politics

• what is pillar one of the constitution

  the rule of law

  • no one is above the law
  • equality before the law
  • the law is always applied
  • judges are impartial and non-political
• what is pillar two of the constitution

  parliamentary sovereignty

  • parliament is competent to pass laws on any subject
  • parliament's laws can regulate the activities of anyone, anywhere
  • parliament cannot bind its successors to the content, manner and form of subsequent legislation
  • laws passed by parliament cannot be challenged by the courts
• magna carta 1215

  established equality of the rule of law and accountability of leaders
• bill of rights 1689

  parliament is sovereign and has the final say on legislation and finances

  • protected freedom of speech in parliament, free election of MPs
• act of settlement 1701

  established rules of succession to the throne and monarch's position as ruler of the whole of the UK
• acts of union 1701

  abolished Scottish parliament
• parliament acts 1911 and 1949

  House of Lords lost powers to regulate public finance, could no longer veto proposed legislation and only delay for two years

  delay period then reduced to one year
• the European communities act 1971

  brought UK into European Community (EU)
• House of Lords Act 1999

  reduced number of hereditary peers to 92

  • less elitist and much more professional and knowledgeable
  • still unelected
• Human Rights Act 1998


  incorporated the European Convention of Human Rights into UK law

  • rights are clearer and more accessible, but not entrenched
  • allows judges to carry out judicial review
  • provides too great protection
• Freedom of Information Act 2000


  gave public right of access to information held by public authorities

  • better transparency, improved accountability
  • costly, journalists fishing for stories