Democracy and Participation

Question 1

Ways in which direct democracy can be used in a representative system (4)

Answer 1

-National referendums
-2015 Recall of the MP Act
-E-Petitions
-Citizen juries

Question 2

EU Referendum turnout and result

Answer 2

72% turn out
52% voted to leave

Question 3

Example of control of the media by wealthy, unaccountable business interests:

Answer 3

Murdoch Group owns The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun simultaneously.

Question 4

Voter turnout 2019

Answer 4

67.3%

Question 5

Voter turnout 2017

Answer 5

68.8%

Question 6

Voter Turnout local council election 2022

Answer 6

33.6%

Question 7

Party membership 2022

Answer 7

1.5% of the electorate are members of a political party

Question 8

Labour Party membership 2022 v 2016

Answer 8

2022: 450,000
2016: 515,000

Question 9

Rise in the membership of minor parties

Answer 9

SNP membership 2013: 25,000
2022: 103,000

Question 10

16/17 year olds allowed to vote

Answer 10

2014 Scottish referendum

Question 11

Voter turnout falling:

Answer 11

1979: 76%
2001: 59%

Question 12

E-petitions as a form of direct democracy

Answer 12

• The UK’s Parliament’s Petitions Committee considers all petitions that receive 100,000 signatures but there is no automatic parliamentary debate.
• The petitions committee has a right to accept it or not

Question 13

E-petitions getting ignored

Answer 13

2019- petition requesting the revocation of Article 50 and for the UK to remain in the EU. Received 6.1 million signatures.
-Parliament did not debate

Question 14

Citizen juries and Assemblies as a form of direct democracy

Answer 14

Collection of individuals that discuss an issue and make recommendations to the government based on deliberations.

Question 15

Example of a Citizen jury

Answer 15

2009- Action for Children, citizen jury to investigate how the government can increase the wellbeing of children in the UK

Question 16

Recalls as a form of direct democracy:

Answer 16

The Recall of MPs Act (2015)- provision for constituents to be able to recall their MP and call a by-election.

Question 17

Example of recalls being used

Answer 17

2019- Christopher Davies was recalled by his constituents
BUT rare, has only happened on 3 occassions

Question 18

Example of sectional groups (interest groups)

Answer 18

-Law Society,
-National Union of Teachers,
-National Farmers Union,
-British Medical Association
-National Education Union (strikes)

Question 19

Example of cause groups (promotional groups)

Answer 19

Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion, Amnesty International

Question 20

Pressure groups being helpful to democracy

Answer 20

Green Peace is a pressure group that is able to investigate and research climate issues

Question 21

Pressure groups influencing government policy farmers

Answer 21

National Farmers Union is able to provide specialist knowledge about agriculture. E.g The Agriculture Bill 2020

Question 22

Pressure groups disruptive behaviour

Answer 22

Just Stop Oil blocked access to the M4 in 2022

Question 23

Example of pressure group protecting rights through an act

Answer 23

Stonewall - successful in lobbying for
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2007 which outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation

Question 24

Example of pressure group protecting collective human rights

Answer 24

Liberty launched the “Save our Human Rights Act” campaign in 2015. Opposed the Conservative’s plan to repeal the Act

Question 25

Example of low profile insider groups

Answer 25

Howard League of Penal Reform

Question 26

Example of high profile insider groups

Answer 26

Confederation of British Industry (supplement their lobbying with the use of media)

Question 27

Example of Outsider groups

Answer 27

‘Occupy’ movement had sit-ins in 2011. Don’t want to work with the government, as they see the government. As closely aligned with the capitalist movement their protesting

Question 28

Example of a think tanks + influence on govt

Answer 28

**Institute for Public Policy Research** - 2020- proposed emergency support for ‘children of the pandemic’- led to DofE announcing support for disadvantaged school children

Question 29

Lobbying spending limits

Answer 29

Lobbying Act 2014- placed spending limits of £20,000 in England

Question 30

Example of a think tank directly influencing manifesto:

Answer 30

Bow Group (Tory think tank) influenced both 2015 and 2017 manifestoes

Question 31

Example of a neutral think tank

Answer 31

Adam Smith Institute, works with the incumbent government on economics affairs regardless of political affiliation

Question 32

Historic example of think tank influence:

Answer 32

Fabian Society influenced Blair’s ‘New Labour’ reforms

Question 33

Pressure groups that represent minority interests:

Answer 33

**Muslim Council of Britain**- campaigned heavily against islamophobic legislation after 7/7 bombing

Question 34

Examples of Lobbying scandals (2)

Answer 34

2021- Owen Patterson 2021- David Cameron (used private passages to lobby ministers regarding Greensill)

Question 35

How the government safeguards rights (3)

Answer 35

Judicial review, Human Rights Act (1998) and Equality Act (2010)

Question 36

Use of judicial review

Answer 36

increased with there being 1100 in 1982 and over 3,000 cases in 2015

Question 37

People using the Human Rights Act to evade deportation:

Answer 37

Abu Qatada- a radical extremist was able to fight off deportation for 8 years, using the HRA BUT Only 10-15% of criminals fight deportation using the HRA

Question 38

Legislation that restricted certain individual rights in favour of collective rights (2)

Answer 38

Prevention of Terrorism Act (2005) Coronavirus Act (2020)

Question 39

Example of successful Lobbying

Answer 39

2001- Stonewall successfully lobbied for the **Sexual Offences (Amendment)**, which reduced the age of consent for homosexuals to 16, the same as heterosexuals

Question 40

Example of lobbyist influence in referendum

Answer 40

the Lobby group **Leave.EU** was hugely influential in the outcome of the Brexit referendum

Question 41

Direct Democracy- Citizens’ Assemblies 2020

Answer 41

2020- Climate change (concluded with steps to make Britain net zero by 2050)

Question 42

How the government safeguards rights:

Answer 42

Judicial review, Human Rights Act (1998) and Equality Act (2010)

Question 43

Use of judicial review

Answer 43

increased with there being 1100 in 1982 and over 3,000 cases in 2015, 3400 in 2019

Question 44

People using the Human Rights Act to evade deportation

Answer 44

Abu Qatada- a radical extremist was able to fight off deportation for 8 years, using the HRA BUT Only 10-15% of criminals fight deportation using the HRA

Question 45

Legislation that restricted certain individual rights in favour of collective rights:

Answer 45

Prevention of Terrorism Act (2005) Coronavirus Act (2020)

Question 46

Example of BMA influencing policy (2)

Answer 46

- The BMA contributed to the ban on smoking in enclosed spaces in 2007 - Ban on smoking in cars carrying children in 2015

Question 47

Lobbyists being ignored

Answer 47

'Best for Britain' aimed to persuade MPs to have a 2nd Brexit referendum but FAILED

Question 48

Corporation donation example

Answer 48

£250,000 by Flowidea Ltd to Conservative Party

Question 49

Revolving Door example (2)

Answer 49

- After leaving parliament, Nick Clegg became Facebook's head of global affairs - Cameron became a major shareholder in Greensill, tried to secure valuable government contacts