UK Politics- Essay plans GRADED A+

Themes: Evaluate the view that in a democracy MPs are free to ignore referendum results and their own political party's manifesto. - ANS HRA Protection of rights- HRA - ANS Protected: Not protected: HRA is uncodified and can be altered by a simple act of Parliament, should be entrenched to protect human rights > Blairs anti-terrorism legislation following 9/11 > Evaluate the view that rights are well protected in the UK - ANS Themes: Evaluate the extent to which there differences between the Labour and Conservative parties over policies and ideas - ANS Differences between Labour and the Conservatives: Economics - ANS Different: Not different: Themes: Evaluate the view that the UK is facing a participation crisis - ANS Voter turnout, political party membership, trade union membership, pressure groups Voter turnout- Participation crisis - ANS P: Voter turnout for all elections has trended downwards since 1997 > 2001 GE turnout (59.4%), compared to over 75% in the 60s > Sevenoaks local council election (29.1%) 2022 By-election > Devolved institutions election turnout, eg: London Assembly 2021 (42.7%) E: A functioning democracy relies on people willing to cast their vote. HOWEVER: Turnout in referenda, although turbulent, can been high. Voter turnout is also on an upward trend. > 2016 EU referendum (72%), 2014 Scot Independence (84%) > 2017 and 2019 GE (68.8% and 67.3%). E: Turnout becomes higher when voters feel they're vote is definitely been counted for change to occur Membership of political parties - ANS P: Membership of political parties has significantly declined > 2022: 432,000 Labour members and 172,000 Con members vs 1953: 1.0 mil Labour and 2.8 mil Labour E: Although participation in politics is different today, scandals has plummeted public trust in gov: Party- gate, Iraq war etc. HOWEVER: Party membership can quickly rise under the right circumstances eg: a charismatic leader > Labour 2015- The Party almost doubled in size