AS and A Level: Politics: United Kingdom Coursework

"Although the essay is well-written and shows a great deal of intelligence, I feel the writer is misguided is his conclusions. There are several spurious claims made; for example, that the writing of a constitution would be a waste of government time, money and staffing. Such a claim requires figures to back it up, especially given that the lack of a constitution allows for the government to do pretty much as it likes and spend what it likes. Constitutions limit government power, and I feel the writer doesn't pay enough attention to this point, and give it due consideration. TSR user: Edenr."

"A top essay. The writer shows an outstanding knowledge of both economic history and the economics concerned. I enjoyed reading this; the confident, concise style is very easy to read, and the writer's familiarity with the material translates into an ease of comprehension on the part of the reader. The writer's own opinions occasionally creep in, seemingly in support of the free market policies advocated by Margaret Thatcher. Comparisons are made with the Labour post-1997 era, with the writer crucially noting that, in a globalised world, the power of government to set restrictive economic policy without damaging their own industries is much reduced, leading to a 'depoliticised' situation. Excellent. TSR user: Edenr."

"A good essay. The writer begins by explaining the hustorical differences in ideology between the left and the right, and then looks at how closely each of the parties lie to their traditional standings, and to each others. Specific actions by governments or opposition parties are referred to to highlight either changes in attitudes or confirmation of principles. The writer picks up on the key issue of pragmatism, and the growing role it has on the policy decisions and beliefs of both the left and the right; arguably it is responsible for the closing gap between the two ends of the spectrum. The writer then goes on to argue that the left-right is far too limited, and suggests an alternative two-dimensional system. In doing so, they show awareness of categorisation of issues into economic and social. In one or two places, it appears that text is missing, making it hard to understand what point the writer is trying to make. Apart from that, a fine effor. TSR user: Edenr."

"I found this quite a confusing essay to read. Yes, the reader evidently has knowledge of British political history (the relating of the key players in the overthrow of Thatcher being an example), and this is always nice to see. I am unsure, however, as to what the writer's opinion on the matter actually is. In places we are told that the PM has great power over the cabinet, and in others that the powere he has varies greatly. It is hard to determine which view the writer holds. The look at the relationship between PM and the cabinet is interesting, as is the section of the evolving roles of the executive and the checks and balances that exist. TSR user: Edenr."

"A good essay. The writer picks up on the importance of judicial independence from the government, and goes on to name various pieces of legislation that, in their opinion, help judges maintain this neutral attitude in the face of political interests. The writer has a nice style, which is easy to read. The difficulties of national sovereignty and immigration issues raised by federal laws passed by the EU is mentioned, and this is a key issue. The UK's lack of a constitution is also discussed; there is plenty of scope for the matter to be the subject of an essay itself. TSR user: Edenr."