Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Debates on further reform 1.4: - Coggle Diagram
Debates on further reform 1.4:
the codification debate
Party views:
Tories: mainly oppose
Lab: stayed away from monumental change and opted for incremental change
Lib Dems, small progressive parties and pressure groups:
In favour of coming into line with other liberal democracies
Arguments for:
Clarify political system for citizens
Liberals are it would safeguard citizens' rights better as they couldn't be easily repealed by future parliaments
May prevent further executive power being abused e.g right now - Rory Stewart
Arguments against:
Uncodified constitution is flexible to the changing political climate - if codified changes would be incredibly hard to enact
Tories argue that it's not necessary as the UK has enjoyed a stable political system without one
UK operates on a lot of unwritten conventions e.g prerogative powers which would be hard to transfer into written law
How could reforms since 1997 could be taken further?
HoL:
House of Lords Bill 2012 - proposed and then withdrawn - would've made HoL mostly elected with 3 stage transition to reform - most members would serve 15 non-renewable term
Opponents to an elected 2nd chamber argue:
It's full of experts - their scrutinising ability is vital as MPs don't have the time
HoC will always prevail in disputes as it has the democratic legitmacy
If both were elected there would be potential for gridlock as both would be able to claim democratic mandate
Electoral system
Argument for: the UK is becoming a multi-party system e.g 2015 ge - UKIP and Greens won 5m votes and only won 2 seats
however, 2017 ge Tories and Lab won 82.4% of pop vote - highest collective share since 1970 - suggesting the 2-party dominance may not be over
However, 2011 AV ref - 67.9% voted against (although 42% turnout)
Devolution in England:
Background:
3/4 constitutional parts of the UK have extensive right to self-govern through devolved powers - England doesn't
For arguments:
Devolution has created asymmetrical UK e.g Barnett formula (allocates public funding to parts of the UK) has always meant that spending per capita in England is always less than others parts of the UK - this could be resolved by English devolution
Strong sense of regional identity in Cornwall and Yorkshire - makes regional assemblies relevant - Cornwall was the first county to be given devolved powers e.g control of investment and bus services
Both the regional powers in Cornwall and the 25 elected mayors in England show a model of how English devolution could work
Arguments against:
There is very little public support for English devolution - they are satisfied that Westminster represents their interest sufficiently - only 26% (Ipsos)
Intro of English Votes for English Laws since 2015 addressed the West Lothian q - MPs from Scotland, Wales and NI can no longer vote on issues that only concern England - repealed
Not all parts of England have a strong regional identity and even those that do aren't always supportive e.g North-East rejected the opp to have its own assembly in 2004 by 78%
Further devolution could create democratic overload (which would undermine the legitimacy of the result) - turnouts for elected mayor are disappointing (usually around 35-40%) and Scottish Parliament only reached over 60% turnout in 2021 and the Welsh assembly has never
human rights:
Tories would like to replace the HRA with British Bill of Rights - Raab is keen supporter and plans to introduce this in the near future - was in 2022 queens speech
they want to do it because they want to cut ties with Europe and the HRA is based on the ECHR
Fixed term parliament
was repealed at the end of march 2022
replaced with the dissolution and calling of parliament act
formed under the potential instability of the coalition so that if gov broke down it wouldn't affect the country
Govs could bypass if got 2/3 of commons to back snap election e.g may in 2017
sought to remove pm's power of calling general elections
voting - prisoner & ECtHR - votes at 16 in scot&wales