4. Principles Of The UK Constitution Flashcards
What are the six key principles of the UK constitution?
- Parliamentary sovereignty
- Rule of law
- Unitary state
- Parliamentary government
- Constitutional monarchy
- EU membership
What are the four main aspects of the rule of law?
- Everyone is equal under the law
- The law is upheld by an independent judiciary
- The government will abide by the courts’ decisions
- There is no unjust law
How has the Human Rights Act of 1998 changed the rule of law?
It has made the judiciary able to protect the rights of the citizens.
What is meant by the unitary state?
Sovereignty is located solely in Parliament
What type of sovereignty has devolution not affected?
Legal sovereignty
How can we describe Parliament’s sovereignty post-devolution?
De jure, but not de facto (legally, but not effectively)
What kind of state do some analysts say we now live in?
A quasi-federalist state
Why would devolution be so difficult to undo?
Because it is semi-entrenched by the referenda which introduced it.
What is meant by parliamentary government?
It means that the executive is drawn from the legislature. As such, they are fused together.
What is meant by constitutional monarchy?
It means that the monarch is the formal head of state but their power is limited by strict constitutional rules. All bills still require royal assent, however the monarch’s role is more ceremonial.
When was the last time a bill was denied royal assent?
1708
