Activity 1: Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of making law through primary legislation, secondary legislation, and common law

 

Learning objective: To enhance understanding of and analyse three important ways in which law in the UK can be made

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 5
• A piece of A4 paper or access to word-processing software such as Microsoft Word

Outline of activity:

Create a table with four columns. Label the second column as ‘Definition’, the third column as ‘Advantages’, and fourth column as ‘Disadvantages’.

Add a row for each of ‘Common law’, ‘Primary legislation’, and ‘Secondary legislation’. For each of these write down a definition and list three to four advantages and disadvantages of making law in this way.

Need some help? Why not refer to sections 5.2.1 and 5.3.1 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• How do the means of making law differ from one another?
• For each means of making the law, who gets to decide? What qualities do they have? How are they appointed?
• When law is made through each of these means, is it fair and democratic?
• Do they provide for ‘thin’ or ‘thick’ law?

 

 

Activity 2: Draft a British Bill of Rights

 

Learning objective: To evaluate the merits of different definitions of human rights

Suitable for: Individual or group work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 5
• An A3 paper or access to word-processing software such as Microsoft Word
• Some marker pens

Outline of activity:

On your own or in groups, draft a British Bill of Rights that includes the human rights you think each person in Britain should have. You can draft this on a piece of A3 paper or, if using your computer, in a word-processing document.

Ideas for which rights you might wish to include can be found by referring to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), the Equality Act 2010, 1998 Human Rights Act, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

If working in groups, you can present your draft Bill of Rights to others and discuss each other’s suggestions. Alternatively, you can draft a Bill of Rights together.

Need some help? Why not refer to sections 5.2.5 and 5.3.2 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• Is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) fit for purpose? Does it grant too many rights or does it not go far enough?
• Should human rights legislation encompass civil and political rights?
• Should human rights legislation encompass social and economic rights?
• Should human rights benefit the individual more than the collective?
• Should there be a right to take the government to court if you feel legislation or their actions infringe upon your human rights?
• What characteristics should be protected?
• How might a British Bill of Rights differ from existing human rights legislation?

 

 

 

Activity 3: Create a poster analysing the consequences of legal aid

 

Learning objective: To analyse evidence of inequality in the operation and application of the legal system

Suitable for: Individual or paired work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 5
• An A3 paper or access to a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint

 

Outline of activity:

Individually or with a partner, create a poster that analyses the consequences of legal aid. Make sure to outline:

• What legal aid is
• Who qualifies for legal aid
• How much legal aid costs for the government and how this has changed over time
• Data related to which types of people benefit most from legal aid
• In what circumstances legal aid is available

Feel free to use online resources analysing the legal aid system, such as the Ministry of Justice’s User Guide to Legal Aid Statistics, England and Wales.

Pass judgment on the extent to which you feel legal aid reduces inequalities in the operation and application of the legal system.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 5.3.1 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• To what extent does legal aid help reduce inequalities in the operation and application of the legal system?
• What inequalities, if any, still exist despite the existence of legal aid?
• What principles of the legal system does legal aid uphold?
• How might the legal aid system be improved?

 

 

Activity 4: Create an essay plan for the question: “To what extent are human rights laws necessary in the UK?”

 

Learning objective: To evaluate the merits of human rights legislation and assess the threats that exist to human rights in the UK

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 5

Outline of activity:

Write the outline of an essay plan to answer the question ‘To what extent are human rights laws necessary in the UK?’

 

Make notes on what you would include in each paragraph of your essay, making sure to include all sides of the argument.

 

Need some help? Why not refer to section 5.3 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What have been the positive consequences of human rights laws in the UK? What have been the negative consequences?
• What have been the consequences for government and individuals living in the UK?
• To what extent do human rights laws enhance or undermine people’s safety in the UK?
• What threats exist in the UK that might require the existence of human rights laws?
• Do human rights laws pose a fundamental challenge to the traditions of the UK political system?

 

 

Activity 5: Debate the question: “Have the courts taken on too extensive a political role?”

 

Learning objective: To create an argument about whether the courts have taken on too extensive a political role

Suitable for: Pair or group work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 5

Outline of activity:

With a partner or in a group, hold a debate regarding the question: “Have the courts taken on too extensive a political role?”

One side should argue the case that the courts have taken on too extensive a political role. The other side should argue the case that the courts have not taken on too extensive a political role.

Take 10-15 minutes to make notes in support of your case. Each side then has up to five minutes to outline their case before the other responds.

 

Need some help? Why not refer to section 5.3.3 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• For what reasons might it be argued that the courts have taken on too extensive a political role?
• For what reasons might the courts taking on a political role be a good thing? Who might this benefit?
• For what reasons might the courts taking on a political role be a bad thing? Who might be disadvantaged by this?