Week 1 - British Constitution Flashcards
just about all countries have a
written constitution
a written constitution forms
the basic or supreme laws of the state
in constitutional states all other laws are
subordinate to the constitution
Britain doesn’t have a
written constitution
Britain doesn’t have a single written document
the body of rules that govern our political system are to be found in black letter law
the British constitution and its democratic traditions were formulated over
several centuries
the laws that form the basis of our constitution have several sources
Statute
Treaties
The Common Law
Constitutionally Binding Conventions
Statute
laws made by parliment
Treaties
the uk is signatory to many national and supra-national treaties
what treaties have the UK signed?
European Union treaties and charters
World trade agreements
Climate change accords
some of the treaties signed by the UK bind
UK administrations while others need to be ratified by Parliament
The common law
the ancient law of england based upon societal customs and recognised and enforced by the judgements and decrees of the courts
Sovereignty in the United Kingdom vests in
parliament
devolved institutions in the UK have
limited sovereignty
at the moment the UK’s sovereignty is limited by
its membership to the European Union
what did William Gladshone say?
the american constitution is the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man
when was the United States Constitution retified?
1789
its unusual that since the United States Constitution has remained
largely unchanged
written constitutions are
hard to change
because written constitutions are difficult to change
this has its advantages and its disadvantages
Amendments to the US Constitutions
the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (1865) the abolition of slavery
the US constitution prevents
change
the UK constitution allows
change
the United States of America is a
federal state
a federal nation is one that has
self governing states (these have limited sovereignty)
the US was found by a
federal constitution
other federations
India and South Africa
Devolved institutions
the UK is governed centrally
how is the UK governed centrally
by MPs at the house of commons
UK powers are devolved to
The Scottish Parliament
The Welsh Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly
devolution does not equate to
independence for the devolved nations
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may have devolved governments but
they remin within the UK and are govered in the main by the UK parliaments - most of the power remains in Westminister
Supra-national bodies
the european union is neither a federal nor unitary state
the european union retains
limited sovereign (law making) powers over all its member states
