Modern British Government & Politics

This course will enable students to acquire a specialised understanding of modern British government and politics, and to explore scholarly debates in this area.

Students will learn to familiarise themselves with official documents and other primary sources, including parliamentary papers and government reports, and to evaluate them in terms of their historical and political context.

They will be required to study the operation of the electoral system, political parties and voting behaviour; the organisation and workings of the executive, legislature, judiciary and civil service; the powers of Parliament and local government; the constitutional and political implications of membership of the European Union; devolution; and the political influence of the media and pressure groups. They will also be required to familiarise themselves with recent debates on issues of constitutional reform.