1.1 The Nature And Sources Of The Uk Constitution Flashcards
Define the term ‘Constitution’
Set of rules and principles that explains how a country is governed. (It outlines the powers of the government and the rights of people)
What is the importance of a constitution?
- Solution to the problem of power (we need to be protected)
- Without a constitution, the goverments could simply do whatever it wants, so it limits government power.
What type of constitution is the UK?
Uncodified constitution
What does giving ‘precedence’ mean?
giving priority or importance to something before others. For example, if you have two tasks, one with precedence means you do it first because it’s more important.
When was the Magna Carta and explain it briefly.
(1215)
Agreement between King John and the barons, to stop the king from having too much power. It made sure the king had to follow the law.
What is the ‘Rule Of Law’ ?
No one is above the law.
When was the ‘Bill Of Rights’ and explain it briefly.
(1689)
The bill states the principles of frequent parliaments, free election, and freedom of speech within parliament – known today as Parliamentary privilege.
It is a law passed in England that limited the powers of the king and gave more power to Parliament
When was the ‘Act Of Settlement’ and explain it briefly.
(1701)
Mainly decided who could be king or queen, but it also protected judges. Before this, the king could remove judges if he didn’t like their decisions, making them afraid to go against him. The Act changed this by saying judges could only be removed if both parts of Parliament agreed. This made judges more independent, so they could make decisions based on the law, not the king’s wishes.
When was the ‘Act Of Union’ and explain it briefly.
(1707)
This united England and Scotland into one country, called Great Britain. It created a single Parliament and government for both nations
When was the ‘Parliament Act’ and explain it briefly.
The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 are two laws in the UK that reduced the power of the House of Lords and strengthened the role of the House of Commons in passing laws.
When was the ‘European communities Act’ and explain it briefly.
(1972)
allowed the UK to join EU. By passing this act, the UK gained access to the single market, meaning easier trade and economic cooperation with other EU countries. It also meant that EU laws would apply in the UK.
When was the ‘Devolution’ and explain it briefly.
(1997)
Referendums led to the creation of Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and a Northern Ireland Assembly. This allowed these regions to have more control over their own affairs, such as education and health, while still being part of the UK.
When was ‘Brexit’ and explain it briefly.
(2016)
When the UK voted to leave the EU.
What were the main gains of UK leaving the EU?
- Control over their own laws.
- Trade decisions - they can make their own policies.
- The UK could decide who can come and live there, rather than following EU rules on free movement.
Define the term ‘Limited Goverment’
Limited government means the government has only the powers that the law gives it. It cannot do whatever it wants and must follow rules and laws to protect people’s rights. This prevents the government from becoming too powerful or abusing its power.