UK government case studies

Question 1

example of statue law?-UK constitution

Answer 1

HRA, Scotland act 1997 and 2016, freedom of information act

Question 2

Examples of common law?-UK constitution

Answer 2

Supreme court ruling that Theresa May had to go to parliament to trigger article 50 and ruling that Johnsons proroguing of parliament was unlawful

Question 3

Examples of conventions?-UK constitution

Answer 3

Gordons Browns convention of consulting parliament before taking any military action.

Question 4

Examples of works of authority?-UK constitution

Answer 4

Walter Bagehot’s, Erskine May, AV dicey and cabinet manual (201)

Question 5

Example of the royal prerogative?-UK constitution

Answer 5

Boris Johnson got the queens permission to prorogue parliament for a period of longer than the usual five weeks to avoid scrutiny of his Brexit bill.

Question 6

What are some historically significant documents?-UK constitution

Answer 6

Magna carta (1215), Bill of rights (1689), Act of settlement (1701), parliaments acts (1911 and 1949)

Question 7

Examples of reforms to the constitution?

Answer 7

devolving power top Scotland, Wales, NI and English regions, HoL reform, Brexit referendum, invention of UK SC

Question 8

Example of conflict between individual and collective rights?-UK constitution

Answer 8

Religious Faith and LGBTQ+ community; FGM and uber drivers.

Question 9

Example of Burkean model?- Theories of representation, UK parliament

Answer 9

Nick Bowels was a Remainer but his constituency was leave. He continued to vote against Brexit.

Question 10

Example of Delegate model?- Theories of representation, UK parliament

Answer 10

Stephen Lloyd was a Remainer in a leave constituency so voted to trigger article 50; Zac Goldsmith resigned when the govt went ahead with Heathrow’s third runway.

Question 11

Example of Mandate model?- Theories of representation, UK parliament

Answer 11

Douglas Carswell resigned as Tory MP for Clacton, ran again as a UKIP candidate, and won in 2014

Question 12

Example of a Salisbury convention?-UK parliament

Answer 12

Lid Dems voted down Labour’s manifesto pledge of ID Cards because Labour lost seats in 2005

Question 13

Example of private members bill?-UK parliament

Answer 13

Abortion act 1967 (David steel) abolition of capital punishment 1965 ( Sydney Silverman)E

Question 14

Example of government rebellions?-UK parliament

Answer 14

21 Tory rebels over Boris Johnsons proposed no-deal Brexit in 2019 (Nicholas Soames and Ken Clarke)

Question 15

Example of government defeats?-UK parliament

Answer 15

May 3 times on 2018 Brexit bills but did not resign. James Callaghan resigned in 1979 after vote of no confidence (Winter of discontent)

Question 16

Example of select committee?-UK parliament

Answer 16

Jeremy Hunt and Dr Sarah Wollaston both been head of health select committee; Leveson inquiry.
Mike Ashley and sports direct hearing- Mark Zuckerberg’s refusal to attend hearing; 40% of select committee proposals are taken accepts by the govt.

Question 17

Example of famous backbenches?-UK parliament

Answer 17

Jeremy Corbyn voting against New Labour (Iraq and Terror legislation)

Question 18

Examples to evaluate HoL reform?- UK constitution

Answer 18

92 hereditary peers remain in, Parliament tried to make further reform to the Lords in 2012 but failed

Question 19

Examples where people took individual ministerial responsibility?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 19

Amber Rudd, David Blunkett, Peter Mandelson, Priti Patels’ unauthorised meetings and Andrew Mitchell’s “plebgate”

Question 20

Example of cabinet reshuffles?–UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 20

Darling refused resign as Chancellor in 2008, Macmillan in 1962 sacked one third of his cabinet in “night of the blond knives”, Hunt refused to resign as Health sec under May.

Question 21

Example of Cabinet big beasts?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 21

Brown under Blair and Boris Johnson under May

Question 22

What was the Quad?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 22

David Cameron (CON), Nick Clegg (LD), George Osbourne (CON), Danny Alexander(LD)

Question 23

Example of sofa government?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 23

Blairs bilateral meetings. Him and Brown decided on entering Eurozone prior to Cabinet meetings.

Question 24

Example of PM being presidential?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 24

High powered unelected SPADs e.g.- Campbell and Cummings, also Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy wrote in 2017 Tory manifesto.
Blair and Thatcher had big majorities so had more power. May struggled to pass Brexit bill in minority government

Question 25

Example of PM leading on policy?-UK cabinet and Prime Minister

Answer 25

Thatcher on Poll tax, Blair on the war in Iraq, May's decision to call the 2017 election

Question 26

What was the constitutional reform act 2006?- UK supreme court

Answer 26

Created SC but removing senior judges from House of Lords, took power from Lord Chancellor and gave it to judicial appointments commission

Question 27

What were the 2 Brexit cases?- UK supreme court

Answer 27

SC ruling that May had to go to parliament to trigger Article and ruling that Boris Johnson's proroguing of parliament was unlawful.

Question 28

What was the Scottish referendum ruling?- UK supreme court

Answer 28

The court ruled that a Scottish referendum w-out parliaments approval would be illegal.

Question 29

What is Factortame?- UK supreme court

Answer 29

Spanish fishing case which set precedent that ECJ could challenge acts of parliament under it violating EU law.

Question 30

Example of a daily mail headline?- UK supreme court

Answer 30

Enemies of the people headline after Article 50 ruling because of judges ruling against May.

Question 31

Example of declaring incompatibility?- UK supreme court

Answer 31

Law which said a deceased father's details were x allowed to be entered on his child's birth certificate was declared incompatible with the right to respect for family and private life.

Question 32

What is ultra vires?- UK supreme court

Answer 32

PM John Mayor wanted the 2 child murders of toddler Jamie Bulger to be tried as adults. He was found to be acting "Beyond his authority"

Question 33

What was the Scotland act 1998?- Devolution

Answer 33

created Scottish parliament that gave power to raise income tax by 1% and powers in Health Care and education.

Question 34

What was the Scotland act 2016?-Devolution

Answer 34

Gave Scotland more power after the referendum. More tax powers, speed limits, abortion law. Could only remove the powers through a referendum.

Question 35

What is the west Lothian question?-Devolution

Answer 35

English votes for English laws. 2015, Cameron withdrew his plans to relax fox hunting ban in England and Wales due to SNP saying they would vote against the measure.

Question 36

What was the Wales act 1998?-Devolution

Answer 36

Created Welsh assembly, gave education powers

Question 37

What was the Good Friday agreement?-Devolution

Answer 37

Created a North Irish Assembly and power sharing executive.

Question 38

What is regional devolution?-Devolution

Answer 38

City Mayors (Johnson and Sadiq Khan in London) 2004 North East referendum for Mayor-77% voted NO.