = 81%

• ended most of the violence from the troubles

• only way to get people to do what the gov wanted

• everyone represented

• gave explicit approval of new gov from people

AV referendum

• 2011

• Yes = 32%, No= 68%, turnout = 42%

• change the voting system from first pass the post

• lots of people voted no as a protest against the lib dems during there conservative coalition

• additionally, AV system was no actually a system that people wanted and rather another alternative as AV was still not proportional

Brexit referendum

• 2016

• Leave = 52%, remain = 48%, turnout = 72%

• Nigel Farage led UKIP and the leave party

• David Cameron led remain party

• Many prime ministers resigned due to not being able to draw up a suitable deal with th EU

• lost of mis-information used

Ian Paisley Jr recall petition

• constituency of North Antrim

• 2018

• reason = not declaring visit to Sri-lanka paid for by the SL government, broke commons rule banning paid advocy

• % signing petition = 9.4%

• unsuccessful

• no by-election

Fiona Onasanya. recall petition

• constituency = Peterborough

• 2019

• reason = perverting course of justice (speeding) 3 months in prison

• % signing petition = 27.6%

• succesful

• by-elction called and labour retained seat (Lisa Forbes)

Christopher Davies recall petition

• constancy = Brecon and Radnorshire

• 2019

• reason = submitting face expense documents

• % signing = 19%

• succesful

• by election held Lib Dem won seat (Jane Dodds)

Margaret Ferrier recall petition

• constituency = Rutherglen and Hamilton west

• 2020

• reason = broke covid lockdown rules

• % signing = 15%

• succesful

• by election held and labour won (Michael shanks)

chartists

• a working class (1838-1857) campaigning for democratic reforms universal male suffrage based on peoples charter

suffragettes

• members of the wasp who used militant tactics to campaign for woman's right to vote

franchise

• qualifications that set out who has suffrage

Key advancements of franchise for class

• 1430: 40 shilling freeholders, law passed that set the franchise at own/rent property worth 40 shillings (1% can vote)

• 1867: Second reform act, property qualifications reduced in cities, all urban male workers can vote (13% vote)

• 1928: equal franchise act, property qualifications for woman abolished

key advancements of franchise in gender

• 1918: the representation of peoples act, woman over 30 allowed to vote if they met property qualifications

• 1928: equal franchise act, voting age for men and woman equalised at 21

key advancements of franchise in nationality

• 1535: welsh citizens can vote in English elections

• 1707/ 1801: Acts of the union, Scotland and Ireland unite with England and Wales , can vote

• 1918: subjects of British empire can vote

• 1979: European parliamentary election, UK allowed EU citizens to vote

key advancements of franchise in age

• 1969: the representation of peoples act, lowered voting age from 21 to 18

• 2015: Scottish elections act, lower voting age from 18 to 16 in Scottish local and parliamentary elections

• 2021: local government and Elections (Wales) act lower voting age from 18 to 16 for welsh elections

• 2024-26 : voting age in UK lower to 18, 1.7 million new 16-17 years olds can vote, may allow bank cards

The chartists aims

• first mass working class movement

• 1838 the Peoples Charter was drawn up for the London working Men’s association by William and Francis Place there aims were:

- all men have the right to vote

- voting take place by secret ballot

- parliamentary elections every year not every 5

- constituencies should be of equal size

- members of parliament should be paid

- property qualification for becoming an MP should be abolished

The chartists actions

• 1839 the Chartists petition presented to House of Commons with 1.25 million signatures but was rejected by parliament, provoked unrest which was quickly stopped by parliament

• another petition presented in 1842 with over 3 million signatures still rejected

• 1848 a final petition presented a mass meeting was held in London, authorities feared violence so came prepared with police and army but the unrest never happened, within a few years the movement was dying

• by 1918 5 of the chartists demands were achieved only elections being held every year was rejected (due to fears of lower particpation and inconvenience)

The suffragette aims

• Emmeline Pankhurst was founding member of the WSPU in 1903

• they were a highly organised group who aimed to get the vote for woman

• only women could join the group and they used both violent and peaceful methods to try and get the vote

The suffragettes action

• the WSPU used tactics both to cause disruption and civil disobedience such as the rush on parliament in 1908

• the lack of government action led to the suffragets under going more violent methods such has attacks on property this resulted in imprisonment and hunger strikes

• at outbreak of ww1 Emmeline Pankhurst turned attention to recruiting woman to war effort and lost of their work was put on hold to help the war effort

• Due to a large number of troops being disenfranchised during the war as you had to be in the country for 12 months prior to a general election and the growth of the Labour Party in 1918 all men and some woman were finally granted the vote

• 1918 Representation of the people act allowed woman over 30 who owned property to vote swell as allowing basically all men the vote

time line for vote at 16

• 2001, Lib dems make commitment to for votes at 16 in their manifesto for first time

• 2004, electoral commission writes a report but recommends keeping it at 18

• 2008, Julie Morgan (labour MP) brings forward a private members bill to lower age but it gets defeated in parliament

• 2014, 16-17 year olds allowed to vote in Scottish referendum

• 2015, Scotland allows them to vote in local elections and labour put it in their election manifesto, conservatives don’t support as they believe most 16-17 years olds are left leaning

• 2018, All Part Parliament Group on Votes at 16 formed, Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley is chair

• 2026, Bill introduced to parliament, process being completed

Arguments for vote at 16

• young people knowledgeable about politics, can be studied academically at 16/17 and a youth parliament

• young people have other rights at 16, can join army training, have sex ect

• having vote gives young people a say on issues that effect them like uni tuition

• having vote would mean more people participate in politics, 75% of 16 and 17 year olds voted in 2014 Scottish referendum

Arguments against 16 having vote

• young people lack necessary maturity and life experience to vote, many may have views determined by parents or friends

• some of the rights at 16 are limited like need parents permission to join army ect

• relatively few countries allow 16 year olds to vote, Austria and Brazil being rare examples

• scottish independence referendum had unusually high turnouts in all age groups so is it a fair example

History of prisoner voting campaign

• 1950, Article 3 of the European convention on human rights declares voting a universal right

• 2005, EU court of human rights declares UK’s blanket ban on prisoner voting as incompatible with the law

• 2006-9, Labour issue consulatations but nothing comes of it

• 2012, In fighting within the conservative government come saying not giving them right to vote brings bag image of UK but Cameron states it will never happen

• 2017, a compromise was made wit the ECHR which states prisoners on remand (awaiting trail), civil prisoners (not having paid fines ect) or prisoners living in the community have the right to vote

• 2020, SNP allows prisoners in Scotland serving under 12 months to vote

Arguments for prisoners voting

• prisoners do remain citizens while in jail and voting signifies there inclusion in society

• participation in democratic process would promote rehabilitation by encouraging prisoners to see themselves as citizens

• disenfranchisement is unlikely to be a deterrent

• prisoners already receiving their due punishment

Arguments against prisoners voting

• right to vote is a means of shaping society we live in but prisoners don’t live in open society and they lost their freedom by going to prison they are no longer a part of society

• giving prisoners right to vote reduces suffrage to a therapeutic tool

• those who have committed crimes serious enough to warrant going to jail do not have the moral authority to vote

• allowing prisoners to vote may skew the results of constituencies with large prisons like Wandsworth however only 90,000 prisoners in England and wales

What is a pressure group?

• seek to influence policy from outside the party (can still be MP’s but not to push a certain party agenda)

• often have a more narrow policy focus and their members come from a variety of political backgrounds

PG function : representation

• often represent views not covered by the main political parties such as Campaign for Nuclear disarmament

PG function : participation

• up to 50% of the UK citizens are members of a pressure group

• they organise petitions marches ect to advocate for their cause

• However membership does not necessarily mean participation, so ca;;ed ‘chequebook groups’ such as the national trust often aren’t actively political they might have 5 million members but most just joined for the houses

• arguably the same goal is achieved either way

PG function : education

• most of what the public know about politics come from websites leaflet ect made by pressure groups

PG function : policy making

• some PG are regularly consulted by the government when formulating policy like OFSTED

PG function : tension release

• in order for our society to remain peaceful people need a method of letting out their anger and PG allow them to do this

PG: sectional groups

• main aim is to represent the interest of their members

• they have a closed membership so you must be a certain person to join

• e.g national education union for teachers

PG: cause groups

• main aim is to promote a cause or principle that is not directly associated with self-interest

• they have an open membership so anyone can join

• includes charities such as NSPCC

PG: dual function group

• represent a section of society as well as a wider cause

• e.g. cancer research which aims to improve care for patients and research for the benefit for everyone

PG: insider groups

• have access to the government and are regularly consulted on issues

• operate inside the decision making process

• include high profile insiders: strong relations with ministers like British medial association

• prisoner groups: they depend on government funding and so cant say things against government

• Quangos: created by the government but operate independently of them like OFSTED they are publicly funded but independent

• Specialist groups: consulted on specific niche areas

PG: outsider groups

• have no direct access to decision making

• they may be outsiders by choice or not

• some are ideologically opposed too the government like Just stop oil

PG: threshold groups

• the status of some PG varied depending on which party is in power

• trade unions are ideological outsiders to the conservative

• UNITE refused to donate to Labour inn the 2024 election under Starmer but closer now with Burnham

think tank

• research organisation that produce information and opinions about policy

• some funded by government, some by political parties and some by private companies

lobbyists

• private individuals and organisations that act on behalf of companies, industries and pressure groups and other causes by seeking to influence gov in policy and law making

corporations

• large business organisations in UK that exist to make a profit + influence ministers and members of parliament to modify policy that affects there business and interests

positives of think tanks

• can be ideological rather than rooted in current reality

• independant

negatives of think tanks

• cherry pick information

• not democratic or politically neutral - to most people ‘academic’ means trustworthy so people will trust what they say even if its biased

• can be funded by parties

• elitist within groups

• are the ideas too ideological/ not realistic

Think tank examples

• Cente of Policy Studies and smith institute, influenced Conservatives (under Thatcher) shift toward opposition of state regulation

• Joseph Rowntree Foundation, social change and end of poverty, cited 157 times by gov in 2015-21 so high influence

• policy exchange, right wing think tank that Rishi Sunak worked for in 2014-15 before becoming an MP

Why are Lobbyists controversial

• cost a lot of money to hire a lobbying firm, estimate 2 billion spent on lobbyists each year, access too them comes at a price not easily afforded by average voter

• ‘Revolving door’ between politics and business where ex-politicans and civil servants often move into the private sector as lobbyists or advisors, in exchange for high salaries they offer to ‘grease the wheels’ off government or provide strategic advice of how best to run a business (e.g avoid most tax)

• serving politicians act as lobbyists for private companies, while not illegal for MP’s to have second jobs (e.g doctor lawyer ect) it is illegal for them to use power and access for benefit of others in return for payment, this has led to scandals

Lobbying scandals

• cash for questions 1996: Consrvates MP’s accused of accepting cash to ask specific questions in parliament, Neil Hamilton accused of accepting 2000£ from owner of Harrods

• Greenshill scandal 2020: former prime minister David Cameron reportedly paid 7m by greenshil capitol to use his contracts in gov to help get the company loans during covid pandemic, reportedly sent emails, phone calls and set up meeting with Bank of England, greenshil later gained loans worth 400million