Politics: UK Constitution Flashcards
Name 5 Sources of the Constitution.
Statute Law Common Law Conventions Treaties Landmark Decisions
Give 3 examples of the Sources of the Constitution.
Salisbury Convention- Lords does not oppose the third or second reading of legislation that was in a winning party’s manifesto.
Parliament Act 1911- removed the Lords’ right to veto.
Magna Carta 1215- established principle that the crown is not above the law.
Give 2 reasons FOR a codified and entrenched Constitution.
Lack of clarity as there is not a single document to refer to- as shown with the proroguing of parliament, uncertainty over the extent of PM’s power.
Weak protection of rights- human rights legislation can be changed by a majority.
Give 2 reasons AGAINST a codified and entrenched Constitution.
Entrenchment could be regressive- 18th century views on slavery remained in the US Constitution for far too long.
Balanced powers of legislature, executive and judiciary in an uncodified constitution.
What is the ultimate source of authority in the Constitution?
Parliamentary statute law is seen as the ultimate source of authority HOWEVER in the Factortame Case (1991) Lords declared that EU law took precedence over domestic law.
Name the 4 themes that the Constitutional reform under Blair concentrated on.
Decentralisation
Democratisation
Transparency
Rights Protection
Give 3 examples of Constitutional reform under Blair, and explain what this achieved.
Local Government Act 2000- aimed to provide the constituent parts of the UK with greater self determination.
House of Lords reform- Hereditary peers were limited at 92. Membership became based on merit and accomplishment rather than birth.
Human Rights Act 1998- Provided the judiciary with important new powers to protect our civil liberties.
Give 3 examples of potential further reform to the Constitution.
Elected House of Lords
Electoral Reform
Devolution within England
What was the turnout in the mayoral election in the West Midlands?
26.7%
What is the female representation in the House of Lords (as of October 2020)?
28%
In the 2015 election, how many votes and seats did the UKIP and Green Party acquire?
5 million votes and only 2 seats.
How did the North East vote on having their own assembly? (devolution)
78% rejected the opportunity with only 22% voting for it, despite having a strong sense of regional identity.
What is a Constitution?
A body of fundamental principles and laws which determines where power is located within a nation and state and the rules by which it is governed.
Give 5 characteristics of a Constitution.
Uncodified Unentrenched Constitutional Monarchy Parliamentary Government Parliamentary Sovereignty
