Use a SYNOPTIC LINK referring to Paper 1
“Devolution”
For:
● It has been successful and vastly accepted. Eg the Scottish Parliament introduced in
1999, as well as the Welsh Parliament and the Northern Ireland Parliament
● Mayors introduced for example Mayor of Manchester in 2017, Andy Burnham
● Andy Burnham helped integrate a transport system in Manchester proving to be
successful
● Johnson as the London Mayor brought in Environmental Measures
● Removes the idea of over centralisation. Westminster is seen as an English Parliament
● Devolved powers help solve the Barnett formula. The Barnett formula is spending less in
certain areas in the UK per capita. Having devolved powers will help the UK increase
spending in deprived areas
● Devolved powers refer to Westminster as sovereign
● 4 nations are stronger together, Blair’s scotland constitutional reform
● Belfast Agreement 1998. Northern Ireland used STV. Have the powers on Healthcare,
Education and Transport
● Further devolution needed in England due to the West Lothian Question(English votes
for English laws
● 60% of Scots believe the Scottish Parliament should have power over immigration,
highlighting a further need for devolution
Against:
● Power could end up being too fragmented. Legislation can end up being confusing. For
example, Sadiq Khan to decriminalise weed in London boroughs and not other parts of
the country
● An English parliament would reduce the power of the UK Parliament. England holds
84% of the population, showing its representation
● The public are not necessarily keen on an English Parliament. Eg 2004 North-east
England elections saw 77% vote no for regional devolution of powers. Also opinion polls
seem to suggest there is little support for an English Parliament
● Turnouts are generally low in mayoral elections eg 2024 London Mayor election turnout
was 40.5%
● Due to low turnouts, this creates voter fatigue, leading to the public being confused, and
less political awareness
“Evaluate the view that the UK requires further devolution”
Paragraph 1: Devolution needed overall
● YES:R(Miller) v Secretary of State for leaving the EU
, ● Cabinet ministers acted using ultra vires, beyond their powers
● Devolution reversed as Westminster did not go to the devolved bodies, bypassing the
Sewel Convention
● Sewel Convention: Parliament has to get authorisation of the devolved bodies if they
want to change a devolved policy
● EVALUATION:
● Brexit Referendum showed the UK leaving the EU at at 72.2% turnout
● Democratic as the UK Parliament went with the outcome of the referendum 52-48%
Paragraph 2:
● YES:Internal markets where goods are moved freely within the UK
● This prevented devolved bodies from setting their own trading standards
● This reversed devolution and undermined Sewel Convention
● EVALUATION:
● No devolution not required
● UK trades within its borders 60% more than foreign countries
● Shows that internal markets are good because UK left EU and free trade without tariffs, it
is cheaper
Paragraph 3:
● No devolution is not needed
● This is due to low mayoral elections turnouts-democratic deficit 2024 40.5%
● Creates voter fatigue, and voter confusion
● Eg 2004 North-east England elections saw 77% vote no for regional devolution of
powers
● Sadiq Khan to decriminalise weed in certain London boroughs but not the rest of the
country- voter confusion
● EVALUATION:
● Needed as it helps Barnett Formula
● Eg Andy Burnham integrated a transport system
● Sadiq Khan freezed TfL Prices off-peak Friday
● Johnson also brought in environmental measures
“House of Lords Reform”
For:
● Unelected, unrepresentative chamber of Parliament
● Lack of diversity in the HoL- 26% women, 4.1% under 50 yrs old and 6.4% are from
BAME backgrounds
● Only act on minor legislation
● Elective dictatorship as they abuse their power as they are unelected
, ● Occasionally, the HoL thwarts the HoC without democratic legitimacy
● Cronyism e.g. Boris Johnson. He granted a peerage to Peter Cruddas who was a former
Conservative Treasurer who donated £3.5m to the party
Against:
● 1999 House of Lords Act- removed hereditary peers and left 92. Under Tony Blair
● Provides experts who advise MPs and parties. Eg Lord Adonis advises both
Conservatives and Labour on economics and the economy
● The House of Lords helps prevent unwanted bills. Eg the HoL stopped a cut in £30 a
week in benefits for those ill and deemed unfit for work
● Life peers can't be removed e.g. Lord Oxburgh retired from the House of Lords in April
2022 at the age of 87
● Lords have frustrated Johnson and his bills- 128 times in 2021-22
● 17th Jan 2022, the government were defeated 14 times in one day
● The Lords voted in favour of removing Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill which stated
that the police can stop and search without suspicion
“Backbenchers have little impact on Parliament”
For:
● Select committees can be ignored by Parliament. Eg Priti Patel did not attend meetings.
The govt only agrees with 40% of what committees say
● The executive can block witnesses in meetings. Eg Theresa May stopped the Head of
the MI5 Andrew Parker from being interviewed in 2013
● In 2019, 21 Conservative MPs rebelled against Johnson to delay the Brexit bill. -
EVALUATION: Johnson expelled them
● House Of Lords Select Committees ignored- they receive less media coverage and
attention and often dismissed
● The governing party has the majority in committees
● Role of backbenchers have amplified because of unstable governments such as the
2010 coalition and the 2017 minority government
● For example, the Environmental Audits Committee’s report on the environmental
damage caused by microbeads led them to be banned in 2018 under the Microbead-free
Waters Act.
● The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examines public finances. In 2020, they led an
inquiry into gambling regulation and the problems of gambling. This led to the
government banning the use of credit cards on gambling sites to prevent people getting
large debts
● Government majorities in select committees and loyal ministers chosen which allows for
less scrutiny. For example, defence committees has 5 conservative ministers and the
foreign affairs committee has 6 conservative ministers
● Private members bills very rarely get approved in parliament e.g. between 2019-2021
there were only 7 PMBs approved
“Devolution”
For:
● It has been successful and vastly accepted. Eg the Scottish Parliament introduced in
1999, as well as the Welsh Parliament and the Northern Ireland Parliament
● Mayors introduced for example Mayor of Manchester in 2017, Andy Burnham
● Andy Burnham helped integrate a transport system in Manchester proving to be
successful
● Johnson as the London Mayor brought in Environmental Measures
● Removes the idea of over centralisation. Westminster is seen as an English Parliament
● Devolved powers help solve the Barnett formula. The Barnett formula is spending less in
certain areas in the UK per capita. Having devolved powers will help the UK increase
spending in deprived areas
● Devolved powers refer to Westminster as sovereign
● 4 nations are stronger together, Blair’s scotland constitutional reform
● Belfast Agreement 1998. Northern Ireland used STV. Have the powers on Healthcare,
Education and Transport
● Further devolution needed in England due to the West Lothian Question(English votes
for English laws
● 60% of Scots believe the Scottish Parliament should have power over immigration,
highlighting a further need for devolution
Against:
● Power could end up being too fragmented. Legislation can end up being confusing. For
example, Sadiq Khan to decriminalise weed in London boroughs and not other parts of
the country
● An English parliament would reduce the power of the UK Parliament. England holds
84% of the population, showing its representation
● The public are not necessarily keen on an English Parliament. Eg 2004 North-east
England elections saw 77% vote no for regional devolution of powers. Also opinion polls
seem to suggest there is little support for an English Parliament
● Turnouts are generally low in mayoral elections eg 2024 London Mayor election turnout
was 40.5%
● Due to low turnouts, this creates voter fatigue, leading to the public being confused, and
less political awareness
“Evaluate the view that the UK requires further devolution”
Paragraph 1: Devolution needed overall
● YES:R(Miller) v Secretary of State for leaving the EU
, ● Cabinet ministers acted using ultra vires, beyond their powers
● Devolution reversed as Westminster did not go to the devolved bodies, bypassing the
Sewel Convention
● Sewel Convention: Parliament has to get authorisation of the devolved bodies if they
want to change a devolved policy
● EVALUATION:
● Brexit Referendum showed the UK leaving the EU at at 72.2% turnout
● Democratic as the UK Parliament went with the outcome of the referendum 52-48%
Paragraph 2:
● YES:Internal markets where goods are moved freely within the UK
● This prevented devolved bodies from setting their own trading standards
● This reversed devolution and undermined Sewel Convention
● EVALUATION:
● No devolution not required
● UK trades within its borders 60% more than foreign countries
● Shows that internal markets are good because UK left EU and free trade without tariffs, it
is cheaper
Paragraph 3:
● No devolution is not needed
● This is due to low mayoral elections turnouts-democratic deficit 2024 40.5%
● Creates voter fatigue, and voter confusion
● Eg 2004 North-east England elections saw 77% vote no for regional devolution of
powers
● Sadiq Khan to decriminalise weed in certain London boroughs but not the rest of the
country- voter confusion
● EVALUATION:
● Needed as it helps Barnett Formula
● Eg Andy Burnham integrated a transport system
● Sadiq Khan freezed TfL Prices off-peak Friday
● Johnson also brought in environmental measures
“House of Lords Reform”
For:
● Unelected, unrepresentative chamber of Parliament
● Lack of diversity in the HoL- 26% women, 4.1% under 50 yrs old and 6.4% are from
BAME backgrounds
● Only act on minor legislation
● Elective dictatorship as they abuse their power as they are unelected
, ● Occasionally, the HoL thwarts the HoC without democratic legitimacy
● Cronyism e.g. Boris Johnson. He granted a peerage to Peter Cruddas who was a former
Conservative Treasurer who donated £3.5m to the party
Against:
● 1999 House of Lords Act- removed hereditary peers and left 92. Under Tony Blair
● Provides experts who advise MPs and parties. Eg Lord Adonis advises both
Conservatives and Labour on economics and the economy
● The House of Lords helps prevent unwanted bills. Eg the HoL stopped a cut in £30 a
week in benefits for those ill and deemed unfit for work
● Life peers can't be removed e.g. Lord Oxburgh retired from the House of Lords in April
2022 at the age of 87
● Lords have frustrated Johnson and his bills- 128 times in 2021-22
● 17th Jan 2022, the government were defeated 14 times in one day
● The Lords voted in favour of removing Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill which stated
that the police can stop and search without suspicion
“Backbenchers have little impact on Parliament”
For:
● Select committees can be ignored by Parliament. Eg Priti Patel did not attend meetings.
The govt only agrees with 40% of what committees say
● The executive can block witnesses in meetings. Eg Theresa May stopped the Head of
the MI5 Andrew Parker from being interviewed in 2013
● In 2019, 21 Conservative MPs rebelled against Johnson to delay the Brexit bill. -
EVALUATION: Johnson expelled them
● House Of Lords Select Committees ignored- they receive less media coverage and
attention and often dismissed
● The governing party has the majority in committees
● Role of backbenchers have amplified because of unstable governments such as the
2010 coalition and the 2017 minority government
● For example, the Environmental Audits Committee’s report on the environmental
damage caused by microbeads led them to be banned in 2018 under the Microbead-free
Waters Act.
● The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examines public finances. In 2020, they led an
inquiry into gambling regulation and the problems of gambling. This led to the
government banning the use of credit cards on gambling sites to prevent people getting
large debts
● Government majorities in select committees and loyal ministers chosen which allows for
less scrutiny. For example, defence committees has 5 conservative ministers and the
foreign affairs committee has 6 conservative ministers
● Private members bills very rarely get approved in parliament e.g. between 2019-2021
there were only 7 PMBs approved
