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Politics Unit 2 > Topic 1 The Constitution > Flashcards

Topic 1 The Constitution Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 5 main functions of a Constitution?

A
  • distributes power
  • establishes processes of gov
  • est civil rights and freedoms
  • est who is citizen and how to become one
  • est how it can be amended
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2
Q

What are 2 examples of processes of gov that the constitution establishes?

A

Electoral system
Legislative process

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3
Q

How can the uk constitution be amended?

A

New laws

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4
Q

What are 2 examples of civil rights and freedoms the uk constitution has established?

A

Freedom of speech
HRA

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5
Q

What are the 3 U’s that make up the nature of the Uk Constitution?

A
  • uncodified
  • unentrenched
  • unitary
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6
Q

What does uncodified mean?

A

Not found in single document, variety of sources

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7
Q

What does the Uk Constitution being unitary mean?

A

Legal sovereignty in one place - Parliament

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8
Q

Why has the Uk become more quasi-federal?

A

Devolution

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9
Q

What does the Uk Constitution being unentrenched mean?

A

Flexible (changed easily) - no safeguards protect constitutional law

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10
Q

What are the 2 ‘twin pillars’ of the Uk Constitution?

A
  • Parliamentary sovereignty
  • rule of law
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11
Q

What are the 5 main sources of the Uk Constitution?

A
  • parliamentary statutes
  • constitutional conventions
  • common law
  • authoritative works
  • treaties
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12
Q

What are 3 examples of parliamentary statutes?

A
  • HRA 1998
  • EU Withdrawal Act 2020
  • fixed term parliament act 2011
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13
Q

What are constitutional conventions?

A

Unwritten principles that are considered binding

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14
Q

What are 2 examples of constitutional conventions?

A
  • Salisbury convention
  • use of referendums to decide constitutional issues
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15
Q

What is the Salisbury convention?

A

HOL mustn’t obstruct proposal from govs last election manifesto

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16
Q

What is common law?

A

Laws est through courts and maintained by judges

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17
Q

What are authoritative works?

A

Written documents to support running of country

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18
Q

What is an example of an authoritative work?

A

2010 coalition agreement - set out rules and process for forming coalition gov

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19
Q

What are treaties?

A

International agreements - become binding on Uk

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20
Q

What is an example of a treaty?

A

Lisbon Treaty 2009 - increased areas of responsibility for EU

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21
Q

What did the Magna Carta 1215 establish?

A

Rule of law

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22
Q

When was the bill of rights?

A

1689

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23
Q

What did the bill of rights 1689 establish?

A

Sovereignty of parliament (over monarch)

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24
Q

When was the act of settlement?

A

1701

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25
What did the **act of settlement 1701 establish**?
**Right of parliament** to **decide line of succession**
26
In what **2 ways** did **David Cameron amend** the **act of settlement** in **2011**?
- **gave daughters equal rights** with **sons** in **succession** - **removed ban** on **catholic spouses**
27
When was the **act of union**?
**1707**
28
What did the **act of union 1707 do**?
**United England and Scotland** under name **Great Britain**
29
When were the **Parliament Acts**?
**1911** and **1949**
30
What did the **1911 act of parliament do**?
**Reduced power** of **HOL** to **block bills**
31
What did the **1949 act of parliament do**?
**Further reduced HOL delaying bills** to **1 year**
32
What did the **Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 establish**?
**Dominance of HOC**
33
What were the **6 stages** of the **development** of the **Constitution before 1997**?
**Magna Carta 1215** **Bill of rights 1689** **Act of settlement 1701** **Act of union 1707** **Parliament acts 1911** and **1949** **European communities act 1972**
34
When was the **European communities act**?
**1972**
35
What did the **European communities act 1972 do**?
**Brought UK into EU**
36
What were the **4 aims** of **New Labour** to **reform the constitution**?
- **democracy** (make uk more democratic) - **modernisation** - **decentralise power** - improve **human rights**
37
What were the **5 constitutional reforms** carried out between **1997 and 2010**?
**HOL reform 1999** **Electoral reforms 1998** **Devolution 1998** **HRA 1998** **Supreme Court 2005**
38
When was the **HOL reform**?
**1999**
39
What was the **name** of the **legislation** for the **HOL reform**?
**HOL Act**
40
What did the **HOL reform do**?
Left only **92 hereditary peers** **Mostly appointed chamber** (by PM)
41
When was the **electoral reform**?
**1998**
42
What were the **3 pieces of legislation under Electoral reform and devolution**?
**Scotland act** **Wales act** **Northern Ireland act**
43
What did the **electoral reform 1998 introduce**?
**New electoral systems**, **STV** in **Northern Ireland**, **AMS** in **Wales** and **Scotland**
44
When was **devolution**?
**1998**
45
When was the **HRA**?
**1998**
46
What did the **HRA do**?
**Bought ECHR** into **UK law- binding**
47
When was the **supreme court reform**?
**2005**
48
What was the **piece of legislation** for the **supreme court reform**?
**Constitutional reform act**
49
What did the **Supreme Court reform 2005 do**?
**Senior judges removed** from **HOL**- **fully independent Supreme Court**
50
What were the **2 reforms under the coalition government 2010 - 15**?
**Fixed term parliaments act 2011** **Further devolution to wales 2012**
51
When was the **fixed term parliaments act**?
**2011**
52
What did the **fixed term parliaments act 2011 do**?
**Elections** at **5 year intervals** **Exceptions approved** by **2/3 parliament majority**
53
When was **further devolution** given to **Wales**?
**2012**
54
What was the **piece of legislation** for **further devolution to wales**?
**Government of wales act**
55
What were the **3 reforms** of the **constitution since 2015**?
**EU Withdrawal** **Further devolution to Scotland** **Devolution to cities**
56
What were **2 constitutional reforms since 2015** that **followed a referendum**?
**Further devolution to Scotland** **EU Withdrawal**
57
When was **further devolution** given to **Scotland**?
**2016**
58
When was **devolution given to cities** (**metro regions created**)?
**2017-21**
59
What is an **example** of a **metro region**?
**Manchester**
60
What did the **creation of metro regions do**?
**Elected mayors** and **local authorities** granted **considerable powers**

Politics Unit 2 (3 decks)

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