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Flashcards in Unit 2 Deck (26)
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1
Q

-What is the role of the cabinet?

A
  • Formalise/legitimise government policy
  • Deal with disputes
  • Deal with crisis/emergency situations
  • Where presentation of policy is presented
  • Business or parliament aligned with whips
2
Q

What is collective cabinet responsibility?

A
  • All members of government are collectively responsible for all government decisions and policies
  • Ministers that break CCR expected to resign or be dismissed
3
Q

How could the HOL be reformed?

A
  • Abolition
  • All appointed
  • Fully elected
  • Mixed elected and appointed
4
Q

What are benefits of abolishing the HOL?

A
  • Saves money
  • Streamlines process
  • Removes government obstructions
5
Q

What are benefits/drawbacks of appointing all the HOL?

A

+Knowledgeable people in politics
+More independent body
-Patronage in hands of government

6
Q

What are the benefits of a fully elected HOL?

A
  • Most democratic option
  • Members fully accountable
  • House has more authority
  • If PR, reflects party’s strengths
7
Q

What can be said about the representation of the HOL?

A

+Lords arguably more representative than commons as many groups represented
-Unelected so arguably representative of noone

8
Q

What are the functions of parliament?

A
  • Legislation
  • Scrutiny
  • Accountability
  • Representation
  • Rights protection
  • Redress of greivances
  • Debate
9
Q

What are some benefits/drawbacks of HOL public bill committees?

A

+many members have specialist knowledge and expertise
+Relatively independent. free of party control
-Amendments can be overturned

10
Q

What are some benefits/drawbacks of parliamentary committees?

A
\+act independently
\+Respected by policymakers
\+Can call ministers, civil servants, outsiders as witnesses in hearings 
-relatively little research backup
-cannot enforce their recommendations 
-Sometimes put under pressure by whips
11
Q

What are some benefits of the HOC public accounts committee?

A
  • Chair is opposition MP

- Highly respected by policy makers

12
Q

What are some benefits/drawbacks of HOC legislative committees?

A

+They can examine legislation in detail

  • Nearly always divided on party lines
  • Lack research back up
13
Q

What are some sources of the PM’s power?

A
  • Prerogative powers
  • Leader of governing party
  • Has some elective authority
  • Enjoys authority of parliament
14
Q

What are the PM’s prerogative powers?

A
  • Command and direct armed forces
  • Conduct foreign policy negotiations
  • Sign treaties
  • Appoint/dismiss govt ministers
  • Nominate for peerages
  • Speak on behalf of nation
15
Q

What are some factors in the government’s favour vs the HOC?

A
  • Govt. normally has a majority
  • Patronage an important factor
  • Govt. whips can make MPs support the government
16
Q

What are some factors in favour of the HOC against the government?

A
  • Commons can vote against government
  • Select committees tend to act independently to government
  • Govt must be accountable to HOC
17
Q

What is the rule of law?

A
  • All are equal under law
  • All are entitled to a fair trial if accused of a crime
  • The government is subject to laws and cannot exceed them
18
Q

What is parliamentary sovereignty?

A

Political principle where legal sovereignty resides in the national parliament, and isn’t shared with another body

19
Q

What is political sovereignty?

A

Where actual, practical power lies

20
Q

What are some examples of political sovereignty?

A
  • People at times of elections
  • People during referendums
  • Government when it controls a majority in the UK parliament
  • With devolved governments
21
Q

Why should the uk constitution be codified?

A
  • It would clarify the political system (devolution, HOL reform)
  • Process of judicial review would be clear and transparent
  • It would introduce clear protections for the rights of citizens
  • May prevent excessive executive power
  • It would be clear to all what is and isn’t constitutional
  • It would bring the UK into line with other modern democracies
22
Q

Why should the UK constitution NOT be codified?

A
  • Current constitution is flexible and adaptable to circumstances
  • It has stood the test of time
  • Lack of constitutional restraints allows for a strong and decisive government
  • Would give too much power to unelected judges
23
Q

What are some sources of the UK constitution?

A
  • Statute law
  • Common law
  • Works of authority
  • Conventions
  • EU law
24
Q

What are two key supreme court cases?

A
  • HMT vs Ahmed > Can’t freeze terror suspect assets

- 2005 Votes for prisoners > Govt. voted to ignore ECHR vote which said should be allowed

25
Q

How is the independence of judges protected?

A
  • Can’t be dismissed based on decisions
  • Salaries protected
  • When case is underway, politicians cannot comment on it
  • Judges appointed by judicial appointments committee
  • Senior judges forbidden from political participation
26
Q

What shows judges aren’t independent?

A
  • Parliament is sovereign, controls law
  • No entrenched constitution, no limits on government power
  • Ministers comment adversely on decisions