Parliament Flashcards
Define parliamentary sovereignty
- source of all power
- can restore any delegated power at any point
- omnicompetent (make any laws it wishes)
- not bound by predecessors
- can’t bind it’s successors
What are arguments that parliamentary sovereignty has eroded?
- The EU
- growth of the executive power of government
- referendums
- Human Rights Act and European Convention on Human Rights
Define Bicameral
A political system with two legislative chambers
Define Unicameral
A political system with one legislative chamber
How was Britain ruled in 1066?
By a monarch with a royal council made up of the monarchs most trusted advisers
What key event happened in 1215?
The Magna Carta was signed
What was the magna carta?
King John sealed forcing him to obey the law and set up an advisory council of 25 men which became the house of lords
What key event happened in 1265?
Simon de Montford rebelled against the King and invited representatives of towns and knights of shires to parliament - separate from the nobility
What key event happened in 1332?
Simon de Montford, town representatives and knights of shires evolved to become the House of Commons. They became more powerful than the House of Lords
What key event happened in 1649?
King Charles was executed by the House of Commons showing their position as the most dominant house
What key event happened in 1801?
The United Kingdom was formed with the adding of Ireland
What key event happened in 1832?
The Great Reform Act was passed, evolving and regularising general elections
What are the key features of the house of commons?
- elected every 5 years by citizens
- monarchs are banned
- anyone can run
- debates issues
- makes/reviews laws
- represents the publics view
- holds the government accountable
- two sides to the room (one side government and one side the opposition)
- cabinet on front bench
- MPs split between parliament and constituencies
What are the key features of the house of lords?
- unelected
- made up of hereditary peer, life peers (given for achievements in their career) and bishops
- question/challenge the work of the government
- investigate issues through committees and debates
- 2nd chamber of parliament
- Government peers sit on one side and the opposition peers sit on the other
- speaker sits on a wool sack
- No majority for a political party
- There is no politics within as they are not involved
What is the function of the legislature?
- law making body
- US congress vs UK parliament
- in UK have promulgation
How is promulgation shown in the UK legislature?
Parliament doesn’t make laws it gives consent for the government to make laws
What is the roles of the executive?
- develop legislation and present before the legislature
- arrange implementation of laws
- run state and administer laws
What is the roles of the judiciary?
- legal system
- not involved in politics except at a high level
- some legal cases do involve politics (Gina Miller)
- expected to be politically neutral
What are the functions of the executive?
- Legitimation
- Legislation
- Making government accountable
- Scrutiny of legislation
- Constituency representation
- Representation of interest
- National debate
What control does the monarchy have?
- Parliament described as being under control of the monarchy
- '’her majesty’s minsters’’
- More of an illusion
What control does the prime minister have?
- Have prerogative powers
- Used to be retained by the monarch but have been transferred to the PM
What control does the cabinet have?
Senior ministers in charge of running government departments
What control does the civil service have?
Unelected permanent officials who serve the government and are expected to be politically neutral
Under control of the prime minister
PM is ‘head of the civil service’
What acts secured the subordination of the HOL to the HOC?
- Parliament acts 1911 and 1949
- Salisbury convention
