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Politics A-Level > Politics MEC UK Government Constitution > Flashcards

Politics MEC UK Government Constitution Flashcards

1
Q

Magna Carta

A

1215
barons on King John
distinguished monarchy and tyranny

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2
Q

Glorious Revolution

A

1688
Monarchs William and Mary agreed to be a constitutional monarchy, accepting parliaments restraints

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3
Q

Bill of Rights

A

1689
frequent parliaments, establishing the start of parliamentary sovereignty

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4
Q

UK constitution is a

A

PUUF

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5
Q

PUUF

A

Parliamentary
Uncodified
Unitary
Flexible- Unentrenched

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6
Q

unitary meaning

A

Power is centralised and given out under one body – Parliament

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7
Q

Parliamentary advantages

A

Effective government…
* helps make the government stronger
* Due to uncodified nature, statute laws cannot be struck down with government support as it is sovereign
* Meaning, government can be strong and decisive

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8
Q

parliamentary disadvantages

A

Elective dictatorship…
- Once elected, UK governments can act however they please until re-election due to the sovereignty of parliament, which is controlled by the government of the day
- Due to this concentration of power, the government can re-shape the constitution, creating the impression that the constitution does not exist
Government can easily control parliament with effective whipping and a big majority

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9
Q

parliamentary examples

A

pros-
- Attlee’s government 1945-51, who set up the NHS and nationalisation
- Thatcher’s government that established privatisation of many industries

cons-
Starmers huge majority with only 34% of vote
currently 26 government whips

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10
Q

uncodified advantages

A

Flexible…
* Easy to change- all that is needed to change is statue or common law, much easier than a US amendment, as it is not entrenched
* Remains relevant and up to date- adapt easily

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11
Q

uncodified disadvantages

A

Uncertain…
* It is difficult to know what the constitution says
* Constitutions are more helpful when they are clear
The rules are not clear, especially unwritten ones like conventions, with statue, common laws and authoritative works being scattered in different sources

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12
Q

uncodified examples

A

pros- devolution in reaction to nationalism in Scotland and Wales

cons- Salisbury convention, Royal prerogative

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13
Q

unitary advantages

A

Democratic…
* Uncodified- supreme constitutional authority is with the house of commons
* So it emphasises the democratic nature of parliamentary sovereignty

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14
Q

unitary disadvantages

A

Centralised…
* Over-centralised system
* Government power must be limited in a liberal system of government
* However, our constitution stresses the importance of one over-arching power too much
* Ineffective checks and balances

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15
Q

unitary examples

A

pros- checks and balances made better by FOI act under Blair

cons- Parliaments Act reduced the power of the House of Lords so they are even less restricted

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16
Q

flexible/unentrenched advantages

A

History and tradition…
* Has evolved with time, meaning old-fashioned ideas do not become entrenched
* Codified systems codify rights relevant to the time
The British constitution’s flexible nature means that it is given an ‘organic’ character- conservatives tend to think this

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17
Q

flexible/unentrenched disadvantages

A

Weak protection of rights…
* There is nothing except desire for re-election that prevents a government from violating civil rights and liberties

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18
Q

flexible/unentrenched examples

A
  • pro- leaving EU-The European Union Act 2020 after 1972 European Comunities Act
  • con- The Human Rights Act of 1998 improved rights protection, but it did not become an entrenched because provisions can be set aside by parliament, e.g. terrorism legislation
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19
Q

statute law definition and example

A

laws decided and approved by parliament
most important source
Scotland Act 1998, establishing the Scottish Parliament

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20
Q

common law definition and example

A
  • legal system in England that has developed over time from court decisions, rather than laws made by politicians.
  • R v R 1991 case- modern marriages equals
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21
Q

conventions definition and example

A

unwritten understanding about how something should be done
- Royal Prerogative being used by the PM
- salisbury
- resign if lie to parliament
- debate before war

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22
Q

authoritative works definition and example

A

books written by constitutional experts explaining how a political system is run
not binding
Walter Bagehot’s - The English Constitution from 1867

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23
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 devolution pros

A
  • governments closer to their citizens
    - more accountable
    - more relevant
    -much more regionally sensitive
  • Scotland- almost always supported to be given more responsibilities by Scots
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24
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 devolution cons

A
  • threatens stability of the UK
    -SNP maj. 2016, 2014 Indy Rev
  • regional unfairness
  • West-Lothian Q, EVEL failure
  • subordinate devolved bodies
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25
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 electoral reform pros

A

-AMS in Scotland and Wales gives smaller parties 1st seats- John Mason Ind. 2024
- STV power-sharing NI- DUP deputy, Sinn Fein 1st
- successful to make it more proportional

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26
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 electoral reform cons

A
  • disappointing participation- 55% Scotland 2016
  • not in Westminster
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27
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 referendums pros

A
  • representative democracy
  • more legitimacy
  • sometimes high participation- 72% Brexit
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28
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 referendums cons

A
  • undermine Parliamentary Sovereignty- Brexit Cameron
  • divisions in society- Scottish Indy Rev
  • issues too complex for a public vote
29
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 HRA 1998 pros

A
  • citizens now have a clear list- culture of rights- example of USA, pleading the 5th
  • clear power of executive
  • increased role of judiciary- more restriction on parliament
30
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 HRA 1998 cons

A
  • can be abused- suspected terrorists Abu Hamza delayed deportation
  • judges unelected so less democratic
  • not entrenched so can be abolished- Cameron only stopped by coalition, 2019 manifesto wanted to change
  • judges can only ‘declare incompatible’ Rwanda’
  • Prevention of Terrorism Act- weak
31
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 FOI pros

A
  • right to know
  • files from any agency
  • more transparency, less disruption- stop and search FOI by Liberty in 2010 for police
32
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 FOI cons

A
  • 2008 expenses scandal- reduced trust, Blair claimed £116 to pay for his TV licence
  • ability to reject foi requests, £450, vexatious
33
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 HOL reform pros

A
  • free of electoral limits- experts can be from any party, 26 bishops, 184 crossbenchers
  • more asserted
  • prevents gridlock as not unelected, 800 unelected
34
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 HOL reform cons

A
  • 800, too big
  • 90 hereditaries
  • appointed- more power to PM, 87 appointed by Johnson
35
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 judicial reform pros

A
  • more willing to check on executive- Court of Appeal 2023 Rwanda,
    2019 Supreme Court Johnson prorogue Parliament unlawful
  • better social representation- JAC
36
Q

B and B Labour 1997 to 2010 judicial reform cons

A
  • no powers to restrict the government
  • just moved, not powerful enough- Lord Chancellor made into Justice secretary
  • Most Justices of the Supreme Court have been privately educated and attended Oxford or Cambridge
37
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform fixed term parliaments pros

A
  • no longer MP manipulative election dates
  • summer, poor/ strong candidates
38
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform fixed term parliaments cons

A
  • 5 years too long, zombie parliament
  • 2015
  • 2017 snap election, 2019 election- does not limit PM power
39
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform Wright reforms pros

A
  • select committees revitalised- 2018 universal credit, info on waiting times
  • e-petitions process huge success- 2019 fracking CPRE, over 200,000 sig.
  • chairs paid additional salary
40
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform Wright reforms cons

A
  • backbenchers do not compel gov. to act
  • e-pets just debated by BBBC
41
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform PCCs pros

A
  • democratic- stop and search still not been higher than 2012
42
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform PCC cons

A
  • 15% turnout
  • re election prioritised, not policing
43
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform Recall of MPs pros

A
  • conv. offence
  • barred from HOC
  • false/misleading information
  • Chris Davies, fake expenses, 2019, Brecon and Radnorshire
44
Q

Coalition 2010-2015 reform Recall pros MPs cons

A
  • petitions triggered by MPs not public
    -can be unsuccessful- North Antrim Ian Paisley 2018, not enough signatures- 10%
45
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 metro mayors pros

A
  • rep. to English regions- W-L less bad
  • 12 currently
  • ## Andy Burnham Bee transport network 2 pounds
46
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 metro mayors cons

A
  • around 40% 2024 lONDON, failed referendum in the North East in 2004
  • English parliament needed
  • Issues with lobbying against the government Sadiq Khan, ‘London is open’
47
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 EVEL pros

A
  • deals w W-L Q
  • differentiates certain areas- ‘London is open’
  • 83% want to give them more power
48
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 EVEL cons

A
  • unnecessarily complex- 8 additional legislation steps, deciding is EVEL applies to Bill
  • 2 classes of MP- claims 2nd class by SNP
49
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 Brexit pros

A
  • jan 2020
  • democratic
50
Q

Conservative 2015-2024 Brexit cons

A
  • referendum doubt - Cameron thought lose- overrides parliament
  • bad education- lie on bus
51
Q

NI devolution facts

A
  • 1998
  • suspended 6 times
  • Good Friday/Belfast Agreement
52
Q

NI devolution pros

A
  • peace mainly successful
  • benefitted union
53
Q

NI devolution cons

A
  • unstable- only period of extended devolved government was 2007-17- suspended 6 times
  • not brought together- politics wrought 93% of children in partisan schools
54
Q

Scotland devolution facts

A

1998
- Primary legislative powers
-1997 72% yes

55
Q

Scotland devolution pros

A
  • more appropriate- after 2014, Sturgeon put more emphasis on gender equality and childcare- baby boxes, Focus on university- 2015 Widening Access
  • good for Union- failed indy rev 2014
56
Q

Scotland devolution cons

A
  • risk to the union, Scotland overwhelmingly voted to remain 62%, SNP
  • SNP decline has damaged trust
    - Sturgeon resigned and arrested party funding- husband party chairman investigated for irregularity- damaged trust in politics
57
Q

Wales devolution facts

A

1997
- Secondary legislative powers- gained primary in a referendum in 2011
- Less powerful as they cannot impact Some welfare powers and Crown Estate

58
Q

Wales devolution pros

A
  • began legislation later put elsewhere- Trialled key policies - Organ donation opt out and plastic bag charge
  • political engagement- 2011 Second Ref showed an increase in support- 64%
59
Q

Wales devolution cons

A
  • people don’t care- 50% yes in 1997
  • new M4 corridor by Newport put off for over 20 years- not prioritised
60
Q

Aims of new Labour reforms

A

democratisation
modernisation
protection of rights
decentralisation

61
Q

Parliament effectiveness legislation pros

A
  • FPTP so strong government
  • Lords is more defiant since 1999 reform- 69 defeats from 2017-2019 by the Lords
62
Q

Private Members Bills facts

A
  • 1/4 bills reached 2nd reading 2010-24 PMBs
  • top 20 MPs drawn in a lottery for PMBs
  • Assisted dying 2024- huge publicity
63
Q

legislation cons

A
  • PMBs
  • Lords not strong enough- Johnson 2020 overturned his defeat by the Lords as he had a majority in commons
  • whips too involved in pre-leg scrutiny and PBCs- 2013 Dr Sarah Wollaston- kept off the Committee on the Health and Social Care Bill
  • Blair didn’t lose a vote in the commons from 1997 to 2005
64
Q

Parliament effectiveness representation pros

A
  • Most diverse parliament ever in 2019
  • LGBTQ+ 64 MPs
  • 14% HOC POC
  • HOL experts- make up for representation in commons- 26 bishops
65
Q

Parliament effectiveness representation cons

A
  • gender- 41% female
  • unelected and hereditary peers
  • 1/3 went to an elite Russel Group
  • FPTP to unproportional- 3% SNP 9 seats
66
Q

Parliament effectiveness scrutiny pros

A
  • 1/4 of Lords are cross benchers- less powerful whipping
  • 2005-2012, 55% of government bill amendments were by the lords
67
Q

Select Committees

A
  • Dr Sarah Wollaston- MPs chose to elect her Chair of the Health Select Committee in 2014
  • 2019 Jeremy Hunt became chair of health committee and as former health secretary- significant charity
  • Impactful- 30-40% taken onboard from select committees
68
Q

Parliament effectiveness scrutiny cons

A
  • HOL can only delay for 1 year
  • PMQs- Badenoch’s question about McVitie’s factories had-hob nobs and ginger nuts
  • Cameron Zingers

Politics A-Level (3 decks)

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