Constitution Key Terms Flashcards
What is Parliamentary sovereignty?
The principle that parliament can make, amend or unmake any law, and cannot bind its successor nor be bound by its predecessors
What are Conventions?
Traditions not contained in law but influential in the operation of a political system
What is Common Law?
Laws made by judges in cases where the law doesn’t cover the issue or is unclear
What is the Rule of Law?
The principle that all people and bodies, including government, must follow the law, and can be held to account if they do not
What is the Constitution?
set of rules setting out powers and structure of gov’t and rights citizens
What is the Federal govt?
gov’t the powers of layers of government, such as national and regional, are set out in the constitution ie sovereignty is shared, as in USA
What is Amendment?
change to constitution
What is the Westminster ‘Parliament’?
the ‘national’ UK Parliament, as opposed to the Scottish, Welsh etc parliaments
What is Sovereignty?
supreme power.
What is a statute?
another name for Act of Parliament.
What is a Bill?
the name for an Act of parliament before it has passed all its stages.
What is Incorporate?
Incorporate when a document such as a list of rights is formally passed into the domestic law, meaning for example citizens can take the government to court if they violate it
What is a Term?
Term Length of time a parliament sits from one election until the next, max five years. Terms are usually divided into shorter annual sessions
What is the separation of powers?
the convention in democracies that at the least the judiciary should be separate from the legislature and executive ‘branches’ so that it can be independent
What is the AV+ electoral system?
Alternative Vote with compensation element to make number of seats a party gets more proportional to votes
What is the ECHR?
European Convention of Human Rights organised by Council of Europe (nothing to do with EU!) post war signed by UK. A European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg enforces it. It contains classic human rights like free speech similar to US Bill of Rights. Until 2005 CRA UK had not incorporated it into UK law. Cons party keeps threatening to withdraw from it because it frustrates their immigration reforms. Some would replace it with British Bill of Rights
What is Decentralisation?
broad term meaning the process of spreading power from the centre to more local regions, includes devolution.
What is Devolution?
Devolution transfer of some powers, but not sovereignty, from the centre to local regions. Often stressed to be a process (ie may not have finished?)
What is Devo Max?
transfer further powers
What is Independence?
nation becomes sovereign, usually recognised on world stage such as UN
What is Asymmetrical devolution?
different parls have different powers eg Scottish parl has always had more than Welsh
What is Sinn Fein?
(Gaelic for we ourselves) party campaigning for united Ireland in both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
What is the IRA?
Irish Republican Army nationalist paramilitary force (gave up arms 1998 but splinter ‘Real IRA’ still commit occasional acts violence)
What is a Unionist?
wanting to maintain Union between NI and rest of UK
What is Ulster?
another word for NI: Belfast is main city
What is the DUP?
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) until 2022 the largest in NI Assembly
What is Stormont?
the historic Protestant dominated Parliament which still houses the NI Assembly
What is a Mandate?
the successful party following an election claims it has authority (a mandate) from voters to implement its manifesto promises and a general permission to govern as new issues arise
What does it mean to Prorogue?
PM power to declare Parliament goes on holiday
