Unit 2 Governing The UK

Question 0

Constitutionalism

Answer 0

Constitutionalism is a principal that government operates within a set of constitutional rules and not in arbitrary fashion. The constitutional rules may be written or unwritten.

Question 1

A constitution

Answer 1

A constitution is a set of rules that establish and describe the distribution of power within a state, the procedures of government, the limits to government Power and rights of citizens as well as rules on citizenship and Constitutional amendment. A constitution maybe codified or uncodified, federal or unitary.

Question 2

Codified and Uncodified constitutions

Answer 2

Codified /Uncodified constitutions refer to a classification of constitutions into two types.
Codified constitutions are set down in a single constitution, have a single source, are entrenched and are superior to other laws.
Uncodified constitutions have multiple sources, do not appear in a single document and flexible.

Question 3

Unitary/Federal Constitution

Answer 3

Unitary/Federal constitutions refer to a classification of constitutions into two types. Unitary constitutions are where sovereignty or ultimate power lies in one central body. In federal constitutions, sovereignty is divided between the central authority and other, regional bodies such as the US states or provinces.

Question 4

Parliamentary sovereignty

Answer 4

Parliamentary sovereignty is a principle, fundamental to the British political system, that legal sovereignty lies with Parliament and that Parliament is the ultimate source of all political power.

Question 5

Quasi federalism

Answer 5

Quasi federalism is an expression which suggests that the devolution process looks effectively like federalism, but is not federalism specifically because no sovereignty has been divided.

Question 6

Pooled sovereignty

Answer 6

Pooled sovereignty is a term used to describe how legal sovereignty within the European Union is shared amongst members.

Question 7

Devolution

Answer 7

Devolution is a process of transferring power from the UK Parliament and government to regional governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This does not represent any transfer of sovereignty.

Question 8

Elective dictatorship

Answer 8

Elective dictatorship is a description of how the executive (government) branch in the British political system is dominant to such an extent that it has been described as a ‘dictatorship’.

Question 9

Bicameralism

Answer 9

Bicameralism describes the situation where parliament has two chambers. The UK is bicameral.

Question 10

Parliament

Answer 10

Parliament is also known as the legislature. A parliament is a body that has several roles, including:
legitimising legislation, 
passing laws, 
scrutinising and amending legislation, 
calling government to account, 
representing voters and other groups,  
controlling governmental power. 
The UK Parliament has sovereignty – ultimate power. The Scottish Parliament performs a similar role in Scotland but is not sovereign.

Question 11

Representative and responsible government

Answer 11

Representative and responsible government is a description of the British polity which simply suggests that the people are represented by both Parliament and government, and that government is constantly held responsible for its actions by Parliament.

Question 12

Accountability

Answer 12

Accountability is the device whereby the government is accountable to Parliament, meaning it must make itself available for criticism and must justify its policies to Parliament. Ultimately, the government may be removed by Parliament. Accountability can also refer to the fact that elected representatives are answerable to their electorates.

Question 13

Westminster model

Answer 13

The Westminster model is a description of the British central political system, which is used more rarely today. It describes the fact that Parliament is the central representative body, that all power flows from Parliament and that the government is accountable to Parliament. It also means that members of the government have to be drawn from Parliament.

Question 14

Cabinet government

Answer 14

Cabinet Government refers to the idea that the cabinet is the central decision-making body and lies at the heart of government. Many argue that it has been replaced by prime ministerial government.

Question 15

Core executive

Answer 15

Core executive is the name for the collective identity of central government. It compromises of the prime minister, cabinet, other ministers, senior advisors and senior civil servants.

Question 16

Political leadership

Answer 16

Political leadership is a general term applying to all those who hold senior positions in government. It applies mostly to party leaders, ministers and other senior advisors.

Question 17

Prime ministerial government

Answer 17

Prime ministerial government is the idea that central government is now dominated by the Prime Minister to such a degree that the term ‘prime ministerial’ should be applied.

Question 18

Collective responsibility

Answer 18

Collective responsibility is the principle that all government ministers are collectively responsible for all decisions of the government. It also means that ministers must publicly support all official policy or resign or face dismissal.

Question 19

Individual responsibility

Answer 19

Individual responsibility is the principle that each minister is responsible for the work of his or her department and must account for all its policies and decisions. With serious errors are made, the Minister may be required to resign. It also means that ministers may be obliged to resign for matters of personal misconduct.