Politics Help

[Mr-Trainor]

This probably isn't even a hard question, but I've been doing homework for hours and I'm on the last question of politics and I just don't know what to write :'(. Anyway, all I need for you to give me is some bullet points really, then I can do some research if needed :P. Any help will be greatly appreciated :)!


Outline six possible reforms to democracy that David Cameron is thinking of introducing, or has already introduced.

[.Tom.]

I did Politics in college last year so bit out of date now, though I know one of the reforms being discussed is to reform the consituency boundaries :) This will help reform democracy as it will reduce the no. of MPs and may help to minimize the number of 'safe seats' :)

[Mr-Trainor]

I did Politics in college last year so bit out of date now, though I know one of the reforms being discussed is to reform the consituency boundaries :) This will help reform democracy as it will reduce the no. of MPs and may help to minimize the number of 'safe seats' :)Oh yea :P. Thanks :D!

[-:Undertaker:-]

Eurgh as much as I hate writing this because they either when examined are the opposite/are meaningless/will not go ahead, here a few are below. Since I can't resist writing how meaningless these reforms are, and i'd be happy to discuss with you how meaningless/false they are more in-depth should you wish to, i've written the 'truth' how I see it beneath each point.

- A 'referendum lock' which will force a referendum upon powers going to the European Union.

This is false as powers are going weekly, but nevermind.

- A fixed-term parliament meaning an election is already fixed for 2015, as opposed to the ruling party calling an election.

This is meaningless as it is in direct conflict with our consitution and parliamentary democracy, ie the event of a government collapse.

- The ability to recall your MP.

Been spoken of, little has since been mentioned/how it will work.

- E-petition site which allows a debate in the House of Commons provided 100,000 signatures is reached.

In effect meaningless, as seen with the rejection of the EU membership petition by a three-line whipped parliament.

- Abolition of the House of Lords which is unelected.

Dangerous tinkering with the consitution to a largely powerless House anyway which in my view will very possibly lead to a consitutional crisis.

[.Tom.]

- Abolition of the House of Lords which is unelected.

Dangerous tinkering with the consitution to a largely powerless House anyway which in my view will very possibly lead to a consitutional crisis.

Largely powerless? The House of Lords as far as I remember is quite powerful. I think reforming the HoL to at least a partially elected House is a move in the right direction. I appreciate the need to have certain expertise and knowledge within the House, however, in my opinion there needs to be some elected voices in there.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Largely powerless? The House of Lords as far as I remember is quite powerful. I think reforming the HoL to at least a partially elected House is a move in the right direction. I appreciate the need to have certain expertise and knowledge within the House, however, in my opinion there needs to be some elected voices in there.

The House of Lords is largely powerless yes and whenever a clash does result, the House of Lords will back down due to the fact that it acknowledges that the House of Commons is the elected body and therefore holds legitimacy over the House of Lords. This mechanism has evolved over many centuries which is why it works so well, unlike many other countries.

If and when the House of Lords is abolished, we will lose this mechanism which has served us very well - it will put two elected chambers against one another, which, as I said earlier is likely to result in a consitutional crisis.

[Mr-Trainor]

- E-petition site which allows a debate in the House of Commons provided 100,000 signatures is reached.

In effect meaningless, as seen with the rejection of the EU membership petition by a three-line whipped parliament.
Was that done by David Cameron though? When I did a quick Internet search this morning, it said the website has been around since before he became priminister.

[.Tom.]

Was that done by David Cameron though? When I did a quick Internet search this morning, it said the website has been around since before he became priminister.

It was brought in by Brown :)

[Mr-Trainor]

It was brought in by Brown :)Yea, that's what I was thinking :P.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I am sure they previously had petitions on the Downing Street website but these did not have the power or means to be able to prompt parliamentary debates like the e-petitions website has the power to do so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14400246