Uk gov

• Magna Carta (1215) - limited the power of the monarch
• Bill of Rights (1689) - Parliament became sovereign
• Act of Settlement (1701) - Established monarch's succession
• Acts of Union (1707) - Abolished the Scottish Parliament; reinstated in 1988
• Parliament Act (1911) - Removed House of Lords veto power and reduced suspension of bills to 2 years
• Parliament Act (1949) - reduced House of Lords suspension of laws to 1 year
• European Communities Act (1972) - Brought the UK into the EEC
• European (Notification of Withdrawal) Act (2017) - Withdrew the UK from the EU
• Human Rights Act (1998) - Brought the provisions of the ECHR into UK law
• Scotland Act (1998) - Legislative and tax-raising powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament
• Government of Wales Act (1998) - Executive and administrative powers devolved to the Welsh Assembly (now called the Welsh Parliament)
• Northern Ireland Act (1998) - legislative powers devolved to the Northern Irish Assembly
• Greater London Authority Act (1999) - gave the GLA legislative powers to make decisions on transport, housing, policing and education
• House of Lords Act (1999) - Removed all but 92 hereditary peers from the House of Lords
• Referendum on Alternative Vote (2011) - never implemented because there was no demand for it
• Constitutional Reform Act (2005) - introduced the Supreme Court. Changed the role of the Lord Chancellor from being seated in all 3 branches of Parliament to Justice Secretary
• Statute law - made by parliament
• Common law - made by the judiciary, based on precedent and case law
• Conventions - Rule of conduct, and rules of behavior
• Works of Constitutional Authority - Interpreters of law (e.g. The English Constitution (1867) Bagehot)
• EU laws and Treaties - took precedent over parliamentary sovereignty
• Pillars of the British Constitution - Parliamentary sovereignty and rule of law
• Strengths of UK Constitution

  • Flexibility
  • Democratic
  • Effective government
  • History and Tradition
• Weaknesses of UK Constitution

  • Uncertainty
  • Elective dictatorship
  • Centralisation
  • Weak protection of rights
• Blair’s reforms

  • devolved assemblies gain democratic legitimacy
  • enthusiasm for reform soon faded
  • No coherent goals
  • failed to deal with deeper problems
• Brown’s Reforms (2007-2010)

  • Hoped to limit PMs power to appoint ministers
  • Under increasing pressure from all sides
  • most reforms came to nothing
• Recall of MPs - If 10% of constituents vote to recall their MP (after they have been sanctioned by the House), a by-election is called
• Elected mayors - lack of tax-raising powers, lack of autonomy from central government and has relatively low levels of public engagement (low voter turnout)
• Fixed Term Parliament Act (2011) - The government can only serve a maximum of 5 years in office, repealed in 2022
• Elected Police Commissioners - local elections to the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), makes policing more accountable (low voter turnout)
• Extension of Scottish and Welsh Devolution (2014) - Scotland given additional powers following 2014 independence referendum. In Wales, more legislative powers were given
• Parliamentary Reform - Select committee chairs now selected by the House, not the whips, and backbench business day
• Strengths of a codified constitution:

  • Limited government
  • Judges become 'guardians of the constitution'
• Weaknesses of a codified constitution:

  • Leads to 'tyranny of the judges'
  • Limited governments can be achieved via other means
• Effectiveness of constitutional reform since 1997:

  • Improve democratic legitimacy and accountability
  • Decentralise power from Westminster
  • Provide better protection for human rights
  • Update constitutional arrangements
• West Lothian Question - Constitutional anomaly which occurred from devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not England. This imbalance is used to criticise devolution as unfair , or call for English devolution (EVEL)
• Salisbury Convention - The House of Lords cannot oppose legislation that was set out in the governing Party's manifesto
• Freedom of Information Act - Allows citizens access to information held by public authorities
• How to get into the House of Lords:

  • Life Peers - Politically appointed by PM
  • Hereditary Peers - Inherited title (92)
  • Spiritual Peers - Archbishops and senior bishops of Church of England (26)
• 326 seats are needed for a Party to form a majority government