Government & Politics Paper 1
1. UK Constitution 2. Parliament 3. The executive 4. The Judiciary 5. Devolution
6. Democracy and 7. Elections and 8. Political parties 9. Pressure groups 10. The European Union
Participation Referendums
1
,1. UK Constitution
2
,Nature of the UK Constitution
1. Uncodified 2. Unitary 3. Rule of law 4. Parliamentary
sovereignty
• more difficult for citizens to - power is derived in central - everyone is equally subject
understand their rights and government. to the laws – even - the constitution is what
how their political system government and ministers. parliament says it is
works. • parliament is sovereign, - AV Dicey: one of the ‘twin through statute law.
• easier to adapt, i.e. and therefore powerful. pillars’ of the Constitution. - another one of AV Dicey’s
through Acts of Parliament • regional devolved powers ‘twin pillars’.
– no complicated are delegated – not • ensures powers of the
procedure needed. permanent. government are limited. • flexible and easy to change
• would be acting ultra vires – can just pass a law.
i.e. beyond powers of the
land.
– need to reverse action,
i.e. Boris Johnson
proroguing parliament
2019. SC: unconstitutional.
3
,Sources of the UK Constitution
1. Statute law 2. Common law 3. Royal prerogative 4. Conventions
- Acts of Parliament. - legal precedence. - historic political powers of the - unwritten traditions that help the
- i.e. Great Reform Act 1832, Ballot - i.e. Magna Carta and other historical monarch ⟶ now PM. government and political activity to
Act 1872. documents. - i.e. deployment and size of run more smoothly.
- cover civil liberties and human rights monarch’s armed forces are decided - i.e. 1945 Salisbury Convention:
– i.e. HRA 1998 which incorporated • no precedence over statute law. by the government – not the Lords agreed to not delay policies
ECHR into law. • statute law can repeal/modify rights sovereign. contained in the governing party’s
granted under common law. i.e. manifesto.
• flexible and adaptable. statute laws that deal with • a way of the government extending
• trend is expanding and protecting compulsory purchase orders can its powers (democratic mandate?) • normally works well, i.e. enabled
democracy and individual rights, i.e. modify rights of property owners. • extended powers: PM alone giving David Cameron to have the first
full women’s suffrage 1928. honours (including peerage). chance to form a coalition
• rights can be removed – but ECHR • can be limited by Acts of Parliament, government after indecisive 2010
adds ‘double lock’. e.g. Fixed-term Parliaments Act result.
2011. • BUT not protected by anything
more substantial than tradition.
– need a shared understanding of
what it means – can’t be contested.
• when the Lords rejected the
People’s Budget 1909 and broke
convention ⟶ a constitutional crisis.
4
1. UK Constitution 2. Parliament 3. The executive 4. The Judiciary 5. Devolution
6. Democracy and 7. Elections and 8. Political parties 9. Pressure groups 10. The European Union
Participation Referendums
1
,1. UK Constitution
2
,Nature of the UK Constitution
1. Uncodified 2. Unitary 3. Rule of law 4. Parliamentary
sovereignty
• more difficult for citizens to - power is derived in central - everyone is equally subject
understand their rights and government. to the laws – even - the constitution is what
how their political system government and ministers. parliament says it is
works. • parliament is sovereign, - AV Dicey: one of the ‘twin through statute law.
• easier to adapt, i.e. and therefore powerful. pillars’ of the Constitution. - another one of AV Dicey’s
through Acts of Parliament • regional devolved powers ‘twin pillars’.
– no complicated are delegated – not • ensures powers of the
procedure needed. permanent. government are limited. • flexible and easy to change
• would be acting ultra vires – can just pass a law.
i.e. beyond powers of the
land.
– need to reverse action,
i.e. Boris Johnson
proroguing parliament
2019. SC: unconstitutional.
3
,Sources of the UK Constitution
1. Statute law 2. Common law 3. Royal prerogative 4. Conventions
- Acts of Parliament. - legal precedence. - historic political powers of the - unwritten traditions that help the
- i.e. Great Reform Act 1832, Ballot - i.e. Magna Carta and other historical monarch ⟶ now PM. government and political activity to
Act 1872. documents. - i.e. deployment and size of run more smoothly.
- cover civil liberties and human rights monarch’s armed forces are decided - i.e. 1945 Salisbury Convention:
– i.e. HRA 1998 which incorporated • no precedence over statute law. by the government – not the Lords agreed to not delay policies
ECHR into law. • statute law can repeal/modify rights sovereign. contained in the governing party’s
granted under common law. i.e. manifesto.
• flexible and adaptable. statute laws that deal with • a way of the government extending
• trend is expanding and protecting compulsory purchase orders can its powers (democratic mandate?) • normally works well, i.e. enabled
democracy and individual rights, i.e. modify rights of property owners. • extended powers: PM alone giving David Cameron to have the first
full women’s suffrage 1928. honours (including peerage). chance to form a coalition
• rights can be removed – but ECHR • can be limited by Acts of Parliament, government after indecisive 2010
adds ‘double lock’. e.g. Fixed-term Parliaments Act result.
2011. • BUT not protected by anything
more substantial than tradition.
– need a shared understanding of
what it means – can’t be contested.
• when the Lords rejected the
People’s Budget 1909 and broke
convention ⟶ a constitutional crisis.
4
