Relations Between Institutions Flashcards
Define the Supreme Court
The highest court in the UK
Define judicial neutrality
The principles that judges should not be influenced by their personal political opinion and should remain outside of party politics
Define judicial review
The power of the judiciary to review the actions and sometimes refers by other branches of government that breach the law or that are incompatible with the Human rights act
Define elected dictatorship
A government that dominates parliament, usually due to a large majority and therefore has few limits on its power
Define the European Union
An association of 28 states. It was originally founded as the European economic community in 1957, which has evolved into a political economic union
Define the four freedoms
The principle of free movement of goods Free movement of services Free movement of people Free movement of capital
Define legal sovereignty
The right to ultimate legal authority on a political system in the this belongs to parliament
Define political sovereignty
The ultimate political power in the UKs democracy, the electorate holds this power which it delegates to parliament
Define popular sovereignty
Where people have power
Define Ultra Vires
It means beyond the powers in Latin an action taken without legal authority
What were the major changes to the judicial system instigated by the constitutional reform act 2005
It established the Supreme Court that would be independent of parliament moving from the House of Lords
It also changed the role of the Lord Chancellor removing his judicial and legislative functions
How are Supreme Court justices appointed
They appointed from the JAC - Judicial appointment committee
Have to have been a senior judges for 2 years or been a qualified lawyer for 2 years
The lord chancellor still confirms or rejects the nominations
How many women are members of the Supreme Court
2
Lady Hale
Lady Black
How many members of the Supreme Court went to Oxford or Cambridge
10
What two reasons agree with the statement “judges are not sufficiently independent or neutral”
They are not neutral because they are draw from a narrow background
There is open disagreement over sentencing
What are the two reasons that disagree with the statement “judges are not sufficiently independent or neutral”
Judicial appointment committee means there is a more formal way of appointing judges
2009 creation of Supreme Court now means we have judicial independence
What were the acts that created the modern EU
European coal and steel community - 1950
Treaty of Rome (EEC) 1957 (UK in 1973)
Single European Act 1986
Maastricht treaty 1992
Schengen 1995
Eurozone 1999
Treaty of Lisbon 2007
Fiscal Compact Treaty 2012
When did the U.K. join the EEC
1973
What is the European coal and steel community
1950 - U.K. did not join initially
The foundation of the EU by the six founding members post world war 2. Tried to stop future wars by pooling the production and exchange of key resources
Who were the founding members of the EU
Germany Netherlands Belgium France Italy Luxembourg
What was the Treaty of Rome (EEC)
1957 - UK was not a part of this until 1973
It was signed by the founding six members creating the European economic community that granted Free trade arrangements Customs union Single market (can’t put taxes on goods)
What expansion took place in 1973
U.K., Ireland and Denmark join the EEC and sign the treaty of Rome
What was the signed European Act
1986 - The UK is a part of this
The aim was to create a single European market based on the four freedoms. With the abolishing of customs controls at borders and the recognition of common product standards
What was the Maastricht treaty
1992 - U.K. is a part of this
It transformed the EEC into the more closely integrated European Union
