Reforms Under Blair

Question 1

Major reform focused on ?

Answer 1

Decentralisation
Democratisation
Transparency
Rights protection

Question 2

Devolution referendums

Answer 2

1997 referendums held in Scotland and wales on if they wanted their own governments
Scotland voted by a large margin
Wales by a tiny margin
In 1998 as part of the Good Friday Agreement N Ireland also had a referendum in favour of power sharing

Question 3

House of Lords reform

Answer 3

Number of hereditary peers reduced to 92
House of Lords appointments commission was established to scrutinise and expressed public disapproval for PM recommendation

Question 4

Stat on Blair and Cameron appointments to HoL

Answer 4

Cameron -110 from conservatives
Blair-162 from Labour

Question 5

Electoral reform

Answer 5

Scot and wales use AMS
N Ireland uses STV

Question 6

Human Rights Act 1998

Answer 6

Incorporated European convention on Human Eights into British law
Legislature made in accordance with HRA

Question 7

Constitutional reform act 2005

Answer 7

Previously the lord chancellor was head of the judiciary and a member of the cabinet and presided over the House of Lords
After the CRA
Ended HoL judicial function and Supreme Court opened in 2009
Right to nominate judges transferred to judicial appointments commission
New head of judiciary became the lords chief justice

Question 8

Issues with the HRA

Answer 8

Parliament has the right to repeal the Act and can enact legislation even if it conflicts with the act
Judiciary can declare a formal statement of incompatibility but can be ignored

Question 9

Examples of HRA being ignored

Answer 9

After 9/11 Blair suspended article 5 the right to liberty to keep foreign terrorist suspects in custody without charge

Parliament enacted the anti terrorism,crime and security act 2001 which have the government the authority to keep foreign terrorist suspects in prison indefinitely

Question 10

Belmarsh case
Success and failure

Answer 10

Declaration of incompatibility from SC to the 2001 act which was contrary to article 14 freedom of discrimination
Gov initially ignored but later released them due to unfavourable publicity
Soon after parliament enacted the Terrorism act 2005 which allowed gov to limit the freedom of movement of all terrorist suspects through control orders