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A-level Politics > Parliament > Flashcards

Parliament Flashcards

1
Q

Define parliamentary sovereignty

A
  • 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
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2
Q

What are arguments that parliamentary sovereignty has eroded?

A
  • The EU
  • growth of the executive power of government
  • referendums
  • Human Rights Act and European Convention on Human Rights
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3
Q

Define Bicameral

A

A political system with two legislative chambers

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4
Q

Define Unicameral

A

A political system with one legislative chamber

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5
Q

How was Britain ruled in 1066?

A

By a monarch with a royal council made up of the monarchs most trusted advisers

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6
Q

What key event happened in 1215?

A

The Magna Carta was signed

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7
Q

What was the magna carta?

A

King John sealed forcing him to obey the law and set up an advisory council of 25 men which became the house of lords

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8
Q

What key event happened in 1265?

A

Simon de Montford rebelled against the King and invited representatives of towns and knights of shires to parliament - separate from the nobility

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9
Q

What key event happened in 1332?

A

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

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10
Q

What key event happened in 1649?

A

King Charles was executed by the House of Commons showing their position as the most dominant house

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11
Q

What key event happened in 1801?

A

The United Kingdom was formed with the adding of Ireland

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12
Q

What key event happened in 1832?

A

The Great Reform Act was passed, evolving and regularising general elections

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13
Q

What are the key features of the house of commons?

A
  • 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
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14
Q

What are the key features of the house of lords?

A
  • 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
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15
Q

What is the function of the legislature?

A
  • law making body
  • US congress vs UK parliament
  • in UK have promulgation
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16
Q

How is promulgation shown in the UK legislature?

A

Parliament doesn’t make laws it gives consent for the government to make laws

17
Q

What is the roles of the executive?

A
  • develop legislation and present before the legislature
  • arrange implementation of laws
  • run state and administer laws
18
Q

What is the roles of the judiciary?

A
  • legal system
  • not involved in politics except at a high level
  • some legal cases do involve politics (Gina Miller)
  • expected to be politically neutral
19
Q

What are the functions of the executive?

A
  • Legitimation
  • Legislation
  • Making government accountable
  • Scrutiny of legislation
  • Constituency representation
  • Representation of interest
  • National debate
20
Q

What control does the monarchy have?

A
  • Parliament described as being under control of the monarchy
  • '’her majesty’s minsters’’
  • More of an illusion
21
Q

What control does the prime minister have?

A
  • Have prerogative powers
  • Used to be retained by the monarch but have been transferred to the PM
22
Q

What control does the cabinet have?

A

Senior ministers in charge of running government departments

23
Q

What control does the civil service have?

A

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’

24
Q

What acts secured the subordination of the HOL to the HOC?

A
  • Parliament acts 1911 and 1949
  • Salisbury convention
25
Q

What was the parliament act 1911?

A

Removed the HOL power to veto legislation from the HOC

26
Q

What was the Salisbury Convention?

A

Required the HOL to accept proposals in the government elected manifesto

27
Q

What was the 1999 HOL act?

A

Reduced hereditary peers to 92

28
Q

How many lords are there?

A

775

29
Q

How else can someone get a peerage other than career achievements and why is this controversial?

A

For giving money to the government in the election
Undemocratic as may have party loyalty

30
Q

What are the advantages of backbenchers?

A
  • ability to scrutinise
  • represent constituency
  • independence
  • concern for issues wider than the government agenda
  • represent party
31
Q

How do backbenchers scrutinise legislation?

A

Ask questions
Select committees
Vote on government legislation
Government debate

32
Q

How do backbenchers represent constituencies?

A

Private member bills
Bring up constituent issues in parliament

33
Q

How do backbenchers represent the party?

A

Help with majority
Vote for government legislation

34
Q

What are the limits for backbenchers?

A
  • Whips and promotion prospects
  • Recommendations of select committees can’t be enforced, a chair is voted in and is often whipped so don’t have any effect
  • Not enough time allocated to private member bills unless picked up by the government as a good piece of legislation
35
Q

Limitations of the HOL

A

A-level Politics (11 decks)

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