The UK Constitution Overview
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- Created by: Beth
- Created on: 05-04-16 13:39
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- The UK Constitution
- Reforms
- The 1998 devolution Acts
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- Wales
- House of Lords Reforms
- 1999 - Removal of hereditary peers
- 1958 Life Peerages Act
- Several attempts since to further reform, 2011 proposed by Lib Dems
- 2014 House of Lords Reform Act; introduces the principle of resignation from the House of Lords, and allows for the expulsion of members.
- The Human Rights Act 1998
- 2005 Constitutional Reform Act removed Lord Chancellor and established Supreme Court
- The 1998 devolution Acts
- Sources
- Conventions
- Such as the Salisbury Convention in the House of Lords - evolutions throughout history.
- Common Law
- Also known as judicial precedent, created through judge's interpretation of Statue Law.
- Statue Law, or Acts of Parliament
- All Acts of Parliament throughout history that haven't been repealed, including acts such as the Scotland Act 1998, House of Lords Act 1999
- Tradition
- The practices of parliament - for example, no monarchs in the Commons.
- The EU
- Such as the HRA 1998 - the EU affects the UK constitution because of the treaties signed (Maastricht, Amsterdam, Lisbon).
- Conventions
- Nature
- It's uncodified, meaning that it's not all written down in one place. (See sources)
- Some would argue that a codified constitution is necessary, as it would introduce entrenched human rights, limit the executive, and modernise the UK.
- Others argue that the inherent flexibility and organic nature of the uncodified constitution should remain, and that it should not be codified.
- The division of powers is somewhat murky - parliament is de jura sovereign.
- However, devolutionary acts are effectively entrenched, as is the UK's membership of the EU (without referendum).
- Some would suggest that the EU is sovereign, due to the fact that the ECJ is de facto binding on the UK.
- It's uncodified, meaning that it's not all written down in one place. (See sources)
- Reforms
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