Politics Case Studies

Paper 1: UK Politics & Core Political Ideas

• Democracy & Participation:
  • Parliament given Sovereignty by the Supreme Court over Brexit in 2019 – they must vote on all deals.
  • ‘Cancel Article 50’ petition got over 6 million signatures .
  • Brexit Referendum – 2016. 48.1% to 51.9%/. 72% turnout.
  • AV Referendum – 2011. Firm no (67%). 42% turnout.
  • 1998 Human Rights Act under Blair (incorporated into law from EU).
  • Voter Turnout: 1997 – 71%, 2001 – 59%, 2005 – 61%, 2010 – 65%, 2015 – 66%, 2017 – 68%.
  • 2009 Parliament expenses scandal.
  • 2017 Westminster Sexual Misconduct scandal (Michael Fallon).
  • Votes for 16 – 75% of 16 and 17 year olds voted – the highest turnout by age category.
  • NEU (National Education Union) – largest teachers union in Europe, operate as a Sectional Pressure Group.
  • Extinction Rebellion 2019 – Pressure Group work. Boris Johnson argues that the police aren’t doing enough to prevent them. Promotional Pressure Group.
  • Think Tanks – Adam Smith Institute (favoured by Thatcher), Centre for Social Justice (used in 2005 to reduce poverty in the UK), Demos – used by Blair in 1997.
  • In 2014, Parliament passed the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act, requiring statutory registration of professional lobbyists.
  • In June 2015 the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) launched the UK Lobbying Register.

• Political Parties:
  • Theresa May vote of no confidence 2018 (which she narrowly won)
  • Tony Blair 1997 majority with 418 seats (landslide)
  • UKIP gaining 3.9 million votes in 2015 – rise of the Right-Wing groups in response to centralised British politics
  • Cameron “fighting Labour for the centre ground”
  • Thatcher “you would rather the poor be poorer, than the rich be richer”
  • Conservative Party resignations and firings under Johnson 2019 – removing the whip from 20 MPs over Brexit (including Hammond and Clark – two well established and leading conservative figures)
  • 2000 – Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Acts controls the issue of Party Spending and Finance
  • Conservative Factions – One Nation (Tory Reform Group), The Bruges Group (pro Brexit), Thatcherite
  • Labour Factions – Blue Labour (socially conservative), Momentum (pro Corbyn), Labour First (right wing, but claims to support the ‘moderate’ Labour stance)
  • Liberal Democrat Factions – Orange Book (want liberal economic attitudes)
  • UKIP Factions – the emergence of the Brexit Party under Farage

• Electoral Systems:

Paper 2:

Paper 3: