Theme B Flashcards
the role of the monarch in parliament
symbol of great Britain
gives medals to Honorable people
formally opens and close parliament yearly
gives speeches
meets leaders and foreign guest
royal assent (signs every bill)
house of commans role in Parliament
debates big issues (e.g refuge crisis)
proposes and make laws
questions and challenges government
keep a check on government spending
cabinet
prime minister appoints 20 senior ministers
they lead important departments
economy
transport
education
health
house of lords role in parliament
800 members (26 bishops and 92 bishop )
life peers ( for knowledge and experience )
role
- question / challenge gov
review law passed
role of mps
represent there party
themselves
constituency
party whip
ensures members to attend votes as leaders desire
if remember define the leader the consequences are
dismissed from their job
returning back to the back bench
7 stages of passing a bill
first reading
second reading
commit stage
report stage
third reading
house of lords
royal assent
how a bill becomes an ACT
government puts out a green paper for new ideas for law
once finalised it becomes a white paper (this lays out the gov policy )
to turn policy into law it must be introduced in the form of bill
once through all 7 stages it becomes ACT of parliament
constituency
uk is divide into 650 areas
each area elects an mp to represent them in the house of commans
what is FPTP system
voting system first past the post system
overall majority wins
used for general elections
PROS/ CONS of FPTP system
pros
familiarity
easily counted
extremist parties cant win
cons
lots of votes are wasted
smaller parties cant win
proportional representation
number of seats is proportional to its national share of votes
PROS/CONS of proportional representation
PROS
less votes are wasted
more smaller parties would be more likely to win
more choice in candidate
CONS
to complex
more coalitions
more extremist parties in parliament
define council
what they do
what is ot
made up of local people making decisions for local services
town is split up into wards an a Councillor represents that ward in parliament
departments they take care of
housing
social/health care
leisure facilities
what is a referendum
when the government ask people to vote and make a decision on an issue with a yes/no
pros and cons of referendums
pros
increase citizens participation
cons
emotional voting can lead to irrational decision making
previous referendums
leaving Eu yes
devolution no
changing voting system yes
Scottish independence no
mps role in referendums
given a free vote (taken with Concepcion and choice )
presure grouops would uslay try and persuader tehm and influnce there decision
what is the Constitution
is a set of rules that;
Seek to establish the duties, powers and
functions of the various institutions of
government
why is Constitution important
makes sure the government dose not abuse its power and become corrupt
whats the main features of the uks Constitution
Parliamentary sovereignty (supreme unrestricted power )
Uncodified ( not confined to one document )
Unitary ( power lies in central body parliament )
fusion in power ( This is where the executive branch and legislative branch of government intermingle. ) ( e.gDavid Cameron is both a member of the legislative branch (MP for Witney) and the executive branch (Prime Minister)
flexible - change can be made easily without lengthy procedures e.g parliament pass new laws
why do people not vote
safe seates
young people are ot engaged
two main parties are always winning
define canvasing
people trying to persuader others to vote for their party
what is devolution
transfer of power from central gov to regional gov
central/regional gov
UK Parliament ( Central )
Scottish parliament
northern Ireland I(assembly)
welsh assembly
