The constitution Flashcards
What is a constitution ?
A set of rules determining where sovereignty lies in a political
system, and establishing the relationship between the government and the governed.
What is unentrenched ?
A constitution with no special procedure for amendment.
What is uncodified ?
A constitution not contained in a single written document
What is unitary ?
A political system where all legal sovereignty is contained in a single place.
What is parliamentary sovereignty?
The principle that Parliament can make, amend or unmake any law, and cannot bind its successors or be bound by its predecessors.
What is the rule of law ?
The principle that all people and bodies, including government, must
follow the law and can be held to account if they do not
What is a statue law ?
Laws passed by Parliament.
What is common law ?
Laws made by judges where the law does not cover the issue or is unclear.
What is devolution ?
The dispersal of power, but not sovereignty, within a political
system.
What is a constituency ?
an area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body.
What is a convention ?
Conventions may be written or unwritten. They are principles of behaviour which are not legally enforceable, but form part of the constitution.
What are the Authoritative works ?
A handfuls of long established legal and political texts that have come to be accepted as reference points.
What is an example of a convention ?
1707 - Queen Anne refused to approve Scottish militia bill.
Gordon brown said needed more consent to war
Tony Iraq didn’t ask
Margret - Falkland
What is an example of an authoritative work ?
Erskine May - explains law principles proceeding and usage of parliament 1844-2019
When was new labour and constitutional reform ?
1997 - 2010 under Blair
When was human rights act passed ?
1998 , gave rights to life , liberty , personal security and rights to a fair trial
When was the conservative / Liberal Democrats coalition ?
2010 - 2015 not many significant changes to constitution
What was the fixed term parliament act ?
2011 established a pattern of fixed general elections 2021 Johnson planned to replace act
What was the Scotland act 2012?
Gave Scottish government the power to change income tax up or down 10 pence. And allowed to borrow 2.2Bn per annum
What was the House of Lords act 2014 ?
halting the number of those eligible to sit and vote in the House of Lords.
What was the Wales act in 2014 ?
It was the UK governments response to the silk commons recommendation on further devolution
What was the recall of MPs act 2015 ?
2013 McKay commission recommended that only English Ops should be allowed to vote on English measures.
When was “ English votes for English laws “ first introduced ?
In 2015 as House Of Commons saw changes in standing order in 2015
What did the Scotland act in 2016 do ?
Meant that devolved institutions had power of income tax and gained 50% control of vat , levies.
