politics Unit 2

what is a constitution?

a set of written or unwritten principles, that set out the rules and regulations of a country

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what is entrenchment?

something that protects a constitution from short term ammendments

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what is codification?

a written constitution would be codified

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describe the UK constitution:

uncodified, unentrenched

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benefits to sticking to UK constitution:

flexibility-if needed laws can be changed quickly, uncodification gives elected representatives effective power to make decisions, not an unelected judiciary, if it ain't broke don't fix it,

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drawbacks to sticking to the UK constitution:

too easy for a PM to pass laws, needs to be changed to modernise it, the PM could have too much power and abuse it (Blair 1997), codification would make constitution clear and makes it easier for citizens to know their rights + duties

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examples of amendments to the UK constitution

Freedom of information Act-2000 (gave public access info held by public authorities), Belmarsh Human rights Act 2004 (suspected terrorists only held 28 days without trial), Lisbon treaty-2009 (made more reforms to the EU)

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examples of reforms after 1997:

Scottish devolution 1997 (Scott parliament/powers over health, environment + education), EU convention Human Rights adopted in 2000(freedom of speech, freedom to protest), first Mayor of london 1999(Ken livingston), House Lords reform 1997

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explain sources of the UK constitution:

Common Law(use of laws through historical+ traditional use, e.g.freedom of movement+ right to protest),Conventions(customs not enforacble by law,e.g.monarch granting royal assent to legislation),Act of parliament(creates/amends law ->

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e.g. Parliament act 1949 the Lords powers of delay were reduced to 1 year

...

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what is the Salsbury convention?

states that the house of lords should not reject bills who's subject matter has already been mentioned in the governing parties manifesto (2015/16 Lords rejected tax credits which featured in the Conservatives manifesto)

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discuss the view that Parliament is no longer truly sovereign:

referendums, EU, devolution, landslide majority 1997

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reform of the British Constitution remains unfinished business:

House of Lords reform, representation in the house of commons, electoral system, further devolution

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has post 2010 constitutional reform failed?

YES-AV referendum 2011 defeated, lords reform bill withdrawn 2012,two out of 12 largest cities got mayors,reduction of commons to 600MPs aborted 2013 NO-scotland act 2012, recalls of MP 2015, backbench buisness 2010,why make things hard

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to what extent hve constitutional reforms introduced since 1997 made the UK more democratic?

house of lords(got rid of hereditary peers, but still unelected) ,devolution(more democratic Scotland has power, but west lothian question),human rights (but not entrenched),fixed term parliament 2011 (5 years creates stability,B bad PM not accountab

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politics Unit 2

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