Constitution (race to 100)

Question 1

List the 6 sources of the UK constitution

Answer 1

1) Common law

2) Royal prerogative

3) Statute law

4) Treaties

5) Conventions

6) Authoritative works

Question 2

Explain why Statute law is so significant

Answer 2

This is often considered the most important part of the constitution. It is passed through both Houses of Parliament and given royal assent. These are significant because they have to be passed through the entire parliamentary process and they focus on the relationship between the people and the state or between the institutions of the state

Question 3

Give 2 examples of important conventions

Answer 3

1) Salisbury convention = House of Lords cannot block legislation which enacts a manifesto promise

2) An Act only becomes law following royal assent

Question 4

Outline the main objectives of constitutional reforms 1997-2024

Answer 4

1) Modernisation and transparency

2) Democratisation

3) Decentralisation

4) Human rights protection

Question 5

Explain 2 ways in which constitutional reform can be argued to have been successful in the UK

Answer 5

Democratisation: successful because the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and Local Government Act 2000 introduced directly elected city mayors enhancing representation

Modernisation: House of Lords Act removed all but 92 out of 1330 hereditary peers, making the House of Lords a more professional body of peers appointed for merit rather than inherited

Question 6

2 ways in which the UK constitution could be further reformed?

Answer 6

Modernisation: the PM has the power to reward his supporters by appointing them as a life peer e.g. Charlotte Owens was appointed by Boris Johnson in his resignation honours list despite not having much experience or achievements in politics, cronyism

Democratisation: Recall of MPs Act 2015 isn’t sufficient enough as MPs can only be removed by constituents if convicted of a crime or suspended from Parliament for more than 30 days rather than based on performance, and 10% of the constituency has to sign a petition for it

Question 7

Give 3 reasons why having a codified constitution would be better for the UK

Answer 7

1) more transparency to how the constitution operates

2)