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CONSTITUTION - Evaluate the view that constitutional reform since 1997 has…
CONSTITUTION -
Evaluate the view that constitutional reform since 1997 has not gone far enough..
Improving democracy
Reduction of hereditary peers (to 91 through negotiations). Status increase for backbench MPs. Overall, the increase of importance of backbench MPs has been imperative in moving away from the idea that the house of commons is an 'elected dictatorship'
FINISHED?
The house of lords were made a partially elected chamber, inherently making it more democratic.
Backbench MPs were given more power. For one, they got a salary increase in 2005. Brown also chose to make them more powerful later on. This allowed for more public scrutiny of MPs which again inherently improves democracy and the legitimacy of decision making.
UNFINISHED?
There were still 91 hereditary peers. 91 more than would for allow for totally elected chamber. However current Prime Minister Kier Starmer is thinking about removing all remaining ones.
Strengthening human rights
Incorporated the European convention of human rights into statute law. Human rights act 1998 which took effect in 2000. Overall, this could do with a bit more work, but the nature of our constitution makes this more difficult to do.
FINISHED?
Certainly entrenches human rights as far as an uncodified constitution allows
Makes human rights more accessible, people can bypass the European courts of human rights (which took a long time) in the interest of addressing local authority
UNFINISHED?
Can be repealed by Parliament if they liked (because they are sovereign). Thus, human rights are not totally protected.
Eg, the tory government of 2015 thought about replacing the act with a human rights bill
Decentralisation of power
FINISHED?
Cities, eg London or surrounding certainly have more power. In 2015, Tory chancellor George Osbourne levied commercial tax on local businesses and allowed cities to make their own adjustments. He then in March 2016 allowed for Manchester to be in charge of their own health and social care budgets, a responsibility of 6 billion per annum.
Metro Mayors have encouraged economic resurgence within cities and have provided media figureheads to attract international investment (which has had more emphasis placed on it since leaving the EU).
Mayors also arguably have more power because they can access civil servants or senior ministers more easily than MPs can.
The good friday agreement did arguably put an end to the troubles, the introduction of STV allowed for all sections of society to be represented. There's certainly less violence in Ireland.
UNFINISHED?
Metro Mayors need to be able to ensure legitimacy if they want true authority. Manchester had a local turnout of 29% in 2016.
Northern Ireland still experiences civil conflict since the Good Friday agreement. They have spent more time being governed by Westminster than they've spent being independent. Loyalist and Republican politicians are forced to tolerate and work with one another, which is difficult to do.
Overall, decentralisation of power has been very successful. Certain countries have been given as much power as they want to have, which exhibits the very positively flexible nature of our constitution.
INTRODUCTION
Overall, constitution reform since 1997 has certainly laid the foundation for reform for further change. Devolution has been successful, the strengthening of human rights and improvement of democracy maybe needs more work.