Evaluate the view that the Constitutional Reforms in the UK have not gone far enough.
The constitutional reforms in the UK in the last 20 years have been the greatest and made the
biggest constitutional changes for hundreds of years yet many people in politics and the
public still demand more to be satisfied. Even in the last 20 years with many constitutional
reforms we still do not have an elected second chamber which damages our democracy as
well as the indistinct powers of the Prime Minister. However, I believe that the creation of the
Supreme Court which greatly improves the protection of human rights and the constitutional
reforms of devolution keeping peace show that constitutional reforms in the UK have gone
far enough.
The constitutional reforms of devolution have allowed Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
and cities to be more independent from Westminster whilst keeping the United Kingdom in
peace and together even through the rise of nationalism showing its success. We can see
devolution reforms making places more independent like the 2016 Scotland Act with
Scotland being able to regulate the energy industry in Scotland themselves and being in
control over their income tax. This is significant as it means Scotland feel more independent
from Westminster with greater fiscal control so the nationalist sentiment in the country is
more supressed as seen with the defeat of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum
meaning the unity of the United Kingdom is maintained. Another example of devolution
keeping unity is it keeping peace in Northern Ireland after 30 years of armed conflict with the
Belfast Agreement of 1998 introducing power sharing to ensure that all major parties are
guaranteed ministerial places as well as giving control of healthcare and education to
Northern Ireland. Another reason of peace due to devolution is allowing countries to have
differences over certain issues with Northern Ireland not recognising Gay marriage and
Scotland not having tuition fees even though England has both of these. This helps to keep
peace and unity as it makes the countries feel more individual and not being forced to comply
with all the laws and characteristics of England. Also, devolution has already given more
freedom to large cities with elected mayors in order to become more efficient as can be seen
with better public transport like Manchester’s Metro link tram system benefitting people’s
day to day lives. Finally, we can see that devolution has even gone too far with the West
Lothian question means MPs from Scotland and Northern Ireland have more power than
those of England and Wales as they can vote on matters concerning England and Wales but
the MPs can’t do the same the other way around. However, despite these aspects, there are a
number of reasons why devolution has not gone far enough with the 3 countries still not
being self-supporting. These countries still relying on the Barnett formula is important as it
means they are firstly using up money which could be spent just in England and so harming
the English economy and services and also means they are less independent as they are can’t
control all the different rates of taxes and spending which also makes those countries less
efficient. Also, devolution could just be seen as a partial success as it hasn’t established a
long-term relationship between the UK as a whole and national sentiment still remains strong
threatening to break up the UK. In Judgement, devolution has kept the UK together achieving
its primary objective and for many no amount of reform will stop them calling for
independence as well as keeping peace between the countries as well. This is hugely
significant coming from many years of conflict and this combined with the fact that the West
Lothian question shows because of devolution there is an inequality in power between MPs
of different countries shows that devolution has definitely gone far enough.
The constitutional reforms in the UK in the last 20 years have been the greatest and made the
biggest constitutional changes for hundreds of years yet many people in politics and the
public still demand more to be satisfied. Even in the last 20 years with many constitutional
reforms we still do not have an elected second chamber which damages our democracy as
well as the indistinct powers of the Prime Minister. However, I believe that the creation of the
Supreme Court which greatly improves the protection of human rights and the constitutional
reforms of devolution keeping peace show that constitutional reforms in the UK have gone
far enough.
The constitutional reforms of devolution have allowed Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
and cities to be more independent from Westminster whilst keeping the United Kingdom in
peace and together even through the rise of nationalism showing its success. We can see
devolution reforms making places more independent like the 2016 Scotland Act with
Scotland being able to regulate the energy industry in Scotland themselves and being in
control over their income tax. This is significant as it means Scotland feel more independent
from Westminster with greater fiscal control so the nationalist sentiment in the country is
more supressed as seen with the defeat of Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum
meaning the unity of the United Kingdom is maintained. Another example of devolution
keeping unity is it keeping peace in Northern Ireland after 30 years of armed conflict with the
Belfast Agreement of 1998 introducing power sharing to ensure that all major parties are
guaranteed ministerial places as well as giving control of healthcare and education to
Northern Ireland. Another reason of peace due to devolution is allowing countries to have
differences over certain issues with Northern Ireland not recognising Gay marriage and
Scotland not having tuition fees even though England has both of these. This helps to keep
peace and unity as it makes the countries feel more individual and not being forced to comply
with all the laws and characteristics of England. Also, devolution has already given more
freedom to large cities with elected mayors in order to become more efficient as can be seen
with better public transport like Manchester’s Metro link tram system benefitting people’s
day to day lives. Finally, we can see that devolution has even gone too far with the West
Lothian question means MPs from Scotland and Northern Ireland have more power than
those of England and Wales as they can vote on matters concerning England and Wales but
the MPs can’t do the same the other way around. However, despite these aspects, there are a
number of reasons why devolution has not gone far enough with the 3 countries still not
being self-supporting. These countries still relying on the Barnett formula is important as it
means they are firstly using up money which could be spent just in England and so harming
the English economy and services and also means they are less independent as they are can’t
control all the different rates of taxes and spending which also makes those countries less
efficient. Also, devolution could just be seen as a partial success as it hasn’t established a
long-term relationship between the UK as a whole and national sentiment still remains strong
threatening to break up the UK. In Judgement, devolution has kept the UK together achieving
its primary objective and for many no amount of reform will stop them calling for
independence as well as keeping peace between the countries as well. This is hugely
significant coming from many years of conflict and this combined with the fact that the West
Lothian question shows because of devolution there is an inequality in power between MPs
of different countries shows that devolution has definitely gone far enough.
