constitutional reform evidence Flashcards
What was the “West-Lothian question”
anomaly that Scottish MPs at Westminster were able to vote on purely English matters, yet English MPs had
no influence over issues devolved to the Scottish parliament.
What did the Human Rights Act do?
In cooperated the European Convention for Human Rights (ECHR) into UK Statute law
What did the Human Rights Act 1998 do ? (2)
All future legislation had to be compatible with the ECHR.
Judges couldn’t strike down incompatible laws BUT could highlight such legislation for amendment with parliament
What did the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act do ?
Led to the creation of the Supreme Court
What was prior to the Supreme court?
Senior judges known as Law Lords, sitting in the House of Lords
Why was the Supreme Court created?
Example of the Separation of powers, different branches of government being separate from each other
Constitutional reforms that enhanced democracy (5)
-House of Lords reform 1999
-Reforms in the HoC
-Electoral reform
-Recall
-English votes for english laws
Reforms that enhanced rights (2)
-Human Rights Act 1998
-Freedom of Education Act 2000
Reforms that modernised the system:
Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011
Constitutional Reform Act 2005
Reforms that decentralised power (4)
-Devolution
-Elected mayors
-Exiting the EU
-Police and crime commissioners
What are the different types of reform (4)
-Enhance democracy
-Enhance rights
-decentralize power
-modernize the system
How many hereditary peers were kept in 1999 reforms
92 hereditary lords
Which commission appointed peers who were not part of a political party
2000- HoL Appointments Commission
Convention that was ignored
-Parliament’s right to vote before taking military action
IGNORED by Theresa May in 2018 on plans to make Syrian Air Strikes
Convention that was made into law
2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act
