CONSTITUTION ESSAY PLANS

Question 1

P1. Evaluate the view that the need for further English devolution is now overdue.

Answer 1

P1: Asymmetry in devolution leads to democratic imbalance

West Lothian Question - should devolved powers vote on eng laws if we can vote on theirs

Scotland, Wales, NI all have national parli - giving them access to rule on ‘domestic issues, such as taxes/handling of covid - different restrictions’

Question 2

CP1. Evaluate the view that the need for further English devolution is now overdue.

Answer 2

CP1: UK Parliament is de facto English parliament - makes huge majority of its laws for the ‘English population’ - HS2 etc..
A separate assembly would be unnecessary

Question 3

P2. Evaluate the view that the need for further English devolution is now overdue.

Answer 3

P2: Existing devolution to metro mayors is limited

Limited powers (e.g. transport, policing in Manny, Brum, London - TFL)

No uniform structure → democratic confusion between electorate (what is point in them if they dont do much - could equal voter apathy in mayoral elections)

Question 4

CP2. Evaluate the view that the need for further English devolution is now overdue

Answer 4

CP2: Devolution deals have grown gradually; radical reform may cause instability - other devolved powers wanting to completely split (Scotland in 14 and 19), or render Westminster useless/inefficient and only in charge of LDN.

Question 5

GENERAL CONSITTUTIONAL REFORM ESSAY P1

Answer 5

P1: Rights protection remains weak

No entrenched constitutional bill of rights - allowing for Conservative attempts to replace HRA with British Bill of Rights → regressive, limiting amount of rights we give to migrants and prisoners and criminals.

Question 6

GENERAL CONSITTUTIONAL REFORM ESSAY CP1

Answer 6

CP1: HRA still in place; courts actively interpret rights - Prorogation crisis (2019), Brexit legal disputes (Miller I & II), SC upholds right by convections in constitution = giving them right to interpreting laws and incompatibility

Question 7

GENERAL CONSITTUTIONAL REFORM ESSAY P2

Answer 7

P2: House of Lords reform stalled

No progress on elected chamber since 2012 proposals failed - House of Lords remains unelected and unaccountable.

Appointments seen as partisan (e.g. Johnson’s honours list - full of EX allies - MOGG.

Question 8

GENERAL CONSITTUTIONAL REFORM ESSAY CP2

Answer 8

CP2: Lords still offers valuable scrutiny
- Online Safety act 23 (removal of AI porn etc)

and

independence
- physically by being in different chambers and process of being elected to be a lord - via independent committee.)