Chapter 1: The Constitution
Evaluate The View That Devolution Reforms Haven’t Gone Far Enough. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- There Should Be An English - There Shouldn't Be An English
Parliament Parliament
- represent and decide on - An English Parliament would
important issues that just only serve to create another
affect England, in the same layer of government and would
way that the Scottish create tensions between the
Parliament does so for English parliament and
important issues that just government and the UK-wide
affect Scotland. government, with the former
- One problem with the current challenging the latter.
system of devolution is that it - Federalism arguably works
is asymmetric, with England best when there is no
lacking the level of democratic dominant state or region, such
representation that Scotland, as in the US.
Wales and Northern Ireland. An There is little support for an
English Parliament would English Parliament within
complete devolution within the England, with most English
UK, making it symmetrical and voters feeling sufficiently
granting the English represented by the UK
population the same level of Parliament and having little
representation as the rest of interest in devolution.
the UK. - Brexit, for example, was
- An English Parliament would opposed by both Northern
create a more coherent system Ireland and Scotland, yet was
of devolution, with a federal pursued strongly by the UK
UK parliament responsible for Parliament in order to
UK-wide issues such as represent the majority of
defence and macroeconomic England which supported it.
policy and each country having
a devolved parliament that
controls issues such as health,
education and transport.
This would also solve the West
Lothian Question
- A more realistic proposal for - On the other hand, it can be
further devolution in England argued that a greater use of
is greater use of city city regions/regional
regions/regional assemblies to assemblies would break up
cover the whole of England. England and fail to provide
- deliver greater representation expression/a platform for
of local interests, whilst not English interests and identity
disrupting the UK Parliament - There is also little public
and not creating significant support for a regional layer of
tensions. government in England.
- The Greater Manchester City A 2012 referendum on whether
Region, which has the elected Birmingham should have an
mayor Andy Burnham, for elected mayor received a 58%
example, has been effective in turnout on just a 27.67%
gaining significant turnout
administrative control, - A greater use of regional
including over healthcare. assemblies/city regions would
The devolution of some also create the potential for
healthcare policy to Greater tensions with local councils. As
Manchester has been linked to these assemblies would also
, modest increases in life cover large populations, there
expectancy, partly because the would be the risk of urban
region put an emphasis on interests dominating and
prioritising mental health care. drowning out rural interests.
- Further devolution, especially - Existing devolved bodies have
in terms of tax raising powers, shown they can run public
risks leading to greater services and decide policy
disparities in the public effectively, including during
services offered to people and the COVID crisis. Giving them
the laws that govern people in greater power would increase
the UK, further undermining their ability to reflect
equal citizenship. - Brexit allows a lot of policy
- Further fiscal devolution in areas that used to be governed
particular would also lead to by the EU to be given to
reduced burden sharing devolved bodies, including in
between richer and poorer already devolved areas such as
regions. agriculture and energy.
In some devolved bodies, there - Though Wales is smaller than
is little interest in the devolved Scotland and more closely
bodies and little support for integrated with England, there
further devolution. is no reason why Cardiff
- The 2021 Welsh Parliament shouldn't gain many of the
elections received just 46.6% powers Holyrood already
support. enjoys.
In Northern Ireland, further A key area it could gain
devolution is strongly opposed greater control is in relation to
by the Democratic Unionist justice and policing.
Party and other unionists.
Evaluate The View That New Labour’s Constitutional Reforms Had
A Positive And Significant Impact On The UK Constitution.(30)
FOR AGAINST
- House of lords act 1999 - On the other hand, New
- This can be seen as significant Labour’s reforms to the House
as it undermined the of Lords can be seen as
hereditary basis of the House insignificant as the House of
of Lords and removed its in- Lords continues to be
built Conservative majority, unelected and therefore
with crossbenchers ensuring undemocratic.
no single party can get a - New Labour’s reforms can also
majority. As a consequence, be seen as limited as they
the House of Lords is now failed to change the balance of
more independent of the power between the House of
executive and better able to Commons and House of Lords.
limit the power of the The former remains very
government. dominant, enabling a
- Tony Blair was defeated just 4 government with a large
times in the House of majority to force through
Commons, all of which were in legislation with little
his last term, but was defeated opposition, in large part due to
353 times in the House of the House of Lords’ limited
Lords. As the reforms meant legislative powers.
the House of Lords had greater - The Parliaments Acts of 1911
legitimacy, it also emboldened and 1949 prevent the Lords
them to stand up to the from voting down any financial
government on key issues, bills and mean that the House
Evaluate The View That Devolution Reforms Haven’t Gone Far Enough. (30)
FOR AGAINST
- There Should Be An English - There Shouldn't Be An English
Parliament Parliament
- represent and decide on - An English Parliament would
important issues that just only serve to create another
affect England, in the same layer of government and would
way that the Scottish create tensions between the
Parliament does so for English parliament and
important issues that just government and the UK-wide
affect Scotland. government, with the former
- One problem with the current challenging the latter.
system of devolution is that it - Federalism arguably works
is asymmetric, with England best when there is no
lacking the level of democratic dominant state or region, such
representation that Scotland, as in the US.
Wales and Northern Ireland. An There is little support for an
English Parliament would English Parliament within
complete devolution within the England, with most English
UK, making it symmetrical and voters feeling sufficiently
granting the English represented by the UK
population the same level of Parliament and having little
representation as the rest of interest in devolution.
the UK. - Brexit, for example, was
- An English Parliament would opposed by both Northern
create a more coherent system Ireland and Scotland, yet was
of devolution, with a federal pursued strongly by the UK
UK parliament responsible for Parliament in order to
UK-wide issues such as represent the majority of
defence and macroeconomic England which supported it.
policy and each country having
a devolved parliament that
controls issues such as health,
education and transport.
This would also solve the West
Lothian Question
- A more realistic proposal for - On the other hand, it can be
further devolution in England argued that a greater use of
is greater use of city city regions/regional
regions/regional assemblies to assemblies would break up
cover the whole of England. England and fail to provide
- deliver greater representation expression/a platform for
of local interests, whilst not English interests and identity
disrupting the UK Parliament - There is also little public
and not creating significant support for a regional layer of
tensions. government in England.
- The Greater Manchester City A 2012 referendum on whether
Region, which has the elected Birmingham should have an
mayor Andy Burnham, for elected mayor received a 58%
example, has been effective in turnout on just a 27.67%
gaining significant turnout
administrative control, - A greater use of regional
including over healthcare. assemblies/city regions would
The devolution of some also create the potential for
healthcare policy to Greater tensions with local councils. As
Manchester has been linked to these assemblies would also
, modest increases in life cover large populations, there
expectancy, partly because the would be the risk of urban
region put an emphasis on interests dominating and
prioritising mental health care. drowning out rural interests.
- Further devolution, especially - Existing devolved bodies have
in terms of tax raising powers, shown they can run public
risks leading to greater services and decide policy
disparities in the public effectively, including during
services offered to people and the COVID crisis. Giving them
the laws that govern people in greater power would increase
the UK, further undermining their ability to reflect
equal citizenship. - Brexit allows a lot of policy
- Further fiscal devolution in areas that used to be governed
particular would also lead to by the EU to be given to
reduced burden sharing devolved bodies, including in
between richer and poorer already devolved areas such as
regions. agriculture and energy.
In some devolved bodies, there - Though Wales is smaller than
is little interest in the devolved Scotland and more closely
bodies and little support for integrated with England, there
further devolution. is no reason why Cardiff
- The 2021 Welsh Parliament shouldn't gain many of the
elections received just 46.6% powers Holyrood already
support. enjoys.
In Northern Ireland, further A key area it could gain
devolution is strongly opposed greater control is in relation to
by the Democratic Unionist justice and policing.
Party and other unionists.
Evaluate The View That New Labour’s Constitutional Reforms Had
A Positive And Significant Impact On The UK Constitution.(30)
FOR AGAINST
- House of lords act 1999 - On the other hand, New
- This can be seen as significant Labour’s reforms to the House
as it undermined the of Lords can be seen as
hereditary basis of the House insignificant as the House of
of Lords and removed its in- Lords continues to be
built Conservative majority, unelected and therefore
with crossbenchers ensuring undemocratic.
no single party can get a - New Labour’s reforms can also
majority. As a consequence, be seen as limited as they
the House of Lords is now failed to change the balance of
more independent of the power between the House of
executive and better able to Commons and House of Lords.
limit the power of the The former remains very
government. dominant, enabling a
- Tony Blair was defeated just 4 government with a large
times in the House of majority to force through
Commons, all of which were in legislation with little
his last term, but was defeated opposition, in large part due to
353 times in the House of the House of Lords’ limited
Lords. As the reforms meant legislative powers.
the House of Lords had greater - The Parliaments Acts of 1911
legitimacy, it also emboldened and 1949 prevent the Lords
them to stand up to the from voting down any financial
government on key issues, bills and mean that the House
