Your Politics Guide

How the UK Constitution Has Changed Since 1997

Since 1997, the UK constitution has undergone significant reforms which have changed how the government operates.

House of Lords Reform (1999):
Most hereditary peers were removed. As a result, the House of Lords consisted of mainly appointed members.
Electoral Reform:
New voting systems introduced for devolved assemblies (AMS in Scotland and Wales, STV in Northern Ireland, London Assembly).
Devolution:
In 1999, the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and Northern Ireland Assembly were established. This gave regions their own legislatures and powers.
Human Rights Act 1998:
Incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK law. This allowed UK courts to hear human rights cases domestically.
Constitutional Reform Act 2005 & Supreme Court (2009):
Created the independent UK Supreme Court, separating the judiciary from Parliament. Due to this, the highest court of appeal was no longer the House of Lords. It also ensured greater judicial independence.

Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011:
Set general elections every five years, limiting the Prime Minister's power to call elections at will. However, this act was later repealed in 2022.
Further Devolution to Wales:
The Welsh Assembly gained more legislative powers, especially after the 2011 referendum.

Further Devolution to Scotland:
Despite the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum resulting in a "No" vote, the Scotland Act 2016 gave the Scottish Parliament more powers over tax, welfare, and elections.
English Votes for English Laws (EVEL):
Introduced in 2015 to address the West Lothian Question The issue of whether MPs outside of England should be able to vote on laws that affect only England, whilst English MPs cannot vote on devolved matters. , allowing only English MPs to vote on laws affecting England. However, this procedure was suspended in 2020.
Brexit (2016):
The UK's withdrawal from the EU led to major constitutional changes. This included the retrieval of powers from Brussels and new debates over the role of devolved governments.
Repeal of Fixed-term Parliaments Act (2022):
The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 restored the Prime Minister's power to call elections.