sources of the uk constitution

Question 1

statute law

Answer 1

all legislation created by parliament

Question 2

examples of statute law

Answer 2

2005 constitutional reform act created to separate the supreme court
1918 representation of the people act which allowed all men and some women to vote

Question 3

common law

Answer 3

made up of customs and judicial precedent (when decisions clarify. the meaning of statute or make rulings in the absence of statute).
a lot of constitutional principles, such as the royal prerogative are a part of common law

Question 4

conventions

Answer 4

customs and practices that are accepted as a way of doing things
e.g. the convention that the PM is the leader of the largest party in parliament
conventions can be removed or made permanent by statute law.

Question 5

example of convention

Answer 5

2011 fixed term parliaments act put into statute law the convention that the gov should resign if it is defeated in a vote of no confidence.

Question 6

authoritative works

Answer 6

books or written guides to the working of the uk constitution.
not legally binding (respected)

Question 7

example of an authoritative work

Answer 7

walter bagehot’s ‘the english constitution’

Question 8

treaties

Answer 8

agreements signed with other countries.

Question 9

most important treaty affecting the uk constitution

Answer 9

the treaty that entered britain into the EEC in 1972 and the maastricht treaty (1992) which etablished the eu.