Uk Constitution

Question 1

Sources of the UK constitution

Answer 1

Statute laws
- Laws created by parliament
Common laws
- Laws passed down over years by judgements in courts
Royal Prerogative
- Remaining powers exercised by the monarch
- E.g. Rishi Sunak dissolution of parliament
Conventions
- Monarch invites the PM to form a government
Works of authority
- E.g. Cabinet Manual of 2010

Question 2

Principles of UK constitutions

Answer 2

Parliamentary Sovereignty
- Legal supremacy
Constitutional monarchy
- Parliamentary sovereignty under constitutional monarchy
Rule of law
- No one is above the law
Unitary state
- Power centralized

Question 3

Main themes of constitutional reform

Answer 3

• Modernisation
• Greater Democracy
• Devolution
• Human rights

Question 4

Modernization of political institutions Acts

Answer 4

• 1999 HOL Act
  Removed all but 92 hereditary peers
• 2005 Constitutional reform Act
  Created Supreme court
• 2014 HOL Act
  Allowed existing peers right to resign

Question 5

Greater democracy Acts

Answer 5

• 1997 Referendums(Scotland and Wales) Act
• 1999 Greater London Authority Act
  Elected mayor for London
• Fixed Term parliament Act 2011
  2/3 of parliament to call for early election

Question 6

Devolution Acts

Answer 6

1998 Scotland, Whales and Northern Ireland act

Question 7

Human Rights Acts

Answer 7

• 1998 Human Rights Act
  Incorporated ECHR into UK law
• 2012 Freedom of information Act
• 2010 Equality Act

Question 8

Evaluating post 1997 constitutional
changes

Answer 8

Modernisation
- HOL less conservative dominated
- Clear separation of judiciary
- HOL is still not elected
Democratisation
- Autonomy in cities
- Majority cities rejected proposal
Human Rights
- Supreme court upholding rights
Devolution
- Number of powers increased
- Support for England devolution not increased