1.2.1 Under Labour 1997-2010

• The 1997 labour government promised a range of reforms that would modernise and democratise the UK
• Constitutional reforms under the labour government 1997-2010:

  • Referendums on devolution in Scotland, Wales & NI in 1997/98
  • Government of Wales act 1998
  • Scotland act 1998
  • Human rights act 1998
  • House of Lords act 1998
  • Freedom of information act 2000
  • Constitutional reform act 2005
• What was the impact of the 1997/98 referendums on devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ?

  • First time since 1975 that referendums had been used
  • An example of direct democracy
  • High turnout for the Scottish and northern Irish referendums
• The 1997/98 referendums on devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were limited as the government decided on the wording, timing and other logistical issues. The Welsh referendum had limited turnout
• What was the impact of Government of Wales act 1998?

  • Established the Senedd in Wales
  • The Senedd would be elected using AMS (trialing this electoral system for the first time in the uk)
• What was the impact of the Scotland act 1998?

  • Established Scottish Parliament at Holyrood with primary legislative powers and limited tax-varying powers
  • Created a more pluralist democracy with power shared to the regions
• The Government of Wales act 1998 was limited as it only gave Wales secondary legislative power and the AMS system has created a number of coalition governments which has limited the power of government
• The Scotland act 1998 was limited as its primary legislative powers challenged parliamentary sovereignty, created asymmetrical devolution between Scotland and Wales and it didn't quell nationalism in Scotland
• What was the impact of the Human Rights act 1998?

  • Enshrined the European Convention on human rights into UK law, protecting rights in the UK
  • Allows neutral and independent judges to defend human rights, rather than being dependant of the ideology of the government in power
• The Human Rights Act 1998 was limited as it is only an act of parliament meaning it can be overturned by another act of parliament, therefore not adequately protecting rights, it has also been criticised for giving too much power to unelected judges
• What was the impact of the House of Lords Act 1999?

  • Reduced heredity peerages to just 92
  • Extended the number of life peers which increased expertise in the House of Lords
  • With minimal new found legitimacy the House of Lords has become more willing to challenge the government
• The House of Lords act 1999 was limited as:

  • Did nothing to address the issue of unelected members or the lack of democratic accountability
  • Reforms extended the power of the prime minster to control who sits in the House of Lords
  • 92 hereditary peers still remain
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 allowed the public to access documents held by public bodies detailing how government decisions have been reached allowing for greater scrutiny of the government
• The Freedom of Information act 2000 was limited as broad freedom of information requests can be denied for being too time consuming for the government and certain sensitive information is exempted
• The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 creates a separate Supreme Court for the UK, removing this role from the Law Lords in the House of Lords
• The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 was limited as it gives power to an unelected and unaccountable branch of the government that has directly challenged the government