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!)