1.3 Parliament Flashcards
does parliament remain sovereign?
- increase in number of referendums and role of the EU
- significance of devolution
- the supreme court and judicial lawfare
is parliament effective in its representative function?
- descriptive representation (make up of parliament)
- whips vs constituents (ultimately the trustee model over the delegate)
- alternative forms of representation) private members bills and e-petitions
is parliament effective in its legislative function?
- the importance of a parliementary majority
- the role of scrutiny
- the role of the House of Lords (has it become more defiant)
does the commons need reform?
- paragraph on past reforms
- the effectiveness of representation
- the effectiveness of its legislative function
- the effectiveness of its scrutiny function
has devolution been successful?
yes
- answered demands for greater autonomy
- policy divergences reflect different needs and interests
- it has delivered peace in NI after 30 years of instability
no:
- caused policy divergences
- fragile in NI
- there are unequal devolved powers
- it has not reduced demands for separation
should the UK become a federal state?
yes:
- would resolve anomalies like the West Lothian question (devolution examples)
- the house of lords coul become a chamber representing the component nations of the UK or be abolished making parliament more democratic (Lords reforms examples)
- the status of Westminster parliament would be clarified (parliamentary sovereignty examples)
no:
- federalism works best in states where there is not a dominant nation
- an english parliament would rival the Westminster one and cause tensions
- there is little popular demand for it, devolution is still the preferred consitutional position
should there be devolution to English regions?
yes:
- it would enhance democracy and regional assemblies would take over from unelected quangos
- it would address the differing interests of the English regions
- regional assemblies could act as a catalyst for economic and cultural regeneration (failure of levelling up)
no:
- local government in England is already sufficient
- there is little public support for a regional government
should the constitution be codified?
- it lacks clarity and relies too much on conventions BUT it allows flexibility
- human rights are not entrenched BUT it would give too much power to unelected judges
- it would set the necessary limits on state power BUT there are already sufficient limitations
different types of scrutiny and accountability in parliament?
- backbench MPs
- parliamentary questions
- select committees
- the opposition
what are the roles of the Prime Minister
- patronage powers
- authority within cabinet
- public standing
- policy making input
what are checks on the Prime Ministers power?
parliament:
- the size of the governments majority
- the role of backbench MPs
- the role of ministers
- the role of scrutiny
the supreme court:
- the significance of the creation of the SC
- the impact of the ECHR in UK courts
- increased judicial activity against the executive
- limits to SC power
has the Prime Minister become more Presidential?
- they face significantly more attention than in the past and are expected to shape policy agenda
- they are moving away from their cabinet/ministers
- they still require the support of their party, ministers and backbench MPs
ministerial responsibility
individual:
- mistakes made within departments
- policy failure
- personal misconduct
collective:
- features of collective responsibility (binding decisions, secrecy, confidence vote)
- exceptions to collective responsibility (temporary suspension during referendums, coalitions, free votes)
does the supreme court remain independent and neutral?
neutrality:
- efforts taken to ensure judicial neutrality
- lack of diversity in the Supreme Court
- the result of unconscious bias
independence:
- politicisation as the court independence from political interference and/or control
- politicisation as the supreme court trying to play a more active role in politics
is there effective UK rights protection?
the supreme court:
- the role of new labour
- increase interference from the SC over rights
parliament:
- historic rights protection
- successes today
- setbacks
collective v individual:
- parliament trying to protect collective, the supreme court trying to protect individual
- how to reconcile majority rights with minority ones
- the role of COVID
