UK Politics Paper 1 revision document.
TOPIC 1- DEMOCRACY AND PARTICIPATION- ESSAY PLANS
1. To what extent is the UK suffering from a participation crisis? (turnout v reflective,
membership v picking back up again, crisis among young vs can participate in
other ways.)
1.Yes, turnout is low.
- 2012 Police and crime commissioner elections only had a 15.1% turnout in London,
10-12% elsewhere . Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the next day that it was a
“cause for concern”
- 2019 67% turnout
- 2011 AV referendum turnout 42%
= prevalence of elections means that political fatigue is common.
No, people can participate in other ways
- Petition in 2019 to revoke Article 50 got 6.1 million signatures, 2020 petition to get
the gov to announce more arts funding was successful, got 175,654 signatures, 2007
petition to get the gov to drop road proposals was also successful- meaningful
change can be effected through other avenues.
- Pressure groups- RSPB has 1 million members. 40% of UK a member of a pressure
group.
-
2.Yes- membership is in decline.
- 1992 4.5% of population were a member of a political party, now only 2%.
- 1970 3.2% of electorate a Tory member, only 0.5% in 2019.
No, it’s picking back up again
- SNP 2015 had 120,000 members- healthy in a population of 5 million.
- Labour 2015 reduced membership to £3- doubled membership from 0.5% to 1%.
3. Yes- crisis among the young
- 2019 turnout of 18-24 year olds was only 47%, as opposed to 84% of 75+- this is a
crisis as it means political bodies do not represent the interests of the diverse nation-
pass policies such as the 2012 decision to raise uni tuition fees to £9000.
No, turnout is indicative of who chooses to vote. If they do not vote, they are
voluntarily opting out of the democratic system.
- 2019 18-24 year olds turned out at 47%- reflected in the large Conservative majority,
When they do choose to turn out, such as during the 2017 election, their views are
reflected in politics- shown by the Corbyn increase in vote.
- Average age in Parliament is 51, turnout peaks at 50= our representative bodies are
reflective of who chooses to elect them, and this is a good thing, not a crisis.
2. Evaluate the extent to which direct democracy is superior to representative
democracy. (education vs swayed by emotion, mandate vs divides between
, elected officials and people, all votes count equally vs impractical and cause
apathy.)
1. Direct superior- education on political issues
- 2016 Brexit referendum
- 2011 AV referendum- voting systems.
Representative- politicians more equipped to be properly educated on issues- it is
their full time job, not swayed by emotion and falsities.
- 2016 claim that £350 million was given to the EU per week that could go to the NHS,
Nigel Farage’s rhetoric on immigration- lies and emotive language swayed voters.
2. Direct superior- gives gov a mandate from the people to enact important
decisions
- 1997 Good Friday agreement 81% turnout, 71% voted yes- peace, power to
the people, ended years of conflict.
- Brexit a hugely important decision that would affect many areas= must be
made with the consent of the people.
- Welsh Devolution in 1997 enacted with 63.7% of people voting YES to
devolution.
Representative- direct can create divides between elected officials and the people.
- 70% of MPs voted remain, hard to balance views of constituency with personal
beliefs. Conflict in Parliament- Margot James resigned in 2019 as MP for Stourbridge
after she could not support May’s Brexit deal but her 64% leave constituency wanted
her to.
- SNP still dominates Scotland despite the direct democracy decision to remain in the
UK- (55% remain) it does not always solve conflict.
3. Direct superior- all votes count equally
- Representative wastes votes- in 2017, 22 million votes wasted. Corbyn won
73% of Islington North- by definition, 23% of votes there for Labour were
wasted.
- 2019 300 seats won by a minority vote.
- UKIP 2015 12.5% of vote, 1 seat- unfair.
Representative- too many elections are expensive, impractical and cause apathy.
- Brexit referendum 2016 cost £142 million
- Swiss turnout in 2017 referendums was 47%- low interest in constant elections.
Is UK a genuine pluralist democracy?
1. DEVOLUTION vs POWER CONCENTRATED IN WESTMINSTER
2. PRESSURE GROUPS, THINK TANKS AND LOBBYISTS vs NO POWER
3. ADVICE OF JUDICIARY INFLUENCES DECISIONS vs IT DOES NOT
Evaluate the extent to which rights are protected in the UK (Parliament, Civil Society,
Judiciary)
1. PARLIAMENT
Parliament protects them
- 2010 Equality Act
, - 2013 Marriages Act
- 1998 HRA
Parliament infringes on them
- 2012 Voting Eligibility bill
- 2022 attempts to remove trans from equality act- Kemi Badenoch
- 2021 Sarah Everard vigil
- 2022 Police Crime and Sentencing Bill
2. CIVIL SOCIETY
Civil society strong
- Liberty 2017 closed loophole that allowed employers to not allow equal spousal
provisions to same sex couples
- Amnesty 2007/8 compensation post Shell oil spill for 15,800 farmers
- 2013- Living Wage foundation secured pledges from 430 employers to commit to a
living wage
- RMT union bonus payments in 20112/2016
- BMA secured 4.3% wage increase from 2019-2024
Civil society lacks real impact
- 2020 Liberty failed case on lockdown laws
- 2017 Liberty failed case against a no- deal Brexit- court of appeals refused to hear
case.
- 2003 Stop the war 1.5 million marched- no change in policy in Iraq.
3. JUDICIARY
Judiciary protects
- 2023 ruled the Rwanda policy unconstitutional
- Ruled against Peter and Hazel Mary Bull in 2008
- 2019 prorogation of Parliament ruled unconstitutional- Johnson recalls it. Gina Miller
case
- 2004 Belmarsh case (A and Others vs Secretary of State for Home Affairs) ruled that
it was unconstitutional to detain suspected foreign terrorists without trial,
No tangible influence
- Overruled on prisoners voting in 2012
- Overruled on Terrorist Asset freezing act 2010
Evaluate the extent to which democracy remains representative in the UK (Demographically
vs not, politically vs not, pressure groups-causally vs no influence)
1.Demographically
Yes- all time high of women in the Commons, at 35% , 10% of Commons BAME, 71% state
educated
No- very unrepresentative demographically
- Elitist- 29% of Commons went to private school, ⅔ of Sunak’s 2022 cabinet. 71% of
Lords private school, ½ of Sunak’s cabinet went to Oxbridge, also half of Johnson’s.
10/12 SC justices male.
- Parliament represents old people- average age 51= can pass policies that do not
represent interests of young people (tuition fees, triple lock on pensions, austerity)
, 2.Politically
- 2015 7 parties represented in the lead up to the election
- Small parties help to get issues on the agenda- green influencing climate policy,
UKIP sparking Brexit.
- Smaller parties can aid representation of causes and issues on a local level- 2024
local elections saw the Lib Dems get 522 councillor seats and the Greens 181 as
opposed to the Conservative’s 515, with 12 councils controlled by the Lib Dems.
No- FPTP hinders this
- Wasted votes that stop small parties- UKIP 2015 12.5% of vote, 1 seat.
- 367 safe seats in 2019- no chance for small voices to be represented.
- Greens 2015 1 million, should’ve translated to 20 seats but they only got 1.
3.Pressure groups represent causes in democracy
- ASH succeeded in getting warnings on cigarette packets in 2013
- British Medical Association represents doctors and secured a pay rise for senior
doctors in 2023.
- RMT represents train drivers- 2012 Olympic pay rise, 2016 bonus
No influence
- Doctors voting for strikes Jan 2024 despite BMA negotiations
- XR represents people concerned about the climate crisis yet has Priti Patel trying to
class them as a terrorist organisation
- 2003 Stop the War
- Trust for London called on the gov to stick to net 0 emissions by 2035, Sunak still
extended the target to 2050
Evaluate the extent to which democracy is in crisis in the UK (turnout vs wider activity,
judiciary unelected vs protects democracy, Parliament representative vs FPTP harms
democracy)
1. PARTICIPATION
Turnout low
- 1951- 84%,
- 2019 67%, 2001 59%.
- AV referendum 2011 42%.
- 2012 Police and Crime Commissioner elections 15.1% in London
Wider political activity healthy
- 40% member of pressure group
- 1 million marched in 2023 for a ceasefire in Gaza
- 6 million signed petition in 2018 to revoke Article 50.
- 2020 petition for more arts funding got 175,000 signatures.
2. RIGHTS
Democracy is in crisis as Parliament can easily erode the rights of the people- tyranny
of the majority
- 2024 attempt to amend the NHS constitution
- 2010 Terrorist Asset Freezing Act
TOPIC 1- DEMOCRACY AND PARTICIPATION- ESSAY PLANS
1. To what extent is the UK suffering from a participation crisis? (turnout v reflective,
membership v picking back up again, crisis among young vs can participate in
other ways.)
1.Yes, turnout is low.
- 2012 Police and crime commissioner elections only had a 15.1% turnout in London,
10-12% elsewhere . Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the next day that it was a
“cause for concern”
- 2019 67% turnout
- 2011 AV referendum turnout 42%
= prevalence of elections means that political fatigue is common.
No, people can participate in other ways
- Petition in 2019 to revoke Article 50 got 6.1 million signatures, 2020 petition to get
the gov to announce more arts funding was successful, got 175,654 signatures, 2007
petition to get the gov to drop road proposals was also successful- meaningful
change can be effected through other avenues.
- Pressure groups- RSPB has 1 million members. 40% of UK a member of a pressure
group.
-
2.Yes- membership is in decline.
- 1992 4.5% of population were a member of a political party, now only 2%.
- 1970 3.2% of electorate a Tory member, only 0.5% in 2019.
No, it’s picking back up again
- SNP 2015 had 120,000 members- healthy in a population of 5 million.
- Labour 2015 reduced membership to £3- doubled membership from 0.5% to 1%.
3. Yes- crisis among the young
- 2019 turnout of 18-24 year olds was only 47%, as opposed to 84% of 75+- this is a
crisis as it means political bodies do not represent the interests of the diverse nation-
pass policies such as the 2012 decision to raise uni tuition fees to £9000.
No, turnout is indicative of who chooses to vote. If they do not vote, they are
voluntarily opting out of the democratic system.
- 2019 18-24 year olds turned out at 47%- reflected in the large Conservative majority,
When they do choose to turn out, such as during the 2017 election, their views are
reflected in politics- shown by the Corbyn increase in vote.
- Average age in Parliament is 51, turnout peaks at 50= our representative bodies are
reflective of who chooses to elect them, and this is a good thing, not a crisis.
2. Evaluate the extent to which direct democracy is superior to representative
democracy. (education vs swayed by emotion, mandate vs divides between
, elected officials and people, all votes count equally vs impractical and cause
apathy.)
1. Direct superior- education on political issues
- 2016 Brexit referendum
- 2011 AV referendum- voting systems.
Representative- politicians more equipped to be properly educated on issues- it is
their full time job, not swayed by emotion and falsities.
- 2016 claim that £350 million was given to the EU per week that could go to the NHS,
Nigel Farage’s rhetoric on immigration- lies and emotive language swayed voters.
2. Direct superior- gives gov a mandate from the people to enact important
decisions
- 1997 Good Friday agreement 81% turnout, 71% voted yes- peace, power to
the people, ended years of conflict.
- Brexit a hugely important decision that would affect many areas= must be
made with the consent of the people.
- Welsh Devolution in 1997 enacted with 63.7% of people voting YES to
devolution.
Representative- direct can create divides between elected officials and the people.
- 70% of MPs voted remain, hard to balance views of constituency with personal
beliefs. Conflict in Parliament- Margot James resigned in 2019 as MP for Stourbridge
after she could not support May’s Brexit deal but her 64% leave constituency wanted
her to.
- SNP still dominates Scotland despite the direct democracy decision to remain in the
UK- (55% remain) it does not always solve conflict.
3. Direct superior- all votes count equally
- Representative wastes votes- in 2017, 22 million votes wasted. Corbyn won
73% of Islington North- by definition, 23% of votes there for Labour were
wasted.
- 2019 300 seats won by a minority vote.
- UKIP 2015 12.5% of vote, 1 seat- unfair.
Representative- too many elections are expensive, impractical and cause apathy.
- Brexit referendum 2016 cost £142 million
- Swiss turnout in 2017 referendums was 47%- low interest in constant elections.
Is UK a genuine pluralist democracy?
1. DEVOLUTION vs POWER CONCENTRATED IN WESTMINSTER
2. PRESSURE GROUPS, THINK TANKS AND LOBBYISTS vs NO POWER
3. ADVICE OF JUDICIARY INFLUENCES DECISIONS vs IT DOES NOT
Evaluate the extent to which rights are protected in the UK (Parliament, Civil Society,
Judiciary)
1. PARLIAMENT
Parliament protects them
- 2010 Equality Act
, - 2013 Marriages Act
- 1998 HRA
Parliament infringes on them
- 2012 Voting Eligibility bill
- 2022 attempts to remove trans from equality act- Kemi Badenoch
- 2021 Sarah Everard vigil
- 2022 Police Crime and Sentencing Bill
2. CIVIL SOCIETY
Civil society strong
- Liberty 2017 closed loophole that allowed employers to not allow equal spousal
provisions to same sex couples
- Amnesty 2007/8 compensation post Shell oil spill for 15,800 farmers
- 2013- Living Wage foundation secured pledges from 430 employers to commit to a
living wage
- RMT union bonus payments in 20112/2016
- BMA secured 4.3% wage increase from 2019-2024
Civil society lacks real impact
- 2020 Liberty failed case on lockdown laws
- 2017 Liberty failed case against a no- deal Brexit- court of appeals refused to hear
case.
- 2003 Stop the war 1.5 million marched- no change in policy in Iraq.
3. JUDICIARY
Judiciary protects
- 2023 ruled the Rwanda policy unconstitutional
- Ruled against Peter and Hazel Mary Bull in 2008
- 2019 prorogation of Parliament ruled unconstitutional- Johnson recalls it. Gina Miller
case
- 2004 Belmarsh case (A and Others vs Secretary of State for Home Affairs) ruled that
it was unconstitutional to detain suspected foreign terrorists without trial,
No tangible influence
- Overruled on prisoners voting in 2012
- Overruled on Terrorist Asset freezing act 2010
Evaluate the extent to which democracy remains representative in the UK (Demographically
vs not, politically vs not, pressure groups-causally vs no influence)
1.Demographically
Yes- all time high of women in the Commons, at 35% , 10% of Commons BAME, 71% state
educated
No- very unrepresentative demographically
- Elitist- 29% of Commons went to private school, ⅔ of Sunak’s 2022 cabinet. 71% of
Lords private school, ½ of Sunak’s cabinet went to Oxbridge, also half of Johnson’s.
10/12 SC justices male.
- Parliament represents old people- average age 51= can pass policies that do not
represent interests of young people (tuition fees, triple lock on pensions, austerity)
, 2.Politically
- 2015 7 parties represented in the lead up to the election
- Small parties help to get issues on the agenda- green influencing climate policy,
UKIP sparking Brexit.
- Smaller parties can aid representation of causes and issues on a local level- 2024
local elections saw the Lib Dems get 522 councillor seats and the Greens 181 as
opposed to the Conservative’s 515, with 12 councils controlled by the Lib Dems.
No- FPTP hinders this
- Wasted votes that stop small parties- UKIP 2015 12.5% of vote, 1 seat.
- 367 safe seats in 2019- no chance for small voices to be represented.
- Greens 2015 1 million, should’ve translated to 20 seats but they only got 1.
3.Pressure groups represent causes in democracy
- ASH succeeded in getting warnings on cigarette packets in 2013
- British Medical Association represents doctors and secured a pay rise for senior
doctors in 2023.
- RMT represents train drivers- 2012 Olympic pay rise, 2016 bonus
No influence
- Doctors voting for strikes Jan 2024 despite BMA negotiations
- XR represents people concerned about the climate crisis yet has Priti Patel trying to
class them as a terrorist organisation
- 2003 Stop the War
- Trust for London called on the gov to stick to net 0 emissions by 2035, Sunak still
extended the target to 2050
Evaluate the extent to which democracy is in crisis in the UK (turnout vs wider activity,
judiciary unelected vs protects democracy, Parliament representative vs FPTP harms
democracy)
1. PARTICIPATION
Turnout low
- 1951- 84%,
- 2019 67%, 2001 59%.
- AV referendum 2011 42%.
- 2012 Police and Crime Commissioner elections 15.1% in London
Wider political activity healthy
- 40% member of pressure group
- 1 million marched in 2023 for a ceasefire in Gaza
- 6 million signed petition in 2018 to revoke Article 50.
- 2020 petition for more arts funding got 175,000 signatures.
2. RIGHTS
Democracy is in crisis as Parliament can easily erode the rights of the people- tyranny
of the majority
- 2024 attempt to amend the NHS constitution
- 2010 Terrorist Asset Freezing Act
