Discuss the view that the constitutional reforms since 1997 have not been sufficiently extensive.

          However the Conservatives have now come to accept new constitutional consensuses so have adapted and come to terms with it but still would rather tradition was kept. Therefore in the eyes of the conservatives the reforms have been very extensive due to the changing of traditions.

Another example of how the reforms have been extensive is when we look at the impact of the Human Rights Act which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law meaning if a person feels their rights are being infringed they can appeal to the supreme court and a judge can make a declaration of incompatibility. This is seen as a big change to the UK constitution as it weakens the parliamentary sovereignty which is seen as a big change as parliamentary sovereignty is a big part of the constitution as A.V Dicey said it is the ,’cornerstone of the constitution’. Therefore the human rights act is seen as extensive due to it weakening parliamentary sovereignty.

The reforms have been extensive due to them increasing the separation of powers in the UK. This was done by passing The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 which substantially separated the judicial branch from the executive. This is seen as an extensive change due to it creating a significant check on the executive’s power as it could no longer manipulate the legal system as easily. Therefore is seen as an extensive reform.

The planned reform by the Lib Dem-Conservative coalition to change the electoral system will be very extensive if it goes through. The coalition plans to have a referendum on whether to introduce the alternate voting system in to the UK. If the referendum is passed it will fundamentally change the way politics is done in the UK as it would mean that there would be a more pluralistic political system where the main parties would have less control. Therefore if goes through it shows how some constitutional reforms will have been extensive.

One of the arguments saying that the reforms have not been sufficiently extensive is the Bogdanor thesis. This states that the effect of the reforms has been limited because power has simply moved sideways from one part of the political hierarchy to another. He argues that instead of power transferring from the elites to ordinary people which would be extensive it has instead moved from one elite to another. An example of this is how power has changed from politicians in Westminster to politicians in Scotland or from Downing Street to Middlesex Guildhall without any of the power going to the ordinary people. Therefore the reforms have not been extensive due to the ordinary people receiving no more power and the elites keeping the power.

Another argument supporting the idea that the reforms have not been sufficiently extensive is the liberal perspective. The liberals argue that the package of constitutional reforms has been insufficiently radical; this is contrasted with the conservative perspective that the reforms are too extensive. An example of the liberal perspective is seen through electoral reform referendum. The liberals wanted proportional representation bringing a new type of politics to the UK. However they have only been promised a referendum on the alternate vote system which is not proportional and will only have a limited effect on the political system which the liberals feel is too feeble and not fundamental enough to change how politics is run. Therefore through the liberal critique we see how the reforms have not been extensive enough to sufficiently change the UK constitution.