Relations between Branches Flashcards

1
Q

Roles of the Supreme Court

A
  • To act as the highest court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Not Scotland)(also hear criminal case appeals in those countries.)
  • To hear appeals on issues of public importance.
  • To hear appeals from civil cases in E, W, NI and S.
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2
Q

When and in what Act was it established?

A
  • Constitutional Reform Act 2005.
  • (Established in October 2009)
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3
Q

Name 3 key things that the act that created the SC did.

A
  1. separate the legislature and the judiciary.
  2. aimed to ensure more independent appointments by removing the Lord Chancellor/justice sec as Head of the Judiciary.
  3. established the Independent Judicial Appointments commission.
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4
Q

Describe the number of justices and the appointments process.

A
  • Consists of 12 members.
  • Most senior judge is designated the president.
  • When vacancy occurs, nominations are made to the JAC.
  • Justice sec can veto this but never does.
  • Appointment confirmed by PM and Monarch.
  • They retire at 75 or 70 if appointed before 1995
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5
Q

Current composition of the court

What form of represenation is this?

A
  • All members are white
  • 2 are women
  • 2 didn’t go to private school
  • 2 didn’t go to Oxbridge.
  • Bad descriptive representation but is substantive more important?
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6
Q

Judicial neutrality Definition

A
  • Judges should reach decisions on the basis of the law alone and should not be politically active or motivated
  • showing no bias.
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7
Q

Judicial Activism/Restraint Definition

A

Judicial activism is where the court considers the societal implications of its decisions, whereas judicial restraint is where it is reluctant to act unless the action was clearly unconsitutional

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8
Q

Judicial Review Definition

A

The review of ministers’ actions to ensure that they conform to the law.

They can be deemed unlawful if they are ultra vires

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9
Q

Judicial Independence Definition

A

Judges should not be influenced or effected by the opinions of Parliament or the Executive.

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10
Q

Ultra Vires Definition

A

When a minister is acting beyond their powers.

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11
Q

Rule of law Definition

A

1 of the 2 pillars of the UK constitution.

Principle that the law should rule and that no individual is above the law, even ministers.

Upholds limited gov and pillars of liberal democracy.

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12
Q

How is the Supreme Court independent and Neutral? (7)

A
  1. Independent Appointments process
  2. Contempt of Court Rules
  3. Independently Set salaries - Gov cant hold money over their heads.
  4. Limitations on political activity
  5. trying to make the court more diverse.
  6. HRA - codified and clear
  7. Lord chancellor is bound by oath to judicial independence
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13
Q

How is the Supreme Court NOT independent and Neutral? (4)

A
  1. Privileged composition - Judges tend to want to protect the status quo.
  2. “Stale, male and pale” very undiverse - only 4% of high court judges are BAME.
  3. Justice Sec can block nominees if they wish
  4. High profile involvement of Gov in cases, dragged into politics often, Eg Gina Miller, - Johnson calling them ‘lefty lawyers’ activism etc.
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14
Q

What is the Human Rights Act and when did it come into force?

A
  1. 1998
  2. Encorporated the ECHR into UK Law
  3. Codified part of Const.
  4. Made it possible for the SC to issue a ‘declaration of incompatibility
  5. If they believe an act of parliament conflicted with HRA.
  6. Parliament can still ignore SC but it would be controversial.
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15
Q

What do they make appointments based on?

A
  • Merit.
  • this means it is largely an undiverse selection as the system is skewed.
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16
Q

Details of Miller v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Miller 1) and date?

A
  • 2017.
  • May assumed in 2016 that triggering article 50 was part of her Prerogative powers.
  • However, she faced a challenge that believed only parliament could take the UK out of the EU as its membership had introduced constitutional higher laws
  • that could not be revoked implicitly, only explicitly by parliament.
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17
Q

What are the Black Spider Memos? What case do they involve?

A
  • R (Evans) v Attorney General 2015
  • Appealed based on the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
  • Gov said there was public interest in keeping letters private between Charles and ministers as he is the future king and this may affect his rep.
  • An information Commission sided with the Gov, but the Information Tribunal sided with the Journalist.
  • The Attorney General argued that the info wasn’t necessary to release and said ministers could overturn the tribunal (Clause 53 of Freedom of Info Act.)
  • Majority of the SC ruled in favour of the journalist because of rule of law
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18
Q

The Belmarsh Case:

Who was it decided by?

What was the background of the case

A
  • A v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2004) - Decided by the Lords, before SC
  • Brought by a number of foreign nationals who were being held indefinitely in Belmarsh Prison as suspected terrorists.
  • However they had not been charged or convicted of anything. Government holding them using special powers granted by Anti Terrorism Act 2001.
  • Could not send them home as they might be tortured and right to be free from torture is an un-suspendable article in HRA.
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19
Q

Belmarsh Case

What was the Gov argument?

What did the Lords decision depend upon?

A
  • Gov argued because of article 15 (suspending rights in times of emergency or war) they could suspend certain rights eg right to liberty.
  • Lords had to decide whether the conditions of the rights being suspended where met.
  • Lords decided the criteria was not met, because British suspects were not treated in the same way.
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20
Q

Difference between the European Convention on Human Rights and EU Charter of Fundamental Rights?

A
  • Convention (ECHA) - is a treaty, HRA. We are still part of this despite leaving the EU.
  • Charter - EU Law, we are no longer a part of this.
  • However, the convention has now become statute law in the UK meaning it is more easily changeable and gov can suspend more rights.
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21
Q

Details of R (Miller) v The Prime Minister

date?

Background - what did the lower/other courts say?

A
  • Miller 2, Miller/Cherry - 2019
  • Divisional court decided they could not rule on the case as it would be a political issue.
  • Scottish Court of Session found it was illegal
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22
Q

Miller II

What acts were in play?
SC decision and reasoning

A
  • Decided the Exec had unlawfully prorogued parliament as they had given false reasons to the queen, acting Ultra Vires.
  • SC said it was unlawful because the prorogation was unusually long, at a crucial time and frustrated the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions
  • The SC are not deciding whether the reasons for prorogation were good enough but whether there was enough reasoning for it.
  • The Gov had given no reasoning as they never expected anyone to challenge them.
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23
Q

Aims of the EU (5)

A
  1. Promote peace
  2. Offer freedom security and justice to its citizens
  3. Offer a highly competitive market economy with employment, social progress and environmental protection
  4. Establish an economic union in which the currency is the euro.
  5. Combat discrimination by promoting a diversity of cultures.
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24
Q

How many countries in the EU? (post brexit)

A

27

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25
Q

Origins of the EU (4 key dates/points)

A
  1. European Economic Community (EEC) set up by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Aimed for pooled sovereignty and to have a greater political influence as a group.
  2. Maastricht Treaty 1992 - created EU, EU citizenship and free movement created + common foreign and security policy.
  3. Treaty of Nice 2000 - increased scope of qualified majority voting.
  4. 2002: Euro comes into circulation. Overall Aim: “Peace prosperity and liberal democracy.”
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26
Q

The Four Freedoms

A
  1. Free movement of workers: Gives EU nationals right to work in any EU member state. most controversial in Brexit debate.
  2. Free Movement of Goods: removal of customs duties, create an area without internal borders so goods can move as if it was country.
  3. Free movement of Capital: capital payments can move freely between each member state.
  4. Free movement of services: allows EU companies to set up in other EU countries and provide a service there.
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27
Q

Social Chapter

A
  • enshrines rights
  • all EU workers can claim rights in health and safety, freedom from discrimination, working conditions etc.
28
Q

2009 Charter of Fundamental rights of the EU

A
  • Signed in the Treaty of Lisbon
  • No longer affects us as no longer part of EU
29
Q

Maastricht Treaty

A
  • 1992
  • Established EU citizenship and free movement as well as changing name from ECC to EU.
  • 2002 - euro comes in
  • 2021 - 19/27 countries are currently in the Euro.
30
Q

Foreign and defence capabilities

A
  • Lisbon treaty 2007, gives EU legal identity so they can negotiate on equal terms with nation states and an EU diplomatic service.
  • Also established full time president of EU council, Charles Michel - to represent the EU with other world leaders.
31
Q

Reasons why the EU has achieved its objectives? (7)

A
  1. Encouraged democracy in former communist states.
  2. Expanded from 6 to 28/27 states.
  3. Provided global lead in fighting climate change.
  4. Euro is the world’s 2nd reserve currency.
  5. EU is worlds 2nd biggest economy.
  6. 4 freedoms have made the EU the biggest single market in the world, giving citizens the right to work in any other member state.
  7. Entrenched civil liberties in European Law.
32
Q

Reasons why the EU hasn’t achieved its objectives? (5)

A
  1. Freedom of movement has encouraged a rise in populist parties fighting ‘foreign’ competition.
  2. Commitment of ex-communist states to democracy is questioned.
  3. EU’s austerity programmes in certain countries have reduced support for them.
  4. Migrant crisis has exposed tension between liberal countries such as Germany and France and defensive Italy and Hungary.
  5. Little sense of European identity.
33
Q

EU role in UK policy making

A
  1. Around 40% of UK’s trade is with the EU.
  2. Membership of the single market (but not the single currency, the Euro) has affected the UK’s ability to control free movement.
  3. Immigration policy: the UK has to accept EU nationals to work.
  4. Agriculture and Fisheries; Common Fisheries Policy and Common Agricultural Policy.
  5. Welfare, health and Education have not really been affected.
34
Q

Background of Factortame Case:

when?

Who and what did they say about Gov?

A
  • Factortame v Secretary of State for Transport 2000 - regarding the compatibility of UK and EU law.
  • Spanish fishermen argue that the UK Gov had breached EU law by creating the Merchant Shipping Act 1998 which stated that boats in UK waters must be registered and owned in the UK.
  • This contradicts the Common Fisheries Policy and when UK joined EU they submit to EU codified laws, this law was there before UK joined EU.
35
Q

Factortame Case

What should the government have done?

What was the final SC decision?

A
  • UK gov are expected to enforce EU (community) law but essentially not to legislate in conflict with it
  • Law Lords decided that if UK does not like EU law, they should not have joined EU, so ruled against government
  • Ruled that EU law has supremecy as it is codified so something to rule on
36
Q

What is community law?

A

EU law

37
Q

Details of Thoburn v Sunderland City Council

date?

who was involved

what acts?

final ruling

A
  • 2002 - market vendors prosecuted for not using metric (EU) measurements as required by the European Communities Act 1972.
  • They argued they did not have to comply as the 1985 Weights and Measures Act had implicitly repealed this clause of the ECA.
  • The Doctrine of Implied Repeal said that no Gov could bind a future Gov, and that later acts of parliament take precedence over earlier ones
  • Lords disagreed stating that there are some ‘constitutional statutes’ or ‘higher laws’ that have to be explicitly repealed instead of implicit and therefore the ECA is still in tact.
  • They argued that the HRA, ECA and Parliament Acts all fell under this defintiion of higher law
38
Q

Effect of the Thoburn

A
  • Some argue it challenges parliamentary sovreignty but it doesn’t really - it just asserts that parliament must repeal explicititly instead of implicitly
  • Parliamen must also accept a hierarchy of acts.
39
Q

Growth of EU migrant population in UK from 2004 to 2017 - Why might this be UK’s fault (if it is an issue)

  • Stats on UK v EU citizen skills and tax
A
  • Goes from 1.5% to 5% (2004 when Eastern european countries joined EU.)
  • UK’s fault as most countries put a 7 year delay on certain countries to be able to have free movement so their economies could grow first but the Uk didnt because they needed workers
  • EU workers are on avergage more skilled and therefore higher paid than average UK worker.
  • They are also paying a lot more in Tax than they claim in Benefits, UK nationals claim a lot more benefits than EU.
40
Q

What did Factortame establish

A

That domestic law can be used to implement community law but not conflict it

41
Q

What did Thoburn establish

A
  • That the SC can decide on what is constitutional law,
  • making a hierarchy of laws and UK gov cant use implicit repeal on constitutional laws.
42
Q

what did Miller 1 and 2 establish?

A
  • Redefined parliamentary sovereignty.
  • if using in EU essay question, it is not inherently an EU issue as it wasn’t EU v UK law but if it wasn’t for EU membership it wouldn’t have happened.
43
Q

When and under what circumstances did UK join the EU?

What later happened?

2016 Referendum?

MPs opinion on brexit?

A
  • UK Joined EC (Economic community) in Jan 1973.
  • Harold Wilson held referendum on EU membership in 1975 and voted to stay with a 67% majority.
  • In 2016 We voted to leave with 52%.
  • 72% of MPs opposed Brexit.
44
Q

Qualified Majority voting def

A

A mechanism used within the European Council and Council of the EU to take decisions without the need for unanimity but which go beyond a simple majority of members.

45
Q

3 Significant examples of where the Public have Sovereignty over Parliament?

A
  1. Brexit
  2. General Election
  3. Referendums
46
Q

5 Significant examples of where Parliament have Sovereignty over Public?

A
  1. Parliamentary Sov
  2. No higher law
  3. Laws bind public
  4. Referendums are not binding only advisory
  5. Policy affects public set spending policy.
47
Q

5 Significant examples of where the EU have Sovereignty over Parliament?

A
  1. ECHR
  2. Factortame case
  3. Qualified Majority voting
  4. Pooled Sovereignty
  5. social chapter.
48
Q

2 Significant examples of where the Parliament have Sovereignty over Eu?

A
  1. Brexit
  2. Can suspend part of the ECHR.
49
Q

2 Significant examples of where the Judiciary has Sovereignty over executive and parliament seperately?

A
  1. Executive - Judicial Review
  2. Parliament - Statements of Incompatibility.
50
Q

Impact of the EU on UK gov: Rights

A
  1. The Social Chapter was the most significant EU measure to protect workers rights.
  2. When Blair came in in 1997, one of Labour’s first actions was to sign up to the Social Chapter.
  3. This included: Right to paid annual holidays, Parental leave, Equal rights for part-time as full-time, Led to the minimum wage, limited working hours.
51
Q

Impact of EU on UK gov: Devolution

A
  1. Means Westminster has to consult, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff in Brexit Negotiations.
  2. NI and Scotland voting to remain in the EU has led to a complicated UK relationship with more and more independence calls from Scotland.
52
Q

Impact of EU on UK gov: Parties

A
  1. Tories: internally split over the EU for decades.
  2. UKIP: EU issue gave rise to their party which in 2014 won 24 seats in the European elections.
  3. Labour: Divided but mainly remain. Divisions in the party caused Wilson to renegotiate membership with EC in 1974 and have a referendum in 1975.
  4. Lib Dem: Very pro-EU.
53
Q

Impact of EU on UK gov: Sovereignty

A
  • There is a debate that EU membership has affected parliamentary sovreignty.
  • EU law took precedence over UK law as was shown by the Factortame case.
  • The greater use of Qualified majority voting instead of a national veto further lessened sovereignty.
54
Q

Impact of EU on UK gov: Public Opinion

A

UK has always been the awkward member of the EU due to major Euro-scepticism as well as geographical differences and no major sense of European identity in the UK.

55
Q

Legal Sovereignty Definition

A
  • The absolute right that every parliament has to enact whatever legislation it chooses.
  • It refers to that person or body of persons who legislate and their laws our final (obeyed by everyone)
  • They by law, have the power to issue final commands. (parliament)
  • Although Parliament’s sovereignty has been given to it by the people, once it legislates there can be no power greater than an act of parliament. Everyone must follow.
56
Q

Political/Popular Sovereignty Definition

and EG

A
  • Refers to the sovereignty exercised by the public.
  • This is the ultimate form of sovereignty since the legislature and executive depend on the consent of the public to govern.
  • At each general election the British public reclaim their sovereignty when they choose their MPs.
  • Eg 2016 EU referendum.
57
Q

Parliamentary Sovereignty

A
  • Form of legal Sovereignty
  • Means parliament has ability to make or unmake or remove any law it wishes.
  • No parliament can bind its successors.
  • No other institution can challenge an act of parliament, Power that has been transferred can be reversed. eg devolution.
  • Absence of codified constitution means there is no higher authority than parliament.
58
Q

How the EU Limits to Parliamentary Sovereignty and how Parliament fight back against this

A
  • EU law takes primacy over all UK law.
  • EU does not need prior approval of Parliament.

BUT

  • The UK will leave EU and parliament will be sovereign.
  • Some argue membership of EU enhanced political sovereignty as the UK pooled its sovereignty with other nations and enjoyed benefits and rights that were not in the power of the UK parliament.
59
Q

How Devolution Limits to Parliamentary Sovereignty and how Westminster Parliament fight back against this

A
  • Limits parliament as devolved powers have control over their own things.
  • Lots of policy differences - eg covid, free uni etc.

BUT

  • UK Remains unitary state, still legal Sovereignty of parliament.
  • Parliament retains the right to make laws on any matter.
  • Devolved powers can be restored to London.
60
Q

How Human Rights Act 1998 Limits to Parliamentary Sovereignty and how Parliament fight back against this

A
  • Judges have had the power to review cases and declare acts incompatible since its introduction.
  • It requires Judges to interpret all UK laws, to be compatible with ECHR.

BUT

  • The UK supreme court cannot strike down laws.
  • The HRA can be explicitly repealed.
  • the UK could withdraw from ECHR
61
Q

How Referenda/The people Limit Parliamentary Sovereignty and how Parliament fight back against this

A
  • In democracy, the people hold ultimate power
  • Parliament need to be sensitive to the wishes of the electorate.
  • The Brexit ref saw Popular Sov triumph.

BUT

  • Popular Sov is not absolute, parliament can ignore a non-binding referendum.
  • Many MPs and Lords voted against triggering Article 50 in defiance of the referendum.
62
Q

How Executive Dominance Limits to Parliamentary Sovereignty and how Parliament fight back against this

A
  • Our fused executive and legislative means that in practice the executive is sovereign.
  • A PM with a large majority in the commons can enjoy considerable power. - elective dictatorship
  • Eg Blair not losing a vote between 1997-2005.

BUT it’s elected…

  • this is never a constant permanent situation. it swaps.
  • Parliament needing to trigger article 50 shows the limit on executive power. only parliament could repeal or amend constitutional laws.
63
Q

Implicit repeal v explicit repeal

A

Implicit - Where an Act conflicts with an earlier one, the first one is automatically repealed by the latest one

Explicit - With certain constitutionally “higher laws” eg HRA or EU membership they must be repeaed by a parliamentary vote.

64
Q

Dolan R v Secretary for Health and Social Care

Date and details?

A

2020

Man took his case to the Court of Appeals claiming that the government had acted ultra vires in their decision to f_orce shops and schools to close due to the pandemic._

He believed it was a violation of the HRA as it enfringed on civil liberties.

High court and Court of Appeals disagreed.

65
Q

GLP v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

When and details?

A
  • 2021
  • Claimed the Hancock was failing to comply with the government’s transparency policy when procuring PPE
  • High Court also ruled that tory MPs were awarding friends’ companies with PPE
66
Q

Dr Gardener’s case

A
  • Claimed that the government’s handling of positive covid cases in care homes violated articles of the ECHR and HRA.
  • Also that her father who died in the pandemic had been discriminated against in definace of the 2010 Equality act