EXTRA-Constitutional Change Flashcards
Who has the oldest version of the constitution dating at 1874
the Swiss
More than how many constitutions have been drawn up since WW2?
more than 2/3rds
From what decade have many thinkers and writers began to urge the cause of ‘constitutional reform’’?
from the 1960’s
What are Quango’s?
They are publicly funded bodies that operate at arms length from a government department and carry out executive and advisory functions. Their members are not elected and therefore are not accountable to the voters
After what year were some academics worried about the increasing centralisation of government under the Conservatives?
1979
What 3 things could people see occurring after 1979 with the increasing centralisation of government?
1) the erosion of the functions and powers of local government
2) increased number of quangos
3) limitations on human rights
Who felt that the balance of the constitution had been undermined by the era of Conservative rule (1979-1990)?
radical reformers who wanted to see a fundamental change
Who were Charter 88?
This is a campaigning pressure group set up 300 years after the Glorious Revolution to urge the case for constitutional and electoral reform.
Who is an example of a moderate reformer who conceded that there was no need for change, but only to ‘strengthen the existing framework, not destroy it’.
Philip Norton
What did Philip Norton say in regards to constitutional change?
that there was no need for change, but only to ‘strengthen the existing framework, not destroy it’
What did moderate reformer Philip Norton suggest in terms of constitutional change?
- strengthening of parliament
- abolition or reduction of quangos
- devolving more power to citizens at a local level
What did the Conservatives believe in their 1997 manifesto about the radical changes proposed by reformers?
They thought that this would endanger the character of our constitutional balance
What 3 names did Labour call the Conservative government in the 1997 election?
centralised
inefficient
bureaucratic
What are the 4 main constitutional reforms under Labour 1997+
- removal of hereditary peers
- passing of the Human Rights Act 1998
- Creation of devolved machinery in Scotland and Wals
- Constitutional Reform Act 2005
What are 5 other constitutional reforms until Laboru 1997?
- the Freedoms of Information Act
- Creation of the office of an elected London Mayor
- Use of proportional representation for elections to devolved bodies in UK, EU parliament and London Assembly
- Changes to modernise HOC such as reasonable hours
- The principle of referendums to determine constitutional change
