Paper 2 Flashcards
(133 cards)
1
Q
What does the US require to make an amendment
A
2/3rds majority congress
3/4 of state legislatures
2
Q
Manga carter
A
1215
3
Q
Bill of rights
A
1689
4
Q
Act of settlement
A
1701
5
Q
Acts of union
A
1707
6
Q
Parliaments acts
A
1911 and 1949
7
Q
Freedom of information act
A
2000
8
Q
What is a good example of a book that contributes to our constitution
A
Erskine May’s Parliamentary Practice 1844
9
Q
What did the 1999 HoL reform do
A
Reduced herediytory lords to 92
10
Q
What did a 2015 act do
A
Allowed MPs to be called for a by-election by constituency
11
Q
What and when did the HRA mean
A
1998
Meant that there was access to ECHR in uk courts
12
Q
Fixed terms parliament act
A
2011, fixed terms to every 5 years
13
Q
How many e petitions were there just after they were introduced
A
36,000 in the first year
14
Q
What did the Scotland act 1998 do
A
Gave primary and income tax varying powers of +/- 3p
15
Q
What did the Scotland act 2012 do
A
Gave small extension +/- 10p
16
Q
What did the Scotland act 2016 do
A
Extended powers even more eg transport energy vat etc
17
Q
What did the wales act 1998 do
A
Gave secondary legislative to legislate
18
Q
What did the wales act 2006 do
A
Provided for an additional referendum
19
Q
What was the result of the 2011 wales referendum
A
‘Yes’ to lawmaking powers in 20 devolved areas
20
Q
What did wales act 2014 do
A
Minor tax powers and referendum on income varying powers
21
Q
What did wales act 2017 do
A
Provided for reserved powers model and gave income tax varying powers +/- 10p
22
Q
What did the NI act 1998 do
A
Based on Belfast agreement created assembly and gave powers to legislate
23
Q
What/when was the St Andrews agreement
A
2006 renewed devolution
24
Q
What did the corporations tax (NI) act do
A
2015
Gave devolved powers to set corporation tax
25
In 2000 what did Blair establish
London mayor
26
When did Bristol elect a mayor and what also happened about mayors that year
2012
9 other cities rejected them
27
When were metro mayors elected
2017
28
Why was devolution good?
Secured peaceful environment in NI for 27 ish years
Previously 30 yrs troubles with 78,000 dead
29
What is an example of low turnout
PCC 15%
30
HOW MANY LORDS did liz truss place for every day in power
1.5
31
Since 1999 what have lords become
An effective check on executive dominated commons
32
How much can lords claim a day
£300
33
What did the committee led by Lord burns suggest 2017
Reduce lords top 600 in 10 years maintain until 2047
Restrict new peers by 15 year terms
Appointed in relation to a party’s success
34
Neto’s many times was may defeated in the lords when over what
14 times April-June 2018 on EU withdrawal bill
35
What was mays working majority
Just 13
36
How easily could may be undermined
7 unhappy conservatives/ DUP could undermine her
37
When did coalition MPs rebel
35% of votes - most rebellious in post war era
38
When did Blair get his rebellion
2005, backbenchers defeated his plans to extend detention of terrorist suspects to 90 days
39
In 2024 what happened to 7 labour MPs
Whip suspended as they rebelled against the two child benefit cap
40
Give two examples of backbenchers bringing debates over current issues
London riots 2011
Another current issue debated (tho it may be bcos of e-petition) Isreal Palestine 2025
41
Give an example of PMs mot really doing military intervention without parliament
2013 Cameron wanted military action in Syria but it was defeated 285-272
42
What % of parliament is made up of ethnic minorities rn
14%
43
How many female MPs are there rn
263- 41% of parliament
44
Giles examples of socia;l media putting pressure on MPs to debate issues
Gay marriage legislation 2012, air strikes Syria 2016
45
Govce examples of free votes where MPs can listen to constituent views
2013 marriage (sscouples) act. 136 cON MPs VOTED AGAINST and 40 abstained
46
Since when can lords delay for a year a bill
1949
47
What manifesto pledge could the lords not reject (usually they can reject manifesto pledges )
2010 coalition agreement- wasn’t legislation
48
Give examples of the lords providing the govt with ministers
Peter Mandelson and David Cameron (2024)
49
how many times did the lords defeat the govt over EU withdrawal bill 2018
14
50
In 2024 hoe many trikes did the lords defeat commons
38- 7 concerning Rwanda bill
51
Between 2010-2015 what did the lords defeat commons over
- reforms to constituency boundaries
- NHS
And more…
52
Give an example of lords being appointed because of their expertise
Baron Timpson bcos they famously employ ex-convicts
53
Give an example of the lords delaying a bill for a year
2004 hunting bill
54
Give an example of lords amendments being rejected
2012. Lords gamer 7 amendments to welfare reform act. All were defeated.
55
What is the Salisbury convention
Lords dont vote down legislation that was part of a party’s manifesto
56
Give an example of a health committee having grown in size and influence
Health committee- brought change to the coalitions health and social care bill
57
Give an example of pMQs being really effective
2017 Jeremy Corbyn, used PMQs to effectively overturn the premium rate num,bet used to call universal credit
58
When were public bill committees strengthened
2007
59
What/ when was the backbench bisuness committee
2010
Backbenchers can now choose the topic of debate for 35 days
60
Since 2007 what’s happened to backbenchers
They’ve become more independent.
61
What did the wright reforms do to some backbenchers
Removed whips power over some
62
Who’s the speaker of the house rn
Lindsay Hoyle
63
Give an example of Westminster handling emergencies
2017 Westminster attacks
64
How many main cabinet committees are there
25
65
Give an example of some cabinet committees
- national security council
- home affairs committee
- scotland committee
66
In some situations cabinetry makes key decisions- give an example
Whether to hold an election in 2017
67
Give an example of a cabinet member who is powerful in their own right
Chancellor of the exchequer
68
Give an example of a cabinet having large influence
Mays cabinet 2017
69
Give an example of a cabinet being able to overrule or remove a PM
Thatchers cabinet
70
Give an example of a MP resigning because of CMR
March 2016 Ian Duncan Smith (resigned as secstate work and pensions)
71
Gove an example of CMR not seeming to work great
2017 Mays cabinet- appeared to be in civil war.
72
Why did ,as cabinet seem to be at civil war
Chancvellor Phillip Hammond, Brexit secretary david Davis and foreign secretary boris Johnson aired differences over Brexit
73
Details of this disagreement mays 2017 cabinet
Hammond claimed that there was broad consensus over free movement ending in name only but Liam fox dismissed these claims
Vince Cable then claimed cabinet was in ‘civil war’
74
Give an example of legal IMR and define
Ministers responsible for all that happens in their dept
- David Cameron resigned as PM after they voted leave
75
Why did amber Rudd resign in 2018
Resigned as home secretary for misleading parliament about targets abiout illegal immigration.
76
Give an example of someone remaining in a position despite (legal) IMR being kinda broken
Jeremy Hunt remained as Home Secretary despite claims that his closeness to Murdoch was biased.
77
Why does IMR only really depend on how the PM views it
In 2002 Morris resigned as edusec because she failed to meet targets
In 2012 May remained homesec despite confusion over deadlines concerning appeals over Qatadas deportation to Jordan
78
Give a classic example of IMR political responsibility being broken
In 2014 ImmigrationMin Mark Harper resigned because his cleaner didnt have position to work in the uk.
79
Why did MP Brooks Newmark resign (IMR)
In 2014 because a newspaper reported that he sent an explicit image of himself to an undercover reporter.
80
When was IMR and CMR reinterpreted
Under coalition
- Vince cable decided he’d ‘declared war’ on Murdoch
- CMR was suspended over AV referendum
- LibDems were also allowed to oppose Govt on Trident renewal and nuclear power stations.
81
When was a royal prerogative removed
2011 fixed terms parliament act
82
Give an example of PMs selecting people that may be close and supported their rise to power
Gordon Brown appointing Ed Balls
83
Give examples of key figures in a party being given ministerial positions
- Boris Johnson in Cameron’s political cabinet
- Vince Cable in the coalition cabinet
84
Give example of people making people lords just to have their experience in the cabinet
- Peter Mandelson
- David Cameron
85
Give an example of a cabinet that really had to balance ideological differences
Brexit Remain in Mays cabinet
86
Give an example of people promoting political adversaries to shush them
May and Boris
87
Give an example of a PM balancing a cabinet socially
David Cameron promoted two women in October 2011( he wanted female vote)
88
Give an example of a crezy good parliamentarian
William Hague
89
Elective Dictatorship?
Coined by Lord Hailsham 1976
Parliament dominated by government.
90
How many votes did the coalition government loose because of its solid majority (stick and carrot etc)
6 votes lost
91
What’s the quad
4 top Tory’s and libdems in the coalition govt
Cameron (pm) Osborne (chan) Clegg (dpm) Alexander (chief sec to treasury)
92
What did the quad decide on
All major matters of policy eg the 2013 budget
93
What established the JAC
The constitutional reform act 2005
Established the Judicial Appointments Commission
94
What else did the constitutional reform act 2005 do
- changed role of lord chancellor
- separated Supreme Court
95
How many members of the Supreme Court are there
12
96
Who’s the president of the Supreme Court
Lord Reed since 2020
97
When do judges retire
70 (B4 1995)
75
98
In 2017 how many judges were female
1/4 of those in the Court of Appeal
1/5 of those in the High Court
99
How many judges are currently ethnic minorities
Below 1 in 10
100
When have politicians criticised Supreme Court rulings
2017 over court ruling on article 50
2025 over the ruling on trans women- zarah sultana and Nadia whittome
101
What did the HRA 1998 mean for the Supreme Court
They could issue a ‘declaration of incompatibility’
102
What Supreme Court case ruled that article 50 had to be triggered by parliament
Miller V Secretary of State for exiting the EU 2017
103
How many judges heard the article 50 case
11
104
What is the Poundland case
2015
Reilly won saying it was unlawful to make her work at Poundland for her Jobseeker’s Allowance
105
R V Horncastle 2009
The ECtHR said that hearsay went against the right to a fair trial uk govt disagreed and the SCOUK described why its part of our law yk
106
What’s the right to die case
Nicklinson V Ministry of justice 2014
He had locked in syndrome and wanted to go to Switzerland
Court said if was a moral judgement and should be decided by parliament
107
Name the HS2 case and the verdict
HS2 Action Allience LTD v SecStateTransport 2014
Court said they had to wait until partliament had finished debating it, it risked blurring important separations
108
Limits to the SCOUK
Despite repeated rulings Hirst V UK govt didnt change the law on prisoners right to vote
109
When didn’t Blair lose a vote
1997-2005
110
Omg give us the fact about the handyman and the gun
In 1987 a handyman shot 16 people, the government then banned guns
111
Give an example of a clear majority meaning govt can actually do what it needs to
Tories pledge to ‘get things done’ they had an 80 seat majority and withdrawal agreement 31st January
112
What happened to the Greater London council under Thatcher and when was it established.
1964 established
She abolished it in 1985 because it was a thorn in her side
113
What was kier steamers majority and with what %
174 majority with 34% vote
114
What have HoL recently inserted a new clause into and what does it do- demonstrating their success as a revising chamber
National Security Bill
On foreign interference in elections, parties must now declare foreign donations.
115
What did the commons reject in 2020, Brexit bill
The dubs amendment that would reunite family members
116
Lords delaying 2008 counter terrorism bill did what
Made Gordon brown abandon his battle to allow police to detain subjects for 42 days w/o charge.
117
In may 2024 what did commons reverse
The asylum bill, overriding the HoL ruling
118
Give a key example of peers expertise making their debates better
Peers debating domestic abuse act 2021 in June 2023, they ar Eliot’s of human rights lawyers so have great expertise
119
Tell us all the ethnic minority percentages lords commons and population
Lords- 6%
Commons- 14%
Ethnic minorities 20%
120
What % of select committees reccomendations are accepted
40%
121
Give an example of an overly theatrical select committee moment that shows committees are used for sound bites
Murdoch 2011 cut odd by Hodge
122
How many public appointment scrutiny hearings since 2007 and how many have called appointments into question and in how many did they continue
Over 100 since 2007
9 pore appointment hearings called into Q
3/9 continued on
123
Why did the select committee deem Amanda Spielman unworthy and what happened
Education select committee said she didn’t have the experience necessary to head ofsted but she was appointed anyway
124
When did the Sunak government follow suggestions by a select committee
The gambling industry committee suggested that they reform gambling laws to protect vilnerable users from smartphones in 2021 and he carried this out.
125
Give an example of a select committees being lowkey corrupt
A climate change committee went on an all expenses paid trip to the Maldives to experience climate change first hand
126
When has the PM acted as the head of government
Johnsons presidential style in Covid and Blair’s strong media presence
- Covid restrictions imposed without votes and military action taken without parliamentary approval.
127
When has the Supreme Court limited Boris Johnson
They ruled against his prorogation in 2019
128
Examples of when PMs have done foreign policy /national security without parliamentary control.
Camerons air strikes in Libya 2011
Blairs Iraq invasion 2003
129
What did Scotland vote in the EU referendum
60% remain 2016
130
Why was EVEL bad
- non English PMs seen as second class
- advantage to Conservative Party as labour does well in not England
131
2017 break of IMR
Priti Patel failed to report unofficial meetings with Israeli ministers, personal IMR
132
Example of CMR acting against BoJo
Won a vote of no confidence in 2022 but faced resignations after his violations of Covid 19- partygate
133
Why did thatcher have ministers reseign, contributing to her downfall.
1990 her deputy MP resigned over disagreements over European policy
