JN302 BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND

POLITICS

NCTJ Public Affairs

Central Govt: Joy Johnson

Local Govt: Paul Francis pfrancis@thekmgroup.co.uk,

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OVERVIEW OF TODAY

• Aims/rationale of course• Topics to be covered• Course logistics

COURSE RATIONALE

• Introduction to key topics/issues in contemporary British politics

• Who holds political power?• Controlling power - How far is power

responsive and accountable to citizens

• Controlling the money • Frontline services

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Essential Public Affairs

• Why cover Public Affairs – relevance to journalists?

• Practical application

• Knowledge and context

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Political context

• No one party won overall majority• Hung Parliament• Negotiations for coalition agreement• Compromises and agreement• Mid term audit pledges kept promises broken• Conservatives/Liberal Democrats• Labour official opposition• Controlling the deficit the agreement’s priority

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Economic context

• Deficit reduction

• Welfare changes

• Cuts

• Tax increases

• Growth

• Double dip recession (triple?)

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Constitutional reforms

• Fixed term Parliaments of 5 years • There is still a mechanism for a vote of no

confidence in the government (by a simple majority) and then fails within fourteen days to pass a motion of confidence in a new government. Complicated so probably wouldn’t happen.

• Or by a two thirds (unlikely) • Vernon Bogdanor The Coalition and the Constitution

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Constitutional reforms cont

• House of Lords reform blocked by the Tories :

• Clegg retaliated: Boundary changes –blocked (reduction in the number of MPs falls)

• Labour breathes a sigh of relief

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Constitutional Reforms

• Pressure from Conservative backbenchers for a referendum on repatriating powers from the EU

• PM to make a speech promising a ‘new settlement for Britain in the EU’

• Anti EU press particularly News International and Associated

•

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Constitutional reform cont

• Michael Gove education secretary has made it known that he would vote to leave if there was a referendum today on whether the UK should cut its ties with

Brussels - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2217355/Were-ready-walk-Europe-Prime-Ministers-closest-ally-Michael-Gove-sparks-EU-furore-dramatic-admission.html

• Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond supported him• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19941383• Heseltine and Mandelson join together to combat Euro

sceptism

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Constitutional Change contWho do I ring when I want to talk to Europe?

• Senior official in Obama’s administration Philip Gordon said inn a Q and A: “We welcome an outward-looking European Union with Britain in it.”

• Response from Downing Street. “The US wants an outward looking EU. So do we”.

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Devolution

• After a troubled path – 1979 Labour govt lost a referendum (didn’t reach the benchmark of 40%) fell after vote of no confidence.

• Democratic deficit particularly in Scotland

• New Labour introduced devolution to halt nationalism 1998

• Anthony King The British Constitution, ch 8

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Scottish independence

• Referendum in 2014 • "Do you agree that Scotland should be an

independent country?"• The question will now be scrutinised by the

Electoral Commission watchdog.• Critics of the question say it encourages a "yes"

vote by not mentioning an end to the Union.• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-

politics-20256108

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Coalition government

• Coalition agreement its programme for government

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POLITICAL POWER IN A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY

VOTER

REPRESENTATIVE(MP OR PARTY)

EXECUTIVE (PRIME MINISTER/CABINET)

EUROPEAN UNION

RepresentativesACCOUNTABILITY

Separation of power in the UKchecks and balances

• The executive (the government)

• The legislature (Parliament)

• The judiciary (the courts)

• But there is overlap in the UK

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Rule of Law

• The state must act within the law and the law must be enforced equally on all.

• MPs and Peers’ expenses

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CHALLENGE TO POLITICAL AUTHORITY

Citizen disengagement• Declining electoral turnout; falling levels of

political trust; ‘protest’ participation.Weakening (?) role of political institutions• Electoral system gives power on 35% of vote;

Declining membership of political parties; • Whipping in ParliamentChallenge to government• Fragmentation of power: devolution/EU

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KEY QUESTIONS

• Nature and location of political power: How far has power moved away from (central) governments?

• To what extent does (representative) political authority retain the support and engagement of citizens?

Political context

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What a difference six months makes

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Coalition partners – first the marriage then the Ronseal Deal

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcXrMTMRCL8&NR=1

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20928698

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1 Introduction to module

2 Nature of system Overview of the British political system

3 Legislature Workings of Parliament, separation of powers

4 Role of the Prime Minister , Cabinet and Civil Service

From Prime Ministerial to Presidential?

5 Mending a Broken system

Does the electoral system for Westminster need reforming?Failed Referendum in May 2011

6 Treasury Controlling the Money

7 Fragmentation of authority

Is the UK breaking up?

8 Europe Is the centre of British government London or Brussels? Pressures on referendum

9 National Health Service

What we have now and proposed reforms

10 Audit of political system

Is government in Britain representative and accountable?

12 Q&A/ NCTJ preparation

Spring TermMonday Lectures 2-3

Wed Seminar 11-12 and 12-1

Thursday NCTJ Class 2-3

Summer term revision classes Monday and Thursday

Reading

• Text books • NCTJ – Essential Public Affairs for Journalists, Morrison• Coalition Agreement and mid term audit• Library resources• Recommended• Vernon Bogdanor Coalition and the Constitution• Anthony King, The British Constitution• David Laws, 22 Days in May• Kavanagh & Cowley, British General election 2010• Steve Richards, Whatever it Takes• Andrew Rawnsley, End of the Party

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ASSESSMENT

• University Exam: 50%

• Coursework: 50%- One essay of 2,000 words

NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS - June exam 2 papers – Central and Local

Government

Next week

Political System

Reading Parliamentary Democracy in the UK

Morrison