DEMOCRACY AND PARTICIPATION:
Evaluate the view that there is a crisis of participation in politics in the
United Kingdom
A participation crisis comes about when engagement with the formal
institutions of a democracy begins to decline, particularly voting in general
elections. In recent years we have steadily seen the rise of apathy, with
fewer people engaging with formal institutions. However it will be argued
after looking at general elections, devolved elections and referendums that
although formal political participation may be declining, informal methods
of participation are on the rise hence there is not a general participation
crisis
1. Low Turnouts
2. Membership of Political Parties
3. Other Elections
CA-low turnouts A-
→Turnouts for general elections are relatively →in some seats where there was a gaza
low compared to the past bounce ,and a large number of people came
→Turnout at the 2024 general election was out to vote for anti candidates , e.g in bristol ,
59.7%, marking the lowest for a general a green party candidate against the labour
election since 2001 59.4 pro israel candidate . Five other seats in the
→This figure was 7.6 percentage points country where independent MPs , including
lower than in 2019, representing the jeremy corbyn won the elections ; turned
largest drop in turnout between around huge majorities of the labour party ;
elections since the period between shows when people believe an issue is a big
1997 and 2001. After 1945, turnout was enough problem for them they can change
consistently over 80% ; significant the course of election history. When
because although the country was really communities organise then there isnt an issue
unhappy with 14 years of conservative rule , with participation as they have an objective.
they still did not seem passionate enough to → Aditionally , new pressure groups like
come out and vote Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil
→There is a disillusionment with politics, have emerged. These radical pressure
as many believe all parties are groups operate outside the traditional
essentially the same, leaving no real political system because they feel it has
options; areas such as west ham , barking , failed them.They have gained
birmingham +manchester rusholme(lowest) considerable support in recent years.
with large muslim populations had the lowest Approximately 58% of the british public
,turnout ; could be due to the issue of gaza. backing their call for the government to hald
→Additionally, many constituencies are new fossil fuel licensing and production
regarded as safe seats, which further →Therefore, it’s not that people are apathetic
discourages turnout -70% of seats are or that there’s a participation crisis; rather,
safe seats they are frustrated with the government and
the opposition parties.
CA-membership of pp A-
→Membership in Political Parties is down →Labour has seen, especially under Corbyn,
→The Tories have less than 80k members - more members - by the end of corbyns
used to have millions leadership in 2019 the largest party in Europe
→ The membership of Lib Dems and with 532k members. Currently have 309,000
SNP has declined ; may be due to people members
no longer believing the snp can deliver →Many were young - YOUTHQUAKE.
independence + there has been a major split →Reform UK reached 131,680 members on
with the SNP ; a splinter nationalist group was Boxing Day 2024 , greater number of
set up as a counter by former snp leader alex members than conservatives,Reform UK
salmond leader Nigel Farage has said the party
→ Membership is a key way to now(feb 2025) has more than 200,000
participate. By joining, you help the members and is aiming to overtake the
political party form a government by Labour Party's total of 309,000.; due to the
creating resources and money for that dissatisfaction with the age-old parties not
political party. Decline in membership with political participation . Reform has
means they dont have people to rely on become an outlet for wc and socially
to distribute leaflets ; they arent conservative minded people
convincing enough voters →Also, membership in pressure groups is
→Fewer young people are signing up to increasing - RSPB(royal society for the
party membership; labour parties protection of birds) - by 2 million members;
support of young people are in decline . People are joining political causes ; crisis of
A sign of the unhealthy democracy we formal participation however participation
have as people you end up getting to otherwise is growing
become your representatives arent
going to be people from the local
community
CA-Participation in other elections A-
→Referendums have low turnouts - e.g. the →the Scottish referendum did have a high
Welsh Assembly referendum 1998 only had a turnout - 84.6%+ and Brexit ref 2016 72.2%
50.22% turnout. →Because people felt these were
→AV referendum 2011- 42% important, they did turn out when given
→Mayoral elections in England never important issues to vote on; this is clear
rise above 45,% . 2024 mayoral election through the huge turnouts of the gaza
voter turnout was 40.5% demonstrations ; got up to half a million
→Police crime commission elections - in turnout
some areas, only get a 15% turnout. →Maybe people don’t want politicians to
→In particular the new Labour decide what they should vote on but
government of 1997 increased the rather want to decide what topics the
number of elections to increase referendum should cover through
, participation because it was felt that initiative petitions
people would want to get involved. But →dissatisfaction with the elite +those in
they haven’t. → Turnout in Scottish and power , not participation
Welsh parliament elections is very low.
40 - 50%
→Voter ID will make this worse.
Should the uk franchise be widened:
CA → -some argue that campaigns to widen franchise to all adults aged 18 have gone far
enough
→ UK became the first in the world to lower the voting age to 18 in 1969 through the
representations of peoples act
→ turnour dropped particularly among 18-24 year olds in 2024 election (from 47% to 37%, back to
levels last seen in 2015)
→ 16/17 year olds are still at school , the gov believe childhood extends well beyond 16 →
recent vote in HOC on banning smoking for those born 2009 and after
A→young people may not vote due to feeling let down as a result of tuition fees ( increased
to 9,535) and making housing unobtainable and unaffordable
→ youth turnout in the scottish independence referendum was about 80% and 16-17 year
olds were able to vote
→ 2017 election youth turnout was 64% - more likely to vote with a specific set of policies ,
in 2017 labour promised to scrap tuition fees
CA→those who have committed crimes should not have this right
→ 2011 vote in parliament that saw only 22 mps vote in favour of it
→ campaign by rights groups such as liberty and the howard lee penal reform has allowed
those convicted of petty rights to vote
→ in scotland , prisoners serving sentences shorter than 12 months the right to vote in the
scottish parliamentary and local elections
A→ the uk is in breach of national law in denying the right of prisoners to vote
→ other countries allow prison voting : according to the eu report in 2023 , eleven eu
countries have no restrictions on prisoner voting
→ we allow prisoners to collect rent + dont take away their right to live → voting rights could
arguably help education and mental health support
CA→we don't need further reform since its an easy right to exercise
→ voting in person has greater integrity , than voting online , which may be more open to
cyber attacks
→ financial restrictions were done with the representations of the people act 1918 , 1929 →
extended the rights to all adults specifically women
→ got rid of plural voting in the 1948 representation of peoples act
A→ does need reform
Evaluate the view that there is a crisis of participation in politics in the
United Kingdom
A participation crisis comes about when engagement with the formal
institutions of a democracy begins to decline, particularly voting in general
elections. In recent years we have steadily seen the rise of apathy, with
fewer people engaging with formal institutions. However it will be argued
after looking at general elections, devolved elections and referendums that
although formal political participation may be declining, informal methods
of participation are on the rise hence there is not a general participation
crisis
1. Low Turnouts
2. Membership of Political Parties
3. Other Elections
CA-low turnouts A-
→Turnouts for general elections are relatively →in some seats where there was a gaza
low compared to the past bounce ,and a large number of people came
→Turnout at the 2024 general election was out to vote for anti candidates , e.g in bristol ,
59.7%, marking the lowest for a general a green party candidate against the labour
election since 2001 59.4 pro israel candidate . Five other seats in the
→This figure was 7.6 percentage points country where independent MPs , including
lower than in 2019, representing the jeremy corbyn won the elections ; turned
largest drop in turnout between around huge majorities of the labour party ;
elections since the period between shows when people believe an issue is a big
1997 and 2001. After 1945, turnout was enough problem for them they can change
consistently over 80% ; significant the course of election history. When
because although the country was really communities organise then there isnt an issue
unhappy with 14 years of conservative rule , with participation as they have an objective.
they still did not seem passionate enough to → Aditionally , new pressure groups like
come out and vote Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil
→There is a disillusionment with politics, have emerged. These radical pressure
as many believe all parties are groups operate outside the traditional
essentially the same, leaving no real political system because they feel it has
options; areas such as west ham , barking , failed them.They have gained
birmingham +manchester rusholme(lowest) considerable support in recent years.
with large muslim populations had the lowest Approximately 58% of the british public
,turnout ; could be due to the issue of gaza. backing their call for the government to hald
→Additionally, many constituencies are new fossil fuel licensing and production
regarded as safe seats, which further →Therefore, it’s not that people are apathetic
discourages turnout -70% of seats are or that there’s a participation crisis; rather,
safe seats they are frustrated with the government and
the opposition parties.
CA-membership of pp A-
→Membership in Political Parties is down →Labour has seen, especially under Corbyn,
→The Tories have less than 80k members - more members - by the end of corbyns
used to have millions leadership in 2019 the largest party in Europe
→ The membership of Lib Dems and with 532k members. Currently have 309,000
SNP has declined ; may be due to people members
no longer believing the snp can deliver →Many were young - YOUTHQUAKE.
independence + there has been a major split →Reform UK reached 131,680 members on
with the SNP ; a splinter nationalist group was Boxing Day 2024 , greater number of
set up as a counter by former snp leader alex members than conservatives,Reform UK
salmond leader Nigel Farage has said the party
→ Membership is a key way to now(feb 2025) has more than 200,000
participate. By joining, you help the members and is aiming to overtake the
political party form a government by Labour Party's total of 309,000.; due to the
creating resources and money for that dissatisfaction with the age-old parties not
political party. Decline in membership with political participation . Reform has
means they dont have people to rely on become an outlet for wc and socially
to distribute leaflets ; they arent conservative minded people
convincing enough voters →Also, membership in pressure groups is
→Fewer young people are signing up to increasing - RSPB(royal society for the
party membership; labour parties protection of birds) - by 2 million members;
support of young people are in decline . People are joining political causes ; crisis of
A sign of the unhealthy democracy we formal participation however participation
have as people you end up getting to otherwise is growing
become your representatives arent
going to be people from the local
community
CA-Participation in other elections A-
→Referendums have low turnouts - e.g. the →the Scottish referendum did have a high
Welsh Assembly referendum 1998 only had a turnout - 84.6%+ and Brexit ref 2016 72.2%
50.22% turnout. →Because people felt these were
→AV referendum 2011- 42% important, they did turn out when given
→Mayoral elections in England never important issues to vote on; this is clear
rise above 45,% . 2024 mayoral election through the huge turnouts of the gaza
voter turnout was 40.5% demonstrations ; got up to half a million
→Police crime commission elections - in turnout
some areas, only get a 15% turnout. →Maybe people don’t want politicians to
→In particular the new Labour decide what they should vote on but
government of 1997 increased the rather want to decide what topics the
number of elections to increase referendum should cover through
, participation because it was felt that initiative petitions
people would want to get involved. But →dissatisfaction with the elite +those in
they haven’t. → Turnout in Scottish and power , not participation
Welsh parliament elections is very low.
40 - 50%
→Voter ID will make this worse.
Should the uk franchise be widened:
CA → -some argue that campaigns to widen franchise to all adults aged 18 have gone far
enough
→ UK became the first in the world to lower the voting age to 18 in 1969 through the
representations of peoples act
→ turnour dropped particularly among 18-24 year olds in 2024 election (from 47% to 37%, back to
levels last seen in 2015)
→ 16/17 year olds are still at school , the gov believe childhood extends well beyond 16 →
recent vote in HOC on banning smoking for those born 2009 and after
A→young people may not vote due to feeling let down as a result of tuition fees ( increased
to 9,535) and making housing unobtainable and unaffordable
→ youth turnout in the scottish independence referendum was about 80% and 16-17 year
olds were able to vote
→ 2017 election youth turnout was 64% - more likely to vote with a specific set of policies ,
in 2017 labour promised to scrap tuition fees
CA→those who have committed crimes should not have this right
→ 2011 vote in parliament that saw only 22 mps vote in favour of it
→ campaign by rights groups such as liberty and the howard lee penal reform has allowed
those convicted of petty rights to vote
→ in scotland , prisoners serving sentences shorter than 12 months the right to vote in the
scottish parliamentary and local elections
A→ the uk is in breach of national law in denying the right of prisoners to vote
→ other countries allow prison voting : according to the eu report in 2023 , eleven eu
countries have no restrictions on prisoner voting
→ we allow prisoners to collect rent + dont take away their right to live → voting rights could
arguably help education and mental health support
CA→we don't need further reform since its an easy right to exercise
→ voting in person has greater integrity , than voting online , which may be more open to
cyber attacks
→ financial restrictions were done with the representations of the people act 1918 , 1929 →
extended the rights to all adults specifically women
→ got rid of plural voting in the 1948 representation of peoples act
A→ does need reform
