Constitutional Reforms under Labour (1997-2010)

Question 1

How has rights been reformed?

Answer 1

• Human Right Acts (1998) incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. The Freedom of Information Act (2000) gives more access to information held by public bodies.
• UK court hears cases under the ECHR but can’t overturn legislation. Signatories to the ECHR have the right to request derogation when facing a crisis
• In the wake of all, UK gov. forced derogation from Article 5 of the ECHR to allow for the detention of foreign national of terrorist activity.

Question 2

How has devolution been reformed?

Answer 2

• Scottish Parliament with primary legislative and tax-raising powers. Northern Ireland Assembly with primary legislative powers. Welsh Assembly with secondary legislative powers. Directly elected mayor of London and a London assembly. Elected mayors in some English authorities.
• Scotland has full responsibility on policies. NI doesn’t have tax-raising powers, special procedures established to ensure cross-community support. Wales was initially weaker than Scotland meant it could only fill in details of implement legislation passed by West-Minister.
• ‘West Lothian Question’, why Scottish MPs vote on English matters but not vice-versa. Some said ‘quasi-federalism’ when central gov devolves some powers and no longer makes domestic policies for some parts of the state. Lead to introduction of congestion change for motorists entering central London. In 2016, there were only 17 mayors worldwide.

Question 3

How as there been electoral reforms?

Answer 3

• New electoral systems for devolved assemblies, for European Parliament and elected mayors.
• 1998 Jenkins report recommended replacing the first-past-the-post system to hybrid system knows as alternative vote plus
• Other systems were adopted for the new systems

Question 4

How has there been parliamentary reforms?

Answer 4

• House of Lords Act 1999 meant all but 92 hereditary peer were removed. Although there was meant to be more, there was a division between Commons and Lords who favoured the appointed model.
• Changes to PM Question Time and working hours of Commons were significant. e.g. Gordon Brown’s ‘Governance of Britain’ Green Paper aimed to limit the powers of the executive, making it accountable but progress stalled due to global finical crisis
• 2009 Reform of House of Commons Committee came into force in the 2010 election but: chairs of select committees to be elected by backbenchers and a backbench business committee to determine the business of the House of Commons for 1 day each week.

Question 5

How has there been judicial reform?

Answer 5

• Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Supreme Court started work in Oct 2009 where new judicial appointments systems Changes to role of lord chancellor.
• Supreme Court become the highest court an removed judicial role of the House of Lords. Removed roles as head of the judiciary and speaker of the House of Lords.
• This enhanced separation of powers