(4) Supplementary features of the UK's democratic system

(4) Supplementary features of the UK's democratic system

1. Referendums

   • It has traditionally been seen to undermine the principles of popular authority and parliamentary authority.
     • question are perceived as limited
     • majority always rules
   • why are they used?
     • There have been increasingly complex and controversial issues which the government has been faced with.
       • The issue of constitutional reform encouraged the use of referendums from 1997 onwards.
   • There have been ten examples of referendums
     • 1973: Northern Ireland  – Northern Ireland sovereignty
     • 1975: UK – Membership of the European Community
     • 1979: Scotland – Scottish devolution
     • 1979: Wales – Welsh devolution
     • 1997: Scotland – Scottish devolution
     • 1997: Wales – Welsh devolution
     • 1998: London – Greater London Authority
     • 1998: Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Belfast Agreement
     • 2011: Wales - Welsh further devolution
     • 2011: UK – Alternative vote
   • Should britain use referendums
     • for
       • Direct democracy
       • Political education
       • Responsive governement
       • Reduced government power
       • Constitutional changes
     • Against
       • I'll-informed decisions
       • weakens parliament
       • Irresponsible government
       • Strengthens government
       • Unreliable views

2. Devoltion

   • The creation in 1998 of the Scottish and Welsh parliament and assembly. The good Friday agreement(1998) in northern Ireland created the parliament building
   • Strengh
     • It gave the constituent nation of the UK their own political voice - preventing a English domination thought the house of commons
     • It refined representative democracy because it allowed those nation to express their nations views
     • It widerned the opportunity for political participation strengh civic engagement and political eduction
   • Weakness
     • Limited power
       • The English question
         • Devolution has done nothing to advance representative democracy in England, where about 84% of the UK's population lives.
       • Devolution stop well short of home rule. although the power of devolution bodies have, in some widened, major economic and foreign policy decisions are still made at westminster and in whitehall

3. EU Parilament

   • strengths
     • European Parliament allows opportunity of the uk citizens to exert popular influence within the the EU
     • Direct elections to the European Parliament were introduced in 1979, and these are fixed-term elections that take place every five years
     • Since 1999 European Parliament elections have been conducted on the basis of a proportional election system that represents parties more family and gives small parties a better chance of being elected
   • Weakness
     • Direct deficit
       • The European Parliament is the weakest of the EU institutions, with little policy- making influence and only limited effective control over the European Commission. The EU therefore suffers from a "democratic deficit"
     • Rule from Brussels
       • Growing EU influence over UK politics has been interpreted as a threat to the sovereign power of parliament and thus to the capacity of the UK to function as an independent democratic state