A-Level Edexcel Politics - Paper 2 Evidence Bank

What are the sources of statute law?

Parliament Act 1911, Representation of the People Act 1928, Scotland Act 1998

What was the Parliament Act 1911?

Removed the HOL's right to veto

What is an example of common law?

Somerset v Steward (abolished slavery)

What are examples of conventions?

Salisbury Convention, CMR, allowing the house a vote on deploying military troops

What is the Salisbury Convention?

The Lords agree not to veto anything in a winning party's manifesto

What is Collective Ministerial Responsibility?

Principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or leave the Executive.

What are two examples of land mark decisions in the Constitution?

Magna Carta 1215, Bill of Rights 1869

What is the Magna Carta?

An English document that limited the powers of the king

What is a UK Bill of Rights?

Asserted rights of Parliament and individual

What is an example of an authoritative work?

A.V. Diceys "Introducing to the Law of the Constitution"

What are examples of treaties?

Lisbon Treaty and Maastricht Treaty

What are the sources of the Constitution?

Statute law, common law, conventions, land-mark decisions, authoritative works, and treaties

What is a statute law?

Law passed through parliament

What is common law?

Law made by judges through their decisions

What is a convention?

Non-binding agreement

What is the Human Rights Act?

Incorporated ECHR into British law, gave British citizens positively stated rights

What year was the Human Rights Act?

1998

In what decision was Article 8 used in (and what is the article)?

Right to family life - AA V Secretary of State 2022

What was AA V Secretary of State 2022?

Allowed convicted Nigerian drug dealer to remain in UK due to British girlfriend and child

What was MS v Secretary of State for Home Department, and in what year was the decision made?

SC ruled the government has a duty to protect victims of human trafficking 2020

What act did the Supreme Court declare incompatible with the HRA in 2018?

2004 Civil Partnership Act, allowed for heterosexual couples to have civil partnership

What act did the ECourtHR declare incompatible with the EConHR in 2005?

blanket ban on allowing prisoners to vote, allowed 500 prisoners to take legal action through ECHR

What action was taken after David Cameron called the ECourtHR's ruling on Hirst v United Kingdom 'unacceptable'?

The ECourtHR's decision was overruled by Parliament

What was the case of Abu Qatada v UK?

ECHR decided Abu Qatada could not be deported to Jordan on the grounds that evidence was given under torture

What was ZXC V Bloomberg, and in what year was the decision ruled?

Ruled that Bloomberg had wrongly released an article about a business who was under suspicion of criminal activity

What is ZXC V Bloomberg an example of?

Individual rights over collective rights

What act lead to reforms in the House of Lords?

HOL Act 1999 - removed all but 92 hereditary peers

In what areas did devolution occur?

Scotland, Wales, NI, London, Metro mayor areas (Manchester, Sheffield)

In what year were there referendums in Wales and Scotland?

1997

In what year was the Good Friday Agreement?

1998

In what year did the North East reject a regional assembly, and by how much?

2004 - 78%

In what year did London vote for a Greater London Mayor and assembly?

1998

In what year was the Local Government Act?

2000 - allowed local authorities to offer referendums over elected mayors

What are the examples of electoral reform?

Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly - AMS

NI - STV

London Assembly - SV (no longer used as of 2022)

What act established the Supreme Court?

Constitutional Reform Act 2005

What did the CRA 2005 do?

Ended the lords judicial function and established the SC

When was the FTPA repealed?

2022

When was the AV referendum?

2011

What was the voting result of the 2011 AV referendum?

68% against 41% turnout

What is the Wright Committee?

Select committee to improve procedures and relevance of Parliament

In what year was the Wright Committee established?

2009

What did the Wright Committee establish?

Parliamentary Backbench Committee membership of select committees to be decided by secret ballot (instead of by whips), and e-petitions

How many signatures did the Revoke Article 50 and Remain in the EU petitions reach?

6.1 million

How many signatures did the 'We Call upon the Government to hold a Public Inquiry into the impact of Brexit" e-petition gain?

183,000

What year was the Brexit Inquiry e-petition?

2023

What did the 2023 Brexit Inquiry e-petition lead to?

Commons debated a commission to be set up to investigate the impacts of Brexit for 3 hours

In what year were Police and Crime Commissioners introduced?

2012

What was the turnout for PCC elections in Durham?

17.7% 2016

In what year was the Recall of MPs act introduced?

2015

Which MPs were successfully removed due to the Recall of MPs act?

Fiona Onasanya and Christopher Davis

Which MPs recall petition was unsucessful?

Ian Paisley Jr (9.4%)

Why was Ian Paisley suspended from Parliament and in which year?

2018 - lobbying on behalf of Syrian Government

In what year were 'devo max' powers given to Scotland?

2016

In what year was the EU referendum?

2016

In what year was the Repeal of the FIxed Terms Parliament Act?

2022

What developments of the Constitution have occurred from 1997-2010?

HRA, Devolution, Electoral Reform, CRA

What developments of the Constitution have occurred from 2010-2015?

FTPA, Wright Committee, E-Petitions, further devolution, Power of Recall

What developments of the Constitution have occurred from 2015 onwards?

Scotland Act 2016, EU Referendum 2016, Repeal of FTPA 2022

How many said 'Yes' to Scotland Devolution?

74.3% on 60.1% turnout

In what areas did the 1998 Scotland Act grant powers to Holyrood?

local gov, housing, environment, law and order, education, health, varying income tax

In what year was the Scotland FOI Act?

2002

What does Scotland offer to students?

Free tuition

What are examples of reserved powers?

foreign policy, offshore energy, defence, immigration, monetary policies

In what year was the Scottish Parliament Act?

2016

What did the Scottish Parliament Act do?

vary income tax up to 10p difference, determine abortion laws and speed limits, receive 50% of VAT gathered in Scotland

As a result of the Scottish Parliament Act, which is the only way the Scottish Parliament can be removed?

Referendum

How much of Scotland voted to remain in the EU?

62%

In 2016, how many seats did the SNP and Conservatives win?

56 (50%), and 1

In 2017, how many seats did the SNP and Conservatives win?

35, 13

In what year did the SC rule the Scottish Government needed Parliament's approval to hold a second referendum?

2022

In 2023, Sunak blocked which Scottish bill?

2022 Gender Recognition Act

What article did Sunak use to block the 2022 GRA?

35

In Wales, how many voted for devolution?

50.3%

What was the turnout the 1997 Welsh Referendum?

50.2%

Compare the seats Plaid Cymru hold in 1997 and 2017

4 and 4

In what year was the Government of Wales Act?

2006

What did the Government of Wales Act do?

Seperated executive from legislature

What did the Government of Wales act give to the Welsh government?

Limited legislative powers

In what year was the Welsh Devolved Powers Referendum?

2011

What percentage of people said they wanted a Welsh Assembly?

65.3%

What was the turnout to the Welsh Devolved Powers Referendum?

35.4%

What did the Wales Act 2014 do?

Changed to government and control over income tax

What did the Wales Act 2017 do?

Gave Wales the right to control income tax up to 10p, powers over electoral arrangements, transport, and energy, permanent part of UK Constitution

When was NI given its own Parliament?

1922

How long did the NI Parliament last until?

1972

Why was the NI Parliament ended?

Edward Heath imposed direct rule on NI due to escalating violence

What did the GFA bring to NI?

Power sharing assembly to represent both nationalists and unionists

How many referendums endorsed the GFA?

2

Why is STV used in Northern Ireland?

Give people choice and prevent one party to dominate

What is the name given to the leader of majority party and leader of second largest party in NI?

Executive and Deputy First Minister

In what areas has the NI Assembly been granted powers in?

Education, Policing, Housing, Transport

From 2002-2007 the NI assembly was _______?

suspended due to conflict

From 2007 the NI assembly was ______?

reopened after agreement between DUP and Sinn Fein

In 2017 the NI assembly was _______?

suspended from Westminster's direct rule

In 2022 the NI assembly was ________?

suspended after DUP resigned in protest of Windsor framework (NI protocol)

What was significant about the NI 2022 Election?

Sinn Fein - largest party for first time

Who was the first ever NI nationalist minister?

Michell O'Neill

What percentage of all Bills passed in 2019-20 were government bills

92%

What percentage of amendments suggested from the opposition were accepted in Public Bill Committees?

1%

What are Public Bill Committees?

Committees responsible for looking at bills in detail.