A Level Politics Stories

Globalisation is everywhere, but what exactly is it and what factors have been driving it? What impact does globalisation have on nation states? Is it an opportunity or threat? And does globalisation help address poverty, conflict, human rights and the environment?

Sovereignty is the power and authority to make laws and to govern. In the UK, this power is supposed to reside in Westminster in Parliament. But have measures such as devolution, EU membership, the Supreme Court and the Human Rights Act diluted or moved sovereignty decisively away from the Westminster parliament?

This episode explores the relationship between Parliament and the executive. Parliament has a duty to hold the executive to account: does it always do this effectively and what tools does it have to do this? The executive needs Parliament's support to get its legislation through and it is answerable to Parliament. To what extent to do backbenchers, question times, select committees and the Opposition put the executive under scrutiny and pressure? Is the relationship between Parliament and the executive changing in any way?