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UK Government Examples

Ministerial Responsibility

Starmer Rules Out Ethics Investigation Into Rachel Reeves As An Example Of Ministerial Responsibility:

• On the 29th of October 2025, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls to launch an investigation into Chancellor Rachel Reeves, after she admitted to breaking housing rules when renting out her family home without obtaining the required selective licence.

  • After consulting with his independent ethics adviser, the PM said the matter “can be drawn to a close”, deciding an investigation was not necessary. 

    • The PM declined to confirm whether Reeves had breached the ministerial code, or whether she would resign if she received a fine from the local council. 

  • The Conservative Party criticised the decision and have called for an investigation and Reeves’ resignation. 

• This illustrates the weaknesses of Individual Ministerial Responsibility (IMR) - the convention that ministers should resign if they violate the Ministerial Code. 

  • Though they are supposed to be advised by their Independent Advisor on Ministers Interests, ultimate authority rests with the PM. They are the ‘Judge, Jury and Executioner’, and the enforcement of IMR remains dependent on the PM. 

• Despite Starmer pledging to restore IMR and integrity in government, strengthening the powers of the Independent Ethics Advisor, this highlights how the convention is still weak, as Starmer decided not to have an investigation into Reeves, despite the fact that a similar investigation was launched into Angela Rayner.

  • This was likely influenced by the fact that Reeves is a much closer ally of Starmer and sacking her could destabilise his government.

Devolution

The Free Morning-After Pill As An Example Of Devolved Bodies As Policy Laboratories:

• On the 29th of October 2025, the UK Government made the morning-after pill available for free across all pharmacies in England, in an effort to reduce the “postcode lottery” of access to emergency contraception. 

  • Previously, free provision depended on local arrangements, meaning that women in some areas faced barriers whilst others did not. 

  • This reform establishes a consistent national policy, aligning England with the rest of the UK, which can be seen to increase the unity of the UK. 

• The policy was already in place in all devolved nations in the UK apart from England. Emergency contraception has been free from Scottish pharmacies since 2008, Wales since 2011, and in Northern Ireland since 2005. 

  • The fact that this eventually led to the same policy in England shows how devolved bodies can act as ‘policy laboratories’, with the most effective policies they bring in being adopted by the UK Parliament and implemented across the UK.

UK Politics Examples

Multi-Party System

Caerphilly By-Election As An Example Of A Multi-Party System:

• On the 24th of October 2025, Plaid Cymru won the Caerphilly by-election with 47% of the vote. This was a 27% swing from Labour, who have held the seat in the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament) since its creation. 

  • The result shows the growing shift towards a multi-party system in devolved elections, as well as in Westminster.

  • Reform UK came second with 36% of the vote, whilst the three parties that have governed in the UK Parliament in Westminster since the 1850s secured less than 15 percent of the vote. 

    • Labour won 11 percent, the Conservatives 2 percent and the Liberal Democrats only 1.5 percent.

• This shows how minor parties are gaining momentum and increasingly threatening to challenge both Labour and the Conservatives across the UK’s regions and nations at the next general election.

• This also demonstrates the growing significance of tactical voting. The sharp decline in the Conservative vote - falling to below 700 ballots - suggests many Conservative supporters backed Plaid Cymru to prevent a Reform victory. 

  • Turnout rose from 44% to 50.4%,  likely driven by polling that had shown Reform leading Plaid by 42%. 

    • This indicated many voters mobilised behind a more broadly acceptable candidate, even if it wasn't their preferred candidate, to block an undesired outcome.

Labour Party Policy

The Renters Rights Act As An Example Of Labour Party Policy:

• On the 27th of October 2025, the Labour Party passed the Renters Rights Act 2025, a key piece of legislation aimed at strengthening protections for tenants. 

  • The Act bans no-fault evictions under Section 21 of the 1988 Housing Act, which previously allowed landlords to evict tenants with two months' notice without giving a reason. 

    • It abolishes fixed-term tenancies, giving renters greater flexibility to move if their circumstances change or housing conditions deteriorate. 

  • It also introduces long-term reforms such as Awaab’s law, requiring landlords to investigate hazards within 14 days, fix them within 7, and carry out emergency repairs within 24 hours. 

• Although Peers in the House of Lords defeated the bill on 8 amendments, the Government rejected all of these changes. 

  • Under the Salisbury Convention, Lords could not block a measure that fulfills a manifesto pledge, and Peers ultimately approved the Commons version of the bill in full.  

• This reflects how Labour Party policy can be seen to align with Old Labour principles on social justice, fairness and tackling inequality. 

  • By shifting power towards renters, it demonstrates the Social Democratic belief that the government should intervene to protect consumers from market exploitation, rather than leaving markets to entirely self regulate.