UK GOVERNMENT 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Questioning is a good form of parliamentary scrutiny? (3)

Not good?(3)

A

-from backbenchers in commons
-PMQ’s
speaker can raise urgent questions

-political theatre
‘friendly’ back benchers self-interested
-childish speaker intervene

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2
Q

Select committees good form of parliamentary scrutiny? (3)

Not good? (3)

A
  • interrogative, no notice of questioning
  • members are critical/independent
  • chairs well paid/independent
  • reports receive publicity
  • review problems after occurred
  • gov not obliged to act on advice given
  • ministers lots of support, MP little research support
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3
Q

What are other forms of scrutiny? (4)

A
  • legislative committees
  • vote of no confidence
  • grievances of constituencies
  • debating
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4
Q

What are the limits to backbenchers powers? (3)

Factors into voting? (4)

A
  • whips
  • resources
  • majority
  • ambition
  • keeping their seat
  • like PM’s agenda
  • dislike PM’s agenda
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5
Q

What are the 3 components to the executive?

Role ? (3)

A
  • PM
  • cabinet ministers
  • junior ministers

-proposing legislation
proposing budget
-running the country

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6
Q

What is the role of the cabinet? (5)

A
  • make formal decisions
  • coordinating government policy
  • providing a forum
  • managing parliamentary business
  • managing emergencies
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7
Q

Cabinet is still important? (7)

A
  • discusses strategy/goals
  • key decisions, have large departments
  • no PM survive no cabinet support
  • cabinet can overrule PM
  • only effective place to settle disputes
  • under coalition reconciles differences
  • deals with emergencies (cobra)
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8
Q

Cabinet not important? (6)

A
  • PM significant powers patronage
  • PM uses special advisors more
  • collective responsibility PM can silence
  • PM shapes agenda, meet less now
  • growth of cabinet committees way for PM bypass cabinet
  • cabinet untied by PM gives enormous power
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9
Q

Collective is responsibility necessary?

If you don’t agree you? e.g. Ian Duncan Smith

A
  • united front against opposition
  • inside cabinet private
  • binds gov
  • enhance PM power silence outside
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10
Q

What are the two forms of individual ministerial responsibility?

What are the 3 features of each?

A

legal

  • responsible for goings on in department
  • accurate info to parliament
  • PM decided how long minister remains in power

political

  • personal conduct
  • how serious issue is perceived
  • media response
  • PM responds to an issue
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11
Q

What are the 5 royal prerogative powers?

limits ?

A
  • patronage
  • make treaties with other countries
  • head of civil service
  • call an elections
  • deploy the military
  • ‘big beasts’ included (some rivals)
  • both ‘wings’ should be represented
  • botched re shuffles cause problems
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12
Q

What 7 things are looked for when selecting ministers?

A
  • close allies
  • ‘big beast’
  • ability
  • ideologically balanced (diff views)
  • political adversaries e.g. Boris
  • socially balanced
  • good parliamentarians (experience)
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13
Q

What are the 7 factors effecting PM’s powers?

A
  • personality
  • events
  • media
  • opposition
  • popular
  • majority
  • cabinet and party
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14
Q

What is the good (2)/bad(4) coalition gov when legislating?

A

GOOD

  • have solid majority
  • policies have additional authority support of 2 parties

BAD

  • vulnerable to rebellions
  • activism from House of Lords (they considered mandate to be weak)
  • potential breakdown for gov
  • had to consider backbench opinion (fragile)
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15
Q

When was the Supreme Court established and why?

What are the 4 roles of the Supreme Court?

A

2009, to ensure greater separation of powers rather than a ‘fusion’ with overlaps

  • final court of appeal
  • hear appeals on issues, arguable points of law
  • hear appeals civil/criminal cases
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16
Q

What did the constitutional reform act of 2005 do? (3)

A
  • created supreme court
  • removed lord chancellor as head of judiciary
  • established JAC for appointments
17
Q

Judicial neutrality is upheld (4)

A
  • appointment by JAC
  • set of professional ethics from experience
  • broaden, background/life experiences
  • legal precedent, prospect of appeal restrict influence of personal views
18
Q

Judicial neutrality not upheld (3)

A
  • demographically unrepresentative
  • ‘establishment’ seen to uphold status quo
  • growing judicial activism, lack neutrality
19
Q

Judicial independence upheld? yes(7) no(2)

A
  • lord chancellor
  • security of tenure
  • appointment
  • decisions
  • fixed salary
  • human rights act
  • supreme court
  • gov retains some role
  • ministers criticize judges ruling
20
Q

Rule of law? (4)

A
  • fair trial /no imprisonment
  • everyone obey the law and equal
  • public officials not above the law
  • judiciary must be independent
21
Q

Supreme Court is influential? (6)

A
  • can stop executive action
  • ‘final court of appeal’
  • increased awareness of citizens rights
  • judges influential comments on issues
  • reputation stand up for rights
  • freedom of info cases upheld publishing
22
Q

Supreme court not influential? (5)

A
  • cannot strike down statute law (even if go against ECHR)
  • not pro-active have to wait for cases
  • cannot make judgments beyond law
  • unelected
  • parliament sovereign judges no power
23
Q

Aims of EU? (7)

A
  • promote peace/scientific progress
  • offer freedom/security/justice
  • sustainable development
  • highly competitive market economy
  • combat social exclusion/discrimination
  • enhance economic/social/territorial cohesion
  • economic/monetary union
24
Q

What are the EU’s four freedoms?

A
  • free movement of workers
  • free movement of goods
  • free movement of capital
  • free movement of services
25
Q

What are the policies of the EU (4)

A
  • international trade
  • membership of single market
  • immigration policy
  • agriculture fisheries
26
Q

What features of impact of the EU on UK gov?(5)

A
  • rights
  • parties
  • devolution
  • sovereignty
  • public opinion
27
Q

What is legal sovereignty?

What is political sovereignty?

A

person or body who makes the laws are final, recognised/enforced by courts/executive

person or body who makes decisions in reality

28
Q

what are 5 things that limit parliamentary sovereignty ?

A
  • devolution
  • EU
  • referendums
  • executive dominance
  • human rights act