VOTING SYSTEMS First Past the Post

It was a right-wing Tory, attacking a 1970s Labour government, who came up with this phrase, a great starting point when considering the flaws in FPTP, a system used in very, very few democracies - and not even for the many other UK non-general elections.

THE ELECTIVE DICTATORSHIP

Lord Hailsham was condemning how a party with a Commons majority could essentially rule free if any effective opposition.

The Tories didn't win over 50% of votes in 2019. There is a clear anti-Brexit majority from the election vote. Yet they have a massive Commons majority, so the only way they'll face any effective opposition will not be in parliament (though the Lords might pose some temporary barriers for them to simply knock down).

Instead, the Supreme Court is one of three avenues of potential opposition or limits on their decision-making. The majority of UK citizens will not have any effective voice in their parliament for the next five years. Scottish voters have already, 1 day after the election, been warned that their overwhelming pro-independence SNP vote is meaningless. They will not get the second independence referendum they have democratically mandated the SNP to pursue. They will not get a second Brexit referendum either despite the huge pro-remain majority. They instead will be dictated by English MPs.

Unless the Supreme Court rules that an independence referendum must be held because of the terms of the Act of Union and the amendments that set up devolved government.

The 1980s saw Scotland erupt in fury at a similar situation. They overwhelmingly elected Labour MPs, but were ruled by an extreme right-wing Tory government under Thatcher. When she imposed the poll tax, a rather unsubtle attack on the poor, there was immediate civil unrest. The street protests were so huge and prolonged that it would be a key factor in the Tories kicking her out and replacing her with the moderate John Major, who quickly scrapped the poll tax. I predict Scotland will see scenes like those in Barcelona/Catalonia, mass protests over the denial of an independence vote.

The third avenue of limits on a government with no meaningful opposition within parliament comes from international relations. Corbyn revealed the secret negotiations over the NHS with the US. Various Tories have been giving speeches for years on how Brexit gives Britain the chance to become an ultra-low corporate tax centre - a tax haven. I predict the EU will get tough with the UK on post-Brexit trading rules. And the USA will trample over British business and public sector in any negotiated deal given the huge difference in power.

2019 ELECTION - THE NUMBERS

Green MPs elected in yesterday’s general election represented more than 850,000 votes while SNP MPs represented under 26,000, according to figures from the Electoral Reform Society.

More than 330,000 votes were needed to elect a Liberal Democrat, compared to 50,000 for Labour and 38,000 for Plaid Cymru and Conservative candidates.

Meanwhile, the Brexit Party won more than 642,000 votes but failed to get any representatives in the House of Commons.

Overall, the Electoral Reform Society claims that 45.3% of votes did not get any representation, because of the number of voters who didn’t support the winning candidate.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/dec/12/general-election-2019-uk-live-labour-tories-corbyn-boris-johnson-results-exit-poll

See https://mobile.twitter.com/electoralreform/status/1205435581402099713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-34556447883617819625.ampproject.net%2F1912120230490%2Fframe.html

2019 ELECTION NORTHERN IRELAND analysis

The raw facts from the BBC, then a variety of analysis/opinion pieces - often focused on the crisis the results, and PM Johnson's abandonment of unionist concerns, pose for DUP/unionism. (Here's the BBC's immediate analysis, and a slightly later article - both highlight the DUP's crisis.)

A good starting point from the Newsletter:

They also featured Jim Allister responding to the slide by the DUP.

The BT hub on the 2019 election is a great resource

It includes features like this, reflecting on debate within unionism on how to respond to the rise of the Alliance and Johnson's treatment of unionism.

This press blog from the Republic reflected on the seismic shift the 2019 results represented:

NI PARTIES UUP

They used to be in the position of the DUP, the dominant unionist party and therefore the dominant party in Northern Ireland.

Now unionism faces becoming secondary to nationalism - will the general election tally of 9 nationalist v 8 unionist MPs be reflected in the next assembly elections? Will the Alliance further eat into the unionist share?

The UUP are historically linked to the Tories - their full name is the Conservative AND Unionist Party. But as the UUP became an electoral irrelevance and the DUP negotiated a supply and favour alliance, that link has been lost.

Now, as leader Mike Nesbitt openly acknowledges, they face the ultimate defeat because of their former Tory allies' Brexit policy: the breakup of the UK. It will require a favourable Supreme Court ruling and probably civil unrest in the scale of the anti-poll tax revolt, but Scotland looks set to secede (leave).

The path for Northern Ireland will not be a peaceful one, but the humiliating secondary status and separation that the still officially unionist Tory Brexut deal will bring makes it hard to see how a majority won't eventually form for a reunited Ireland. As the moderate wing of unionism, the UUP could return to the fore in negotiations over that. It was they and the SDLP who negotiated the GFA, not the hard-line SF/DUP.

While the DUP benefit from a clear image, albeit one that horrified mainland Brits when national media shone a spotlight on them over their deal with the Tories (having ignored cash for ash and the potentially deadly deadlock over the Assembly), the UUP have a very, very weak identity, something Nesbitt acknowledges.

“You’ve got rural conservative and urban progressive and we’re going to have to make a decision, one or the other,” he said.

“We can’t go on trying to please everybody because you end up in the middle of the road and if you’re there you get knocked down by traffic coming in both directions.”

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/mike-nesbitt-brexit-is-unionist-own-goal-and-may-lead-to-end-of-the-uk-1-9174692

 

PRESS REGULATION

If you want to know how good press regulation is just ask me about The Rock ... snowflake!

Here's a case that may well in time define the failure of the 4th attempt at self-regulation, and the ongoing success of lobbying to prevent statutory regulation.

Mail on Sunday made false claims about Labour's tax plans

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/09/ipso-rebukes-mail-on-sunday-over-labour-movers-tax-claim?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Gmail

The erroneous article was published in June, and the press regulator ruled on the inaccuracy in November. The MoS must now publish Ipso’s ruling on page 2 of its print edition and on the top half of its website for 24 hours. But because the paper sought a review of the process by which the decision was made, publication of the correction has been delayed until after the election.

2019 GENERAL ELECTION PPBs

This is simply the 'PPBs' (party political broadcasts) of the NI + UK parties covered in our exam. PPBs are legally required short videos broadcast on national free-to-air 'terrestrial' TV channels (mainly the BBC + ITV). (short Wiki)

Unlike the US, in the UK parties aren't allowed to buy broadcast (TV or radio) ad space. The laws were written long before social media made them look so outdated, but the tradition remains that the parties (different selections with different videos/messages in England, Wales, Scotland and NI; eg the SNP aren't broadcast outside of Scotland or the NI parties outwith NI, while the Scottish Tories and Labour are semi-independent of the London HQ).

They're easy to mock, but quite revealing and so useful to gain an understanding of where parties stand - or at least on what they'd like to focus. They're often very light on policy and also often lead on the personality of leaders...

The 2019 GE (general election) PPBs...

At the time of writing this, I don't think the UK nationals had aired yet...
They've all done lots of vids for social media though...

Tories still have 'webcameronuk' as their channel URL!

Labour's channel is more policy-focused, less on the cult of personality, and in contrast to the Tories they focus on multiple issues. But...that isn't necessarily smart marketing.










A few articles you can read:

(SOURCE: BBC)

The story of the party election broadcast (2015)
- why were a bulldog's testicles so widely discussed in 1997?!

Party election broadcasts: How have they changed and do they still matter? (2019, Oct)

- started on radio in 1924, by 1959 they were on BBC and ITV TV channels and established as normal.

Ofcom sets the rules for the broadcasts, which include the fact a party must be contesting at least a sixth of the seats in the election to qualify for a slot. They must also have a running time of either two minutes 40 seconds, three minutes 40 seconds, or four minutes 40 seconds. ... 

These traditional post-teatime news slots make up for the ban the parties face on buying other TV and radio advertising. 

However, as the Electoral Commission has pointed out, "electoral law was written long before campaigning went digital", so rather than one channel with one guaranteed audience, you are looking at internet advertising with spending on the rise across multiple platforms - especially social media.

(From the history of the BBC site)

First heard on radio in 1924, how have these broadcasts evolved and influenced the public's perception of politicians?

More recently, Party Political Broadcasts have been devised and made independently of the BBC or, indeed, any other broadcasters. Party machines have taken control of the whole process and as production styles and values have evolved, so the costs of making them have risen astronomically. But is it worth the effort and money?

(SOURCE: CAMPAIGN, the marketing industry magazine)

A strange history of the party political broadcast

Their feature picks out some of the oddest examples from the 70+ years they've been on TV...

The Green Party’s slightly bizarre ‘boy band’ election broadcast for the 2015 general election cast Farage, Cameron, Clegg and Miliband as members of an all male pop group.

(SOURCE: IRISH NEWS)
Which NI parties are winners with their election broadcasts?Can you guess which party is being discussed here in this informal analysis of the April 2019 NI PPBs?!

Play parks, the arts, the armed forces and even dog fouling gets a mention, and while there is talk of a push for a border poll the party do not refer to Sinn Féin by name, instead the spectre of the party lingers like Lord Voldermort - who must not be named.

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NI ASSEMBLY

2 VETERAN MPs LOOK BACK TO THE OLD (UNIONIST) PARLIAMENT ABOLISHED IN 1973

Nice article from the BBC gives the very contrasting memories of UUP and SDLP former NI MPs of the NIP.

JAN 2021

UUP HEALTH MINISTER BLOCKS LEGAL ABORTIONS

By insisting the health services cannot commission abortion services, as a "controversial matter" the Assembly must decide on this. Remember: the UK parliament passed a bill legalising abortion (and another for gay marriage) while Stormont remained suspended in December 2019. Guardian.

NOV 2020

Alliance leader condemns the cross-community veto, threatens to quit the Executive. DUP used it to veto all other parties, including UUP, agreement on covid measures. BBC.

Q+A - How does the NI Executive work? BBC.

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Only 1k subs, even with a Politics GCSE run by a NI exam board - but its actually very helpful!

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A good starting point is the NIA's own YT channel, with some great resources. Rumours are rife the the DUP and SF will cut some kind of deal during or after the December 2019 general election campaign/outcome - possibly to help secure their vote from voters fed up at the years of stasis, corruption scandals and now the controversial voting pacts linked to avoiding Brexit on the SF side and boosting unionism/defeating nationalism on the (DUP) unionist side (they've successfully pressured the UUP into backtracking from a public declaration of abandoning the traditional unionist pacts).

So maybe we'll see some less historical footage on here in 2020...


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FACEBOOK election influencers

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-50479877

COMPARING RESPONSIBILITIES - roles of councillors, MLAs, MPs, MEPs

Over time I'll develop separate guides on each, but for now here are some simple starter resources on each.

I have previously gathered guides, including videos, on an older blog - these are some key links from that which you may find useful (I'll certainly be using bit of these again myself!). Some have specific reference to where I was previously teaching in England, but all have general resources too:

• Budget, Revenue and Spending
• How Does Parliament Work?
• How Laws Are Made
• How Laws Are Made (6min video)
• Investigating our local MPs
• Parliament + Government: What's the Difference? (4min video)
• Parliament and UK General Election Process in a Nutshell
• Party Policies: 2013 Party Political Broadcasts
• Pressure Groups + Protest Campaigns
• Research What MPs Do
• Researching Party Manifestoes
• Russell Brand v Jeremy Paxman
• UK Government spending breakdown
• UK Political Parties' posters, past and present
• Understanding 'left-wing' and 'right-wing'
• Voter Turnout: UK Democracy in Crisis?
• Voting systems and debates
• World Book Day: Young People and Politics...

ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES 1: LOCAL COUNCILLOR IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Simple search.
BBC guide: what do NI councils do?
NIDirect (NI gov) education;
Wiki! (never rely on it solely, but it is useful!)


ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES 2: MLAs IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Simple search.
NI Assembly's education guide.
NI Assembly (leaflet) guide for the general public!
Wiki! (never rely on it solely, but it is useful!)

WIDER READING:
BBC microsite for articles on NI Assembly.
BBC guide on the North-South Ministerial Council.


ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES 3: MPs IN NORTHERN IRELAND (and beyond!)
Simple search.
BBC Bitesize (very helpful graphic!)
Official Parliament guide.
Wiki! (never rely on it solely, but it is useful!)

PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE is a specific power worth noting. MPs can make claims INSIDE THE COMMONS that if said outside would leave them open to being sued for libel (which can bring unlimited fines for damages). The DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson used this in 2002 to name the man he says was responsible for the Omagh Bombing by the Continuity IRA. In 2020 the man he named was jailed (Guardian) for terrorist offences.

ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES 4: MEPs IN NORTHERN IRELAND (and beyond!)
Simple search.
BBC guide.
EU Parliament guide.
Wiki! (never rely on it solely, but it is useful!)

DEMOCRACY intro videos etc

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This is a long read above the level you're expected to reach at GCSE. Source.

From BBC Bitesize, a great way to introduce/remind yourself about fundamentals of UK democracy!

Another BBC Bitesize guide which starts with more of an historic overview...

NORTHERN IRELAND MEDIA

I'll add some brief pointers on NI media here...

Both the leading (evening) paper The Belfast Telegraph it (see Wiki) and its (morning) rival the Belfast News Letter (Wiki) are pro-unionist. The only real nationalist rival is a Southern paper, the Irish Times ...which actually is historically (Wiki) a unionist paper too! There is An Phoblacht, Sinn Fein's paper (now a magazine: Wiki). There's a v brief overall Wiki on NI media.

The shock of the GB press/public at the actual nature of the DUP - most seemed ignorant of their existence! - following the 2017 post-election Tory/DUP confidence and supply deal (the one where PM May called an early election ... and to general shock lost seats to Corbyn's Labour and her overall majority!) is rather revealing. It is an indictment of how the UK 'national' press largely ignore NI and/or cover it in very simplistic, reductionist terms.

Here's an interesting eg of NI hitting the headlines ... Ian Paisley Jr in trouble back in June 2019 (BBC newspaper review). The story led the NI editions - not the nationals.

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CCEA UNIT 1 info packs

tbc

Equality cmsn for ni from DB3igs

Student guidance the northern ireland political parties from DB3igs

Agreement grid for ni parties from DB3igs

Pol parties in a demy from DB3igs

Pol pties in a demy 2 from DB3igs

Political ideas and concepts from DB3igs

Political parties in a democracy from DB3igs

Pol l info in a demy from DB3igs

Student guidance political party glossary from DB3igs

BOOKS

I've used Amazon.co.uk links for convenience; most of these are available from other retailers too.

Most textbooks are aimed at the A-LEVEL, not the GCSE, so you might find them quite challenging, and they will have more information than you need!

OFFICIAL UNIT 1 CCEA TEXTBOOK

Northern Ireland Government and Politics for CCEA AS Level

Note that its actually written for an A-LEVEL, NOT GCSE, so it will go into more detail on some themes than you will need to.

£9.99, published January 2018. Here's the description:

This well-researched text was written specifically to address Unit AS1 of the revised CCEA Government and Politics specification. It covers the Government and Politics of Northern Ireland and has been through a meticulous quality assurance process. It considers the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, the amendments made in subsequent agreements (St Andrews, Hillsborough and Stormont House) and examines the functions and responsibilities of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the executive and various political parties. Included in the book are tasks, practice essay titles, key terms and concepts, as well as a detailed glossary, index and examination preparation guide. Areas explored include: 

* The principles, content and implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the changes made to it by subsequent agreements. 

* An analysis of the Assembly, including its three main functions (representation, legislation and scrutiny), and its independence from the Executive. * 

A look at the Executive Office and the Executive as a whole - how it is appointed, how it can determine legislation and policy, the divisions within it, and its ability to function as a power-sharing government. 

* An evaluation of the Northern Ireland political parties, including their role in government, their respective backgrounds, strategies and policies, and how they have changed since 1998.

NI PARTIES: Alliance Party

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They did well in the final EU elections back in 2019, tripling their vote share to come 3rd behind the big 2.

Guardian: Northern Ireland’s Alliance leader gets anti-Brexit boost in EU elections.

This Conversation blog analysis tracks the modern rise of the Alliance (2019).