Parliamentary Sovereignty

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

Comes from A.V Dicey. According to Dicey there are three reasons why parliament can be seen as the supreme law making power in the UK.

Question 2

1. Parliament can pass a law on any subject matter.

Answer 2

For example during the COVID pandemic Parliament enacted legislation that literally kept everyone in the country in their houses during lockdown.

Question 3

2. No parliament can bind its successor

Answer 3

For example, our next Parliament could take the UK back into the EU.

Question 4

3. No court can question the legitimacy of Parliamentary law

Answer 4

For example a judge might not want to give a life sentence to a murderer. In
(R v Inglis) a mother killed out of compassion for her son. Despite the a judge not wanting to give a life sentence he would have to because of parliament’s decision to impose life sentences for murder