1. Unit 2 & 4 Government and
Politics
Skills and course outline 2011-2012
By Humanities Dept
Haverstock School
Content summary:
This unit introduces students to the major governmental processes within the UK. It encourages them
to develop a critical understanding of the role and effectiveness of key institutions, and of the
relationship amongst them in the context of multi-level governance.
Assessment:
Written examination: 1 hour 20 minutes
Students will be required to answer one stimulus-based question from a choice of two. These questions
will be structured with a mark tariff of 5, 10 and 25 marks.
Students will then be required to answer one extended question from a choice of two (40 marks).
Total marks 80
Assessment objectives
AO1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant institutions, processes, political concepts,
theories and debates.(The highest percentages goes on AO1)
AO2
Analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and explanations, and identify parallels,
connections, similarities and differences between aspects of the political systems studied.
AO3
Construct and communicate coherent arguments making use of a range of appropriate political
vocabulary.

2. Knowledge and Understanding
• requires students to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the political system of
the UK, including the local and European Union (EU) dimensions
• encourages students to develop their capacity for critical thinking, to see relationships between
different aspects of government and politics and to perceive their field of study in a broader
perspective, including some comparisons with other political systems
• requires students to develop knowledge and understanding of relevant political concepts and
processes.
• the essential characteristics and inter-relationships of the legislature, the executive and the
judiciary
• the adequacy of existing political arrangements for ensuring representative democracy and
participation
• the rights and responsibilities of the individual
• ideologies, theories and tradition
• current political debates.
AS % A2 % %
GCE
AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant 50% 30% 40%
institutions, processes, political concepts, theories and
debates
AO2 Analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and 30% 50% 40%
explanations, and identify parallels, connections, similarities
and differences between aspects of the political systems
studied.
AO3 Construct and communicate coherent arguments making use 20% 20% 20%
of a range of appropriate political vocabulary.
AS Skills
• comprehend, synthesise and interpret political information in a variety of forms
• analyse and evaluate:
i. political institutions, processes and behaviour
ii. political arguments and explanations
iii. the relationship between institutions, processes, ideologies, concepts, behaviour and values
• identify parallels, connections, similarities and differences between aspects of the political
systems studied
• select and organise relevant material to construct arguments and explanations leading to
reasoned conclusions
• communicate arguments and explanations with relevance, clarity and coherence, using
appropriate political vocabulary.
Unit 2
This unit introduces students to the major governmental processes within the UK. It encourages them
to develop a critical understanding of the role and effectiveness of key institutions and the relationship
amongst them in the context of multilevel governance.
Students will be required to answer one stimulus based question from a choice of two. These questions
will be structured with a mark tariff of 5, 10 and 25 marks.
The 5-mark questions will require students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.

3. The 10-mark questions will require students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, as well
as to analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and explanations.
The 25-mark questions will require students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding, analyse and
evaluate political information and construct and communicate coherent arguments.
Students will then be required to answer one extended question from a choice of two (40 marks), where
they will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding as well as their ability to
analyse and evaluate political information and to construct and communicate coherent arguments.
This examination will be marked out of a total of 80 marks.
Unit 2: Core Topics
Key concepts: The Constitution Content explanation
constitution • Nature of the constitution — a
knowledge and understanding of the
constitutionalism
features of a constitution and of the
codified/uncodified constitution benefits of constitutional government,
including the differences between
unitary/federal constitution codified and uncodified constitutions,
and an understanding of the nature,
parliamentary sovereignty sources and key features of the UK
constitution.
pooled sovereignty
• Sovereignty and the constitution — a
devolution knowledge and understanding of debates
about the location of sovereignty within
quasi-federalism the UK constitutional system,
elective dictatorship particularly in relation to the significance
of European Union membership and
devolution.
• Reforming the constitution — a
knowledge and understanding of key
reforms to the constitution since 1997,
such as devolution and Lords reform, and
an awareness of their advantages and
disadvantages; and an understanding of
ongoing debate about constitutional
reform, including the possible

4. introduction of a ‘written’ constitution.
Key concepts: Parliament Content explanation
Parliament • Legislatures and executives — a
knowledge and understanding of the
Westminster model
different relationships between
representative and responsible government legislatures and executives in
parliamentary and presidential systems of
parliamentary government government, and an awareness of the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
presidential government
• Role of Parliament — a knowledge and
fusion/separation of powers understanding of the composition, role
and powers of the House of Commons
bicameralism and the House of Lords, and an
accountability awareness of the functions of Parliament
and how effectively it discharges them,
including an awareness of the
relationship of Parliament to the
European Union and devolved
assemblies. (A detailed knowledge of the
workings of Parliament is not necessary.)
• Reforming Parliament — a knowledge
and understanding of recent and proposed
reforms of Parliament, including an
awareness of their implications and
alleged benefits or drawbacks.
Key concepts Content explanation
The Prime Minister and Cabinet
cabinet government • Role of the Prime Minister and Cabinet — a
core executive knowledge and understanding of the role of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet within the context of
prime ministerial government the core executive and the conventions of
collective and individual responsibility. (Separate
presidentialism questions will not be set on the civil service.)
political leadership • Powers of the Prime Minister — a knowledge and
understanding of the sources of prime ministerial
collective responsibility power and of key constraints on the Prime
Minister, including external factors that affect
individual responsibility executive policy making.
• Prime ministerial leadership — a knowledge and
understanding of the leadership style adopted by
Prime Ministers and of the changing relationship
between Prime Ministers and their parties, cabinet
and Parliament, including debates about the
presidentialisation of UK politics.
Key concepts Content explanation
Judges and Civil Liberties
judiciary • Role of the judiciary — a knowledge and

5. judicial independence understanding of the role and significance of the
judiciary in promoting rule-based governance.
judicial neutrality
• Power and influence of judges — a knowledge
civil liberty/civil liberties and understanding of the relationship between the
judiciary and other branches of government, and
rule of law of the extent to which judges can check the power
of the executive and the legislature.
• Civil liberties and individual rights — a
knowledge and understanding of the impact of the
courts on the issues of civil liberties and
individual rights including the implications of the
Human Rights Act and possible reforms such as
the introduction of a supreme court and a
constitutional bill of rights, and of the relationship
between the judiciary, the European courts and
EU law.
Skills:
Application of number
Plan an activity and get relevant information from There are examples of activities arising from the
relevant sources. specification content that could be used, e.g.
statistics relating to election outcomes or
demographic statistics, deriving from, for
example, official government sources or the press
or the internet and reflecting the respective
purposes of those different sources
Communication
Take part in a group discussion. There are numerous topics throughout the
specification that could be used to create a
group discussion. Some examples are:
democracy as against dictatorship,
constitutional reform (Units 1 and 2); the
relationship between the House of Commons
and the House of Lords (Unit 2); the
democratic accountability of EU institutions,
European integration as against Euro-
scepticism (Unit 4, Topic A); different

6. ideological traditions (Units 3, Topic B and 4,
Topic B).
Make a formal presentation of at least eight Students could choose a topic and build a
minutes using an image or other support presentation around it, e.g. the relationship
material. between the state and the market in managing
economic policy (Unit 3, Topic A); the
implications for the UK political system of
membership of the EU (Unit 4, Topic A).
Presentations could also be made on a number
of topics from other units, e.g. those specified
in C3.1a above.
Read and synthesise information from at least Students will have a number of opportunities
two documents about the same subject. to read and synthesise information from two
Each document must be a minimum of 1000 extended documents. For example, as part of
words long. their preparation for the discussion and
presentation of a complex subject, students
will need to carry out preliminary research.
Extended documents could include textbooks
and reports and articles of more than three
pages. At least one of these documents should
contain an image from which students can
draw appropriate and relevant information.
Write two different types of documents, each Students will have a number of opportunities
one giving different information about complex to read and synthesise information from two
subjects. extended documents. For example, as part of
One document must be at least 1000 words long. their preparation for the discussion and
presentation of a complex subject, students
will need to carry out preliminary research.
Extended documents could include textbooks
and reports and articles of more than three
pages. At least one of these documents should
contain an image from which students can
draw appropriate and relevant information.
Information and communication technology
Search for information, using different When producing work for their
sources, and multiple search criteria in at Government and Politics Advanced GCE,
least one case. students will have numerous opportunities
to use relevant information technology in
all units. The internet, CD ROMs, etc could
be used to search for and collect
information. Students will need to plan, and
document, how they are to use ICT as part
of the activity, including how they will
search for and incorporate relevant
information from different electronic
sources
Examples of activities are: the factors
influencing the outcomes of recent general
elections (Unit 1); the changing emphasis

7. of the welfare debate in the UK (Unit 3,
Topic A); a knowledge of the key EU
institutions and of the balance of policy-
making power between them (Unit 4, Topic
A).
Enter and develop the information and derive Students could bring together their selected
new information. information in a consistent format, and use
automated routines where appropriate. For
example, using icons and macros to
generate standard forms of lists, tables,
images etc.
Students could sort and group the
information generated, to allow them to
draw conclusions, producing graphs and
charts if appropriate.
Present combined information such as text In presenting information, students will
with image, text with number, image with need to develop a structure which may
number. involve the modification of templates, the
application of page numbers, dates etc.
Improving own learning and performance
Set targets using information from Understanding the importance of citizenship,
appropriate people and plan how these will democracy and participation (Unit 1) offers the
be met. opportunity for each student to set their own
particular skills targets in an action plan and
work to meet those targets, with appropriate
support from others, e.g. their tutor.
Students could plan to improve their essay
writing, examination or data response skills.
This key skill can form a very effective focus
for a tutorial programme or a study skills unit. It
can be used to monitor progress and develop
career awareness and skills.
Take responsibility for your learning, using Students use the plan effectively when
your plan to help meet targets and improve improving their skills. This will involve
your performance. prioritising action, managing time effectively
and revising their plan as necessary. The student
should seek and use feedback and support and
draw on different approaches to learning.
Review progress and establish evidence of Students should review their own progress and
your achievements. the quality of their learning and performance.
They should identify targets met, providing
evidence of achievements from relevant
sources. They should confirm with others, e.g.

8. their tutor, actions for improving their
performance.
Problem solving
Explore a problem and identify different Students will need to identify the problem and
ways of tackling it. explore its main features and agree standards that
have to be met to show successful resolution of
the problem.
Plan and implement at least one way of Students are required to select and use
solving the problem. appropriate methods for generating different
options for tackling the problem and compare the
features of each topic, selecting the most suitable
one.
Check if the problem has been solved and Check if the problem has been solved and review
review your approach to problem solving your approach to problem solving.
Working with others
Plan work with others. There are examples of topics which could be
suitable for group work in each unit in the
specification. Students could work in groups of 6–8
and be required to investigate a given topic. Initial
work will require identification of and agreeing of
objectives and planning how to meet these,
including any necessary action and resources
required. The group needs to agree responsibilities
and working arrangements.
Seek to develop co-operation and check When working towards their agreed objectives
progress towards your agreed objectives. students could work in pairs, with each pair taking
a specific perspective(s). Students will need to plan
and organise their work effectively, to meet agreed
deadlines and maintain appropriate working
relationships.
Review work with others and agree ways Once completed, the full group needs to review
of improving collaborative work in the outcomes against the agreed objectives. In doing
future. this they should identify factors that have
influenced the outcome and agree on the ways in
which the activity could have been carried out more
effectively.

9. Recommended books
Brazier R — Constitutional Reform (Oxford University Press, 1998)
Grant M — AS Level Government and Politics (Nelson Thornes, 2005)
Griffith J A G — The Politics of the Judiciary, 5th Edition (Fontana, 1997)
Heywood A — Key Concepts in Politics: An Introduction (Palgrave Macmillan, 2000)
Kingdom J — Government and Politics in Britain, 3rd Edition (Polity Press, 2003)
Jones B and Kavanagh D (editors) — British Politics Today, 6th Edition (Manchester University Press,
2003)
McNaughton N — Success in AS Politics for Edexcel (Hodder Arnold, 2006)

10. Skills Unit
Throughout the first two weeks in Unit 2 students will be performing key skills that they will need in
order to complete and pass. The key skills that students will be performing are
Week 1 Lesson One and Two:
Lesson 1 will focus on what are the core skills for AS Government and Politics
Analyse and Evaluate:
Students are using various resources to analyse information and feedback to class their
understanding. Of the following factors:
• political institutions, processes and behaviour political arguments and explanations the
relationship between institutions, processes, ideologies, concepts, behaviour and values
Week 2 Lesson 3 and 4
Identification of differences and parallels
Students will be looking into the skills of
• Identifying parallels, connections, similarities and differences
• between aspects of the political systems studied
Week 3 Lessons 5 and 6
Students will be starting to
Communication through written work in relevance and clarity
• select and organise relevant material to construct arguments and
• explanations leading to reasoned conclusions
• communicate arguments and explanations with relevance, clarity and coherence, using
appropriate political vocabulary

11. W eek 1 & 2
Lesson 1 : What are the core skills in AS • Knowledge and Understanding
Government and Politics? • Analyse and Evaluate
• Identifying parallels, connections,
similarities and differences
• select and organise relevant material to
construct arguments and
• explanations leading to reasoned
conclusions
Main: Analyse Skill Use of Hansard Source
application
Lesson 2 & 3 Lesson 2 Analyse and Evaluate: Critical
examination of Article on sentencing from
Kenneth Clark
What is the meaning of the document?
What can you learn about political decisions from
the document?
Main: Pupils will evaluate the meaning of the
document Max Weber Article the power of
politics using AO1 and AO2 skills
W eek 3 & 4
Lesson 3 Lesson 3 Skill:
Identifying parallels, connections, similarities and
differences select and organise relevant material
to
Main: Political Activity Documentation students
will be looking at two different interpretation of
the role of the Prime Minister. Students must be
able to identify the parallels and the differences
within the documentation.
Lesson 4 Lesson 4 Skill: construct arguments and
explanations leading to reasoned conclusions
Class will
Debate “do we really need to vote” proposition or
opposition arguments
Students must write their arguments based on the
information on should voting be made
compulsory.

12. S kill 1: A nalyse
In AS Government and Politics the ability to analyse information is a key component of the
course. Analyse is a key skill that must be mastered within Unit2 because the paper consists
of source analyses. This means that students must understand the context of the source and
write in detail, their interpretation of source meaning.
• You will analyse in Unit 2
1. Newspapers
2. Course books
3. Journals
4. Documentaries
P ractice: To practice this skill I would like you to read the following text it’s from
Hansard. I would like to answer the question below
AS Skills used in this activity are AO1 and AO2
AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant institutions, processes, political
concepts, theories and debates. (The highest percentages goes on AO1)
AO2 Analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and explanations, and identify
parallels, connections, similarities and differences between aspects of the political systems studied.
Q uestion
1. What can you learn about politics from this source?
2. What is the source about?
The Prime Minister (Mr. Gordon Brown): I am sure the whole House will join
me in paying tribute to the two British servicemen who have lost their lives in
Afghanistan in the past week: from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, Guardsman
Michael Sweeney, and from 3rd Battalion The Rifles, Rifleman Mark Turner. We
owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude. Both were engaged to be married,
and our thoughts are with their loved ones and their families.
It is because of all our brave men and women in our armed forces that our families,
our communities and our country are safer and more secure. At this time, it is right
to remember all who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and all those
who serve in our armed forces. I spoke to President Karzai and then President
Obama yesterday. Our security forces in Sangin will be increased by about 500

13. from the Afghan security forces, providing greater security for the people of the
region and support to our troops.
We are also sadly reminded today of the sacrifice made by members of our
emergency services. We send our condolences to the family and friends of the two
brave firemen who died in Southampton last night. We pay tribute to the bravery
and commitment demonstrated by all our emergency and public services.
This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to
my duties in the House, I shall have further such meetings later today.
7 Apr 2010 : Column 961
Sandra Osborne: May I add my condolences to all those who have lost their lives
in the service of their country?
If he is re-elected, will the Prime Minister guarantee that he will not take £6 billion
out of the economy?
The Prime Minister: The big issue is whether we can secure and assure the
economic recovery. To withdraw £6 billion from the recovery now would put jobs
at risk, put businesses at risk and put our growth at risk. We cannot cut our way to
recovery-but we could cut our way to double-dip recession. In 2011 we will use the
rise in national insurance to guarantee that we fund our policing and our schooling,
and to make sure that the health services guarantees of cancer care and of being
able to see a GP at weekends and in the evenings are kept. Those guarantees will
be kept, because of the decisions that we make.
Mr. David Cameron (Witney) (Con): I join the Prime Minister in paying tribute
to Guardsman Michael Sweeney and Rifleman Mark Turner, who have been killed
in Afghanistan in the past week. Two hundred and eighty British servicemen and
women and Ministry of Defence civilians have now lost their lives while serving in
Afghanistan. As we prepare for the end of this Parliament, we should remember the
sacrifice that they and their families have made and acknowledge the huge debt
that we all owe to our armed forces for the bravery that they show, day after day.
I also join the Prime Minister in paying tribute to James Shears and Alan Bannon,
the two fire fighters killed while tackling a fire in Southampton last night.
As this is the last Prime Minister's questions of this Parliament, it is the last chance
for this Prime Minister to show that he is accountable for the decisions that he has
made. Will he start by admitting that when British forces were sent into Helmand,
they did not have sufficient helicopters to protect themselves and get the job done?
The Prime Minister: I do not accept that in any operation to which we sent our
troops our commanding officers gave wrong advice; they told us that they were
properly equipped. Every time, in every operation, we ask our commanding
officers, "Are we able to do this operation?" and our commanding officers have

14. said yes, they can. So I have to say to the right hon. Gentleman that we have done
our best to equip our troops, and we will continue to do so. It is right that I take full
responsibility, but I take the advice of our commanding officers, and the advice of
our commanding officers is very clear.
Mr. Cameron: That answer sums up this premiership. The Prime Minister takes
no responsibility and always blames somebody else. Why can he not just admit
something that everybody knows to be true-that there were not enough helicopters?
Let us listen to Colonel Stuart Tootal, former commander of 3 Para. He said:
"repeated demands for more helicopters fell on deaf ears. It increased risk
for my paratroopers, but",
as he put it,
"the decision-makers"-
yes, the Ministers-
"were not the ones driving into combat when we should have been flying
in."
7 Apr 2010 : Column 962
The Foreign Office Minister that the Prime Minister appointed, Lord Malloch-
Brown, said as late as last year:
"We definitely don't have enough helicopters."
Presumably, the Prime Minister is going to tell us that all those people were just
deceived.
The Prime Minister: We have increased the number of helicopters in
Afghanistan. We have increased the flying time by more than 100 per cent. I think
that the right hon. Gentleman should recognise that the Merlins were adapted, and
are now in Afghanistan. He should also recognise that the Chinooks were also
adapted, so that they, too, can be in Afghanistan. He should recognise that we have
other helicopters in Afghanistan that are working, and we are part of an
international operation in Afghanistan, where we share equipment with our
coalition partners. I have to say to him that the amount of money spent in
Afghanistan now is £5 billion a year; that is 1,000 extra vehicles, and twice the
number of flying time hours for our helicopters. I think that he should accept that
our troops, for the operations that they are asked to undertake, have been given the
equipment that they need. That is the right position.

15. Mr. Cameron: Again, no answer. [Interruption.]
Mr. Speaker: Order. Government Back Benchers must calm down.
Mr. Cameron: Why should anyone believe this Prime Minister, when he was the
first in history to go in front of a public inquiry and not give accurate information
about defence spending? Let me ask about another decision for which this Prime
Minister ought to be accountable. In the last 13 years, he has robbed pension funds
of £100 billion. His own welfare Minister said:
E valuate
Skill used: AO2 Analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and explanations, and
identify parallels, connections, similarities and differences between aspects of the political systems
studied.
To evaluate is to summarise the information
Example
Kenneth Clarke delays announcement of sentencing reforms
The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, has postponed plans to announce his
sentencing reforms, including the controversial move to increase discounts for early
guilty pleas, until after the Whitsun break.
Clarke had hoped to announce the sentencing package designed to stabilise the record
prison population next Tuesday, but that has been delayed for a few weeks while
ministers look again at the impact of the controversial proposal.
Downing Street expressed its full confidence in Clarke, who promised on Thursday to
"choose my words more carefully in the future". But David Cameron was privately
furious with Clarke for what No 10 regarded as his "tin ear" when he appeared to
suggest on Wednesday that some rape cases are more serious than others.
Clarke once again apologised on Thursday night for his choice of words. In an
appearance on BBC1's Question Time, filmed in the chapel of Wormwood Scrubs
prison in west London, he said: "I obviously upset a lot of people by what I said and
I'm sorry if I did, by the way I put it. All rape is serious. It's one of the gravest crimes.
My choice of words was wrong. It's because I got bogged down in a silly exchange.

16. "As a politician I made a mistake by allowing myself to get drawn into a great long
argument about exactly what the gradations of rape were."
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty who was also a panellist on the
programme, offered qualified support for the substance of Clarke's original remarks.
"All rapes are horrific but some are particularly aggravated," she said.
Clarke, who had initially refused to say sorry, wrote late on Wednesday to apologise
to Gabrielle Brown, the victim of an attempted rape who confronted him in a live
radio interview. Sir George Young, the Commons leader, announced to MPs that
Clarke would meet Brown next week. She said she would "reserve judgment" on
whether he should resign until then.
The justice secretary is standing firm behind his plan to increase the maximum
discount available for offenders who plead guilty at the earliest opportunity from 33%
to 50% in an effort to boost conviction rates and save £130m a year. He told Question
Time, filmed for the first time inside a prison with eight inmates in the audience, that
his plans would apply to "every crime".
A Ministry of Justice impact assessment of Clarke's green paper on sentencing and
rehabilitation has disclosed that the sentence discount plan is due to provide the lion's
share of the reduction in demand for prison places that Clarke needs to stabilise the
jail population, which will enable a new drive to cut reoffending rates.
Justice ministry official estimates show that 3,400 of the overall saving of 6,000 fewer
prison places that will be needed as a result of his sentencing package will come from
the plan to increase the maximum available discount from 33% to 50%. In practice
the MoJ estimates that the average actual discount in sentences for early guilty pleas
will increase from the current 25% to 34%.
These official estimates show why Clarke is loathe to give up the proposal as it would
knock the heart out of his prison reform plans. But ministers are now looking at
excluding the most serious offences, such as attempted murder and rape, from the
proposed new maximum discount. Support for this move came from the Association
of Chief Police Officers who said the level of discount for offenders who pleaded
guilty to the most serious crime should not be the same as for those who admit less
serious offences.
"We have not set out but support the view taken by others that such discounts should
not apply at the same level to more serious crimes, such as murder," an Acpo
spokeswoman said. "Acpo supports the concept of sentence reduction for early guilty
pleas, with a maximum reduction applying from the point a suspect is first asked if
they committed an offence in a police station. Such admissions save victims and
witnesses from further distress and the traumatic process of having to go through a
trial at court."
But the pressure on Clarke was highlighted when a senior Liberal Democrat
backbencher questioned whether it would be right to apply the discount plan to
rapists. Sir Alan Beith, chairman of the Commons justice select committee, told Radio

17. 4's The World at One: "There's a very serious risk that the level at which the offence
is treated will not be commensurate with the general public view of how serious it is."
Amid fears among Lib Dems that Cameron may be tempted to sack one of their most
supportive members of the cabinet, Beith warned those on the centre-left to temper
their criticisms of the justice secretary: "I think Ken used some foolish words which
did not reflect what I believe is his own view and certainly is the government view
and mine about the seriousness of rape. But I think some of those who are joining in
the hue and cry to get rid of Ken Clarke ought to be careful what they wish for,
because he is someone that recognises that the agenda in criminal justice has got to be
about how you cut reoffending not how you sound tough."
New Sentencing Council research published this week shows there is very little public
support for increasing the maximum discount with only 22% backing the move. A
small number of victims surveyed did however say they would be supportive if it
spared them having to testify in court. The Sentencing Council, which sets guidelines
for judges, said they had seen little evidence to show a 50% discount would actually
encourage more criminals to plead guilty.
A joint letter from the End Violence Against Women Coalition and Rape Crisis
England and Wales demanded the government publicly confirm that there is no such
crime as "date rape" and that "all non-consensual sex is serious".
Cameron's greatest anger was directed at Crispin Blunt, the junior prisons minister,
who singled out rape suspects to illustrate the government's plans to increase the
discount for early guilty pleas from a third to half the sentence
Q uestion 1:
Using the boxes provided can you summarise the article below
How would you summarise this article using 4 sentences?
1.
2.
3.
4.

18. T ask 2 Evaluation
Read Politics as the study of power
Question
What does the sociologist Max Weber define as the politics of power?
T ip
This question is asking you to evaluate the different point of view stressed within the
passage. You are expected a AS level to what the author means in their view. Its also
a good idea to develop this skill through the course in lessons time and at home.
Question 2
1. Using Item A on page 3 write a paragraph explain what is meant by the Politics?
2. Using Item B Which of Weber’s three types of authority in Item B best describes the British
political system today? Give reasons for your answers?
3. Can you think of examples to illustrate the other two types of authority?
S kills used in AS Politics are
AO1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant institutions, processes, political concepts,
theories and debates.(The highest percentages goes on AO1)
AO2
Analyse and evaluate political information, arguments and explanations, and identify parallels,
connections, similarities and differences between aspects of the political systems studied.
AO3
Construct and communicate coherent arguments making use of a range of appropriate political
vocabulary.
Tip: Its very important for you to demonstrate knowledge but also to construct and
communicate coherent arguments in your answers

19. AO1 Skill
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant institutions, processes, political concepts,
theories and debates
T ask read the source below
Source 1
‘For too long the big political decisions in this country have been made in the wrong
place. They are not made around the Cabinet table where they should be, but they
are taken on the sofa in Tony Blair’s office. No notes are kept and no one takes the
blame when things go wrong. That arrogant style of government must come to an
end. I will restore the proper process of government. I want to be Prime Minister of
this country not a President.’
(Source: David Cameron, The Times, 5 October 2006)
1. (a) What criticism is David Cameron making of Tony Blair’s style of decision
making?
This question is asking you to demonstrate understanding of what David Cameron is
saying regarding Tony Blair. It is also asking you to understand the relevant political
institutions.
The question above would appear in Section A of paper one. The amount of marks
awarded would be 5. This means that your expected to only use the source for your
answer and you will need to answer the question using the P.E.E.L system
1. Point
2. Evidence
3. Explain
4. Link back to the question

20. As an introduction to politics students on the Unit 2 course will be looking into What is politics?
The reason is quite simple, students before they can access the course must understand its
meaning.
Included within this booklet on Unit 2 the first resources regarding what is politics. I have also
included within this booklet British Prime Ministers and key words of this unit.

21. Politics keywords
Constitution
Federal
Executive
Legislature
Conventions
Judiciary
A set of rules and principles that help to run a country
A system of government where power is divided. Some powers are held by central
(federal) government and others by state governments.
The branch of government responsible for initiating policies and laws.
The branch of government responsible for debating and agreeing to new laws.
Unwritten traditions that help with the running of government
The branch of government responsible for interpreting and enforcing laws

22. Unit 4