Politics Paper 2 Edexcel essay plans (whole spec covered)
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Course
Unit 2 - Governing the UK (9PL002)
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Throughout these essay plans, the whole course is planned out including more difficult questions, helped me gain an A* in politics as my only revision material, contemporary and niche examples included
Yes No
1. Budgetary decisions: The Cabinet is Cabinet's power and influence have been
responsible for making key budgetary somewhat reduced in recent years due to a
decisions, including setting spending number of factors, such as:
priorities and allocating funds to 6. The increasing power of the Prime
different government departments. Minister: In recent years, some Prime
For example, during the annual Ministers have been accused of
budget process, the Cabinet considers centralizing power in their own hands,
proposals from the Chancellor of the at the expense of the Cabinet. This
Exchequer and other ministers, and has led to criticism that the Cabinet
makes decisions about how to has become little more than a rubber
allocate government resources. stamp for the Prime Minister's
2. National security: The Cabinet is decisions.
responsible for overseeing national 7. The growth of executive agencies: In
security and defense policy. For recent decades, the UK government
example, the Cabinet oversees the has increasingly relied on executive
work of the Ministry of Defence, agencies to deliver public services and
which is responsible for the UK's implement policy. This has led to a
armed forces, and the Home Office, shift of power away from the Cabinet
which is responsible for domestic and towards these agencies, which
security and counter-terrorism. are often headed by non-Cabinet
3. Brexit negotiations: During the UK's members.
negotiations to leave the European 8. The role of special advisers: Special
Union, the Cabinet played a central advisers, or "spads," are political
role in setting negotiating priorities appointees who work closely with
and approving the government's Cabinet ministers and advise them on
negotiating strategy. The Cabinet met policy matters. Some argue that the
regularly to discuss Brexit-related increasing influence of spads has
issues and to make key decisions reduced the role of the Cabinet, as
about the government's approach to ministers may rely more heavily on
the negotiations. the advice of their personal advisers
4. Crisis management: The Cabinet is than on the collective wisdom of the
responsible for managing crises and Cabinet.
emergencies, such as natural disasters
or public health emergencies. For Truss ignored cabinet with mini budget
example, during the COVID-19 Blair was widely criticized for his decision to
pandemic, the Cabinet met regularly go to war in Iraq in 2003, which was made
to discuss the government's response without the approval of the Cabinet.
to the crisis and to make key decisions
about lockdown measures, economic 9. e Department for Work and Pensions
support, and the vaccine rollout. (DWP), which is responsible for
delivering welfare benefits and other
, 5. Foreign policy: The Cabinet is services to the public. The DWP is one
responsible for setting foreign policy of the largest government
and representing the UK in departments in the UK and is headed
international affairs. For example, the by a Cabinet minister. However, much
Cabinet oversees the work of the of the day-to-day work of the DWP is
Foreign, Commonwealth and carried out by executive agencies,
Development Office, which is such as the Jobcentre Plus network,
responsible for the UK's relationships which are not overseen directly by
with other countries, and makes key the Cabinet.
decisions about the UK's participation 10. The role of special advisers: An
in international organizations and example of this is the influence of
agreements. Dominic Cummings, who was a
special adviser to Prime Minister Boris
Johnson until his resignation in 2020.
Cummings was widely seen as one of
the most powerful figures in the
government, and his influence was
often seen as coming at the expense
of the Cabinet. For example,
Cummings was heavily involved in the
government's response to the COVID-
19 pandemic, and was accused of
sidelining Cabinet ministers in the
decision-making process.
Prime ministers in recent years constrained by cabinet and ministers
Yes No
Cabinet and ministers have acted as a Truss and minibrudget
constraint on the power of Prime Ministers. expense of Cabinet and ministers. For
For example, during the premiership of example, during the premiership of Tony
Theresa May, the Cabinet and Parliament Blair, some argued that Blair's close
played a key role in shaping the relationship with a small circle of advisers
government's approach to Brexit. May's and his tendency to bypass Cabinet had led
Brexit deal was subject to multiple rounds of to a concentration of power in his own
scrutiny and debate in Parliament, and the hands.
Cabinet was involved in key decisions about Similarly, during the premiership of Boris
the negotiation strategy. Johnson, some have argued that Johnson has
centralized power in his own hands, at the
, Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the expense of Cabinet and ministers. For
Cabinet and ministers played a central role in example, Johnson's decision to prorogue
shaping the government's response. The Parliament in 2019 was seen by many as an
government's decisions about lockdowns, attempt to avoid scrutiny and bypass
economic support, and vaccine rollout were Parliament in the run-up to Brexit.
subject to intense scrutiny and debate, and
ministers were required to justify their
decisions to Parliament.
Events not policy have dominated the decision making of the executive
Decision making process of the executive is a lengthy and multifaceted process which is entirely
stringent to the political context. Interlinked
Yes No
Political context and circumstance of events Policy relating to events, covid policy,
dictate whether it dominates the decision brexit bills- Brexit Freedoms Bill 2023, all EU
making. legislation to be reviewed and scrapped if
Covid-19- governemnt had to respond to the not.
event of covid-19, presidential style of
government. Universal vaccine rollout, Fulfilling manifesto?
handling of NHS.
Brexit- naturally dominated the executive terrorism acts - Terrorism Act 2000 gave
decision making process as conversation and increased powers to the Home Secretary and
debate surrounded brexit. Mays govt. Having the police. It moved the focus of counter-
multiple brexit deals shut down. terrorism to all forms of domestic and
Terrorist attacks- how the government international terrorism, rather than just
responded Northern Ireland-related terrorism. Before
Ukraine- invasion of ukraine by Russia has set 9/11
into a motion a disruption of energy access,
consequently dominating the givernmental Standing order no.14- government sets and
process with extraordinary spike in prices. controls the parliamentary agenda.
outbreak of war, the Foreign Office has Covid-19: event led to consequent decision
increased the number of people working on making regarding policy eg.- Coronavirus Act
Russia and Ukraine. The then foreign 2020, which disproportionately enhanced
secretary, Liz Truss, wrote to the FAC in execuitve power- Clause 32 is too widely
March 2022 pointing out the establishment drawn and should be related to coronavirus”.
of a “new 24/7 Russia-Ukraine hub” under In drafting the legislation in such a wide
the leadership of a director general.5 In July manner, the Act is empowering the executive
, 2022 she wrote to the same committee, beyond what is necessary. It is not necessary
detailing the deployment of over 840 staff to in the emergency legislation tackling the
work on response to the crisis.6 Around the Covid-19 pandemic, for the executive to have
same time, it was reported in the media that a power extending to circumstances beyond
Truss was asking for 1,000 additional staff to the coronavirus outbreak. Consequently, it is
support her department’s activity, notably on disproportionate in the powers it transfers to
Ukraine the executive and the oversight it provides
prime minister Boris Johnson promised to for Parliament.
increase defence spending from an existing Lockdown introduced via secondary
2% to 2.5% of GDP; his successor Liz Truss legislation. Response to events is a crucial
went further by committing to 3% aspect of policy making
Financial crash 2008- September 2007 to
December 2009, the then Labour Rwanda migrants policy – illegal immigration
Government made a number of interventions policy has been the focus of the executive
to support the banking sector generally and since Johnsons premiership, area of focus
several banks specifically. It injected £137 that dominates decision making for various
billion of public money in loans and capital to prime ministers
stabilise the financial system, most of which
has been recouped over the years. Treasury government backed PMBs- number of
started recapitalising banks by buying up legislative priorities after the hiatus caused
shares and nationalising banks doomed to by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly
fail. In addition, they put a large sum of employment law-
money into the Financial Services Employee Relations (Flexible Working) Bill
Compensation Scheme
Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill aims to
outlaw the withholding of tips by employers
Spring budget and introduce a new statutory Code of
Practice on their distribution.
Cost of living crisis-
Government is providing a £15 billion energy Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy
bill rebate package, worth up to £550 each and Family Leave) Bill
for around 28 million households
£650 Cost of Living payment for those on
benefits Secondary legislation- The Government
Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment
and Accounts) Order 2023
Growth Plan 2022 makes growth the
government's central economic mission,
setting a target of reaching a 2.5% trend rate.
As a response to the invasion of ukraine, the
manner of the exectuive has changed- as a
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