Year 12 Summer work 2018
As
a Politics student, you need to keep up to date with news and current affairs.
Each week record at least one news
article or report that has influenced UK Politics.
|
Date
|
News source
|
Summary of news
|
Impact on UK Politics
|
|
06.09.18
|
BBC news website
|
What happened?
Why?
|
This has meant that…
|
Your task is to investigate the three key questions below. There are a
number of sub-questions to help focus your research. Produce notes in a format you prefer. For
example, you could create a table or
a mind map.
For
“extra credit" produce the work into a format which would engage young
people into the political process, for example as a blog, fully linked website,
or a documentary film for you tube.
Your
research will be checked in September. There will be a quiz based on the research questions.
Research
questions:
who runs the country?
how does Parliament work?
how is power shared between
Westminster and the devolved administrations?
Who runs
the country?
1. Parties and candidates
● What are the key differences
between the major political parties in the UK?
● How are candidates are
selected to stand for a constituency?
2. Elections and voting systems
● What is democracy? What
is the difference between representative democracy and direct democracy? What
are the strengths and weaknesses of each type?
● How does the
Westminster-first-past-the-post system operate? Who can and cannot vote in
general elections and why? Should the vote be changed? What is the frequency of
general elections?
3. Forming and organising the work of government
● How is a government
formed? What is the role of the monarch? What happens when no single party can
form a government and a coalition government is formed?
● How is government organised into departments and ministries? What are civil servants?
How does Parliament work?
4. The Westminster Parliament
● What is the difference between the executive, legislature,
judiciary and monarchy?
● What are the roles of
the Houses of Commons and Lords? What is the relationship between the House of
Commons and the Lords? How does debate contribute to shaping policy and laws?
● What are the roles of:
the prime minister, cabinet and ministers, the opposition, speaker, whips,
front bench and backbench MPs and the ceremonial role of Black Rod? What is the
role of an MP in representing constituents’ interests?
5. Making and shaping law
● How does a bill becomes law? What is debate in the House of
Commons and the House of Lords? How do committees scrutinise? What is royal
assent?
6. The Constitution
● What is an
uncodified constitution? How has the constitution changed recently including as
a result of devolution and membership of the EU?
● What is parliamentary
sovereignty? Explain checks and balances, including the role of judicial
review. How does Parliament hold government to account through oversight and
scrutiny?
How is
power shared between Westminster and the devolved administrations?
7. Government in constituent parts of the UK
● What are the powers of
devolved bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
● How are relations are
changing between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including views
on devolution and independence.
