In particular, when 1984s, Data Protection Act came to aim to gives citizens the right to see the contents of any computer file that contains information about them. (BENTLEY, 2006) Despite that, it also could help to correct those wrong personal information in police records. However, the original Freedom of Information Act was designed to give considerable powers to citizens to see government papers.(BENTLEY, 2006) Because in a liberal democratic country, the government cannot keep secrets to public except the national defense, that meant the public have right to check and scrutinize the government. Thus, free media and press would more likely to collect some perdue information. In the United Kingdom especially the FOA was used as a means to reveal MPs unmoral behaviors. After that in 1997s, the Labour government decided to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into British law, and finally in 1998s, Britain has become a member of the Human Rights Act.(BENTLEY, 2006) Human Rights are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being. These rights not only impact matters of life and death, they also affect the rights people have everyday life such as what people can say and do, personal beliefs, individual’s right to a fair trial and other similar basic entitlements. Thus this Act state that all legislation, actions and decisions made by government, its ministers, regional parliaments, assemblies and governments, local government or by any agency engaged in public business had to conform to the European Convention on Human Rights.(BENTLEY, 2006) In the United Kingdom, there are more protection of rights like anti-discrimination would help balance the different race problem, equal working opportunities for woman, and employment & union right would have specific task to protect employees, establish trade union acts,etc. Therefore, people who living in United Kingdom was under protect those acts.
Elections are another important feature to support Britain is a liberal democratic country. According to the explanation of liberal democratic elections, it must be free and unbiased and also must be a choice of political parties claimed with different views and policies. A secret ballot must be held so that the voter does not feel pressured into casting a vote for a political party that they do not want to. Meanwhile the government and Parliament is elected by and accountable to the voters, elections also will hold in a regular year like the Australia has presidential election every 5 years. Thus, in the United Kingdom the electoral system is free and fair, have secret ballot and universal suffrage of 18 plus.
One more feature support liberal democracy is lack of corruption, in website WorldAudit.org shows the United Kingdom is rank 15 over 149 countries. It is really well compare to other countries but also not as well as countries like New Zealand, Denmark, Singapore ,Finland, etc.
Thus, there are offer some evidences shows Britain is not a perfect liberal democratic country. Although Britain have strong civil liberties foundation but there are several threats like due to growth in crime rates leads to an increases in police power, legislation, passed in the 1980s, aim to restrict trade union activities, etc. It harm citizens own their proper rights. And in human rights side, there are always existed an exemption, in the United Kingdom the Westminster Parliament would not be subject to the Convention due to the government and Parliament itself were unwilling leave the idea of sovereignty of Parliament. And that is due to parliamentary sovereignty is a principle of the UK constitution, they have strong power even can create or end any laws. Thus, parliamentary sovereignty limits the actions of future parliaments to dealing with human rights. Future parliament would consider whether use corporal punishment or allow torture used on suspects and also only parliamentary sovereignty can stop them. Especially, when more and more acts of terrorism happen in the world, thus, anti-terrorism laws also ignore the human rights. Compare to the USA, people always refer the UK is an 'unwritten constitution' even majority are written down, however, in the USA, they are existed a clean text to protect human rights and human rights in the USA have the quality of 'legal rights' even courts in the USA will against all branches of government to defend this right. That meant in the USA, human rights are more safety than in the UK. Meanwhile Monarchy is other detail which is not supposed to living in a liberal democratic country, because of in liberal democracy, it do not allow someone own powerful rights due to they from alleged royal family.
More information expose there is no fixed date for election, the government sets the date of the next general election, even though it has to be hold during in 5 years. And some people who suffer mental diseases will have to accept compulsory treatment. And these people are not allowed to vote In addition, in the UK, different parties have the similar policies, and the figure of vote is not have relative seats in the House of Commons. Same time, the UK government use the referendum as a vote of confidence, or disapproval in the government of the day. The true judgment of the people is thus lost. (McNaughton,1996) That meant in Britain is rare to use referendums expect some controversial problems, and the government want to use vote to gain result is because of the government do not want lose people's support. For example, in 1975s which is decide whether Britain should stay in the European Union. Thereby, those features are all against the United Kingdom become a liberal democratic country and there are all erode Britain become a liberal democratic country.
However, along the development of society, the House of lords and Monarchy is become faint side hiding in the Britain society and politics. Even some people think there are not necessary parts in the United kingdom. But they still play a positive image for Britain and also according to history, these parts are existed in Britain more than 100 years, it is difficult to abolish them in modern society. Britain are also a member with almost conventions or groups which are aims to protect different race, different classes, different occupation,etc.Those activities express the UK government notice resident whether happy or not in terms of people who live in UK can own their basic human rights and enjoy civil liberties,etc.
In conclusion, even though the United Kingdom cannot offer the all features of the liberal democracy, but Britain did majority features even some were essential to a liberal democratic country. Thus, according to the criteria for liberal democracy, and above analyze and several examples, it would suggest that the United Kingdom is a liberal democratic country.
Word count: 1561
Student's name:LU ZHEYU Mercury
Reference:
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BENTLEY,R.ET AL (2006) BRITISH POLITICS IN FOCUS ORMSKIRK ANSEWAY PRESS
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McNaughton, N.(1996) SUCCESS IN POLITICS A COMPARATIVE STUDY FOR ADVANCED LEVEL LONDON, JOHN MURRAY (publishers) Ltd.
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McNaughton, N.(2010) EDEXCEL GOVERNMENT&POLITICS FOR AS LONDON, HODDER EDUCATION
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Human rights accessed in 10/12/11
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Statistics about the world rank of corruption accessed in 11/12/11
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Protection of Human Rights Under the United States Constitution accessed in 15/12/11