David Davis, Brexit and Parliamentary Scrutiny

31 Oct 201731 Oct 2017

Usually, when I write a blog piece, I do so having watched a story emerge through the national press. It was fascinating, therefore, to have such an excellent example for…

The EU Withdrawal Bill passes Second Reading

12 Sep 201713 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41235522 Following a lengthy session of Parliament and a late night vote, the EU Withdrawal Bill passed it's second reading by a vote of 326 to 290. The events of…

Brexit court ruling: Your questions answered

3 Nov 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news So the government has lost! I blogged on October 13th that the High Court was going to rule on a challenge to a swift exit from the EU –…

Third Runway at Heathrow

31 Oct 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37760187 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36195209 So the decision has been made - the new runway will be at Heathrow rather than Gatwick. This comes after months of wrangling over the decision and is…

Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU

2 Oct 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887 This link is an easy-to-understand guide on what happens now that the UK has voted to leave the European Union. It includes definitive paras on: What does Brexit mean? …

EU Referendum; Results, what this means, how can YOU use it?

25 Jun 201612 Sep 2017

No, I'm not the author, but enormous thanks to Ethan (Upper VIth & 2016-17 President of the Politics Society) for this one. Love it or hate it, the UK’s EU Referendum…

Pressure Group Action and Success – Academies

11 May 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36234989 Pressure group 'success' questions are common in Unit 1 and yet there are reasonably few examples of direct pressure group success, and indeed many examples of high profile failures.…

How many times has the Government been defeated in the House of Lords this session?

27 Apr 201624 May 2016

In answer to a question from a lower sixth student I thought this answer worth posting. Clearly relevant to Unit 2’s Parliament topic, e.g. questions on opposition in the unelected…

Government defeated again in Lords – again…

27 Apr 201624 May 2016

Check it out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36146116 The government has been defeated again in the House of Lords yesterday (26th April), this time over calls to take in child refugees from Europe. A…

Select Committees and Government Scrutiny

22 Apr 201624 May 2016

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/12/top-civil-servant-kicked-out-of-parliament-committee-for-unsatis/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter One way in which the HoC can keep the government in check is through Select Committees; a committee of backbench MPs which directly scrutinise the work of one government…

No ‘War Powers Act’ for the UK

22 Apr 201624 May 2016

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/18/ministers-abandon-plan-war-powers-law-mps-troops http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0770qpf (Radio 4 PM - Listen to 35.43-45.40 mins Brown in 2007 - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1556198/Brown-gives-up-the-power-to-declare-war.html This week, ministers have abandoned plans to have a 'War Powers Act' for the UK,…

Cameron’s defeats to-date in the Commons

23 Mar 201624 May 2016

In answer to a question from a keen AS scholar regarding the vulnerability of the current government, this may be useful as an overview into the nine defeats Cameron's governments…

Tory rifts over IDS resignation

21 Mar 201624 May 2016

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35858101 Wow! You've got to love our subject; another controversial budget last Wednesday (16th March), a key cabinet minister distancing herself from it on Thursday (live on BBC Question Time),…

Sunday Trading defeat for Cameron

14 Mar 201624 May 2016

How does Cameron avoid defeats - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35726665 Sunday trading defeat - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35768674 Sunday trading defeat video - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35767753 The Conservative government had hoped to pass a bill that would allow…

The EU Referendum – Announced!

24 Feb 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/eu_referendum http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35630757 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/11617702/poll.html There will undoubtedly be huge amounts of coverage regarding the EU referendum now it has been announced and students should be able to see the importance and…

Cameron and the EU

12 Feb 201624 May 2016

Cameron's options for enhancing sovereignty - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35539860 EU referendum would be legally binding - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35536890 Idiot's guide to the EU vote - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887 Link for most up to date EU…

Lords defeats Government again – Employment Support Allowance

29 Jan 201624 May 2016

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35422778 The Lords dealt another blow to Government policy this week, voting against the cuts to Employment Support Allowance. This article is short and worth a read as it gives…

Bedroom Tax – Govt defeated by Court of Appeal

29 Jan 201612 Sep 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35418488 This week, the Government's attempts to tax people who live in social housing but have spare bedrooms faced a challenge in the Court of Appeal. The Court ruled that…