branches keywords

Supreme Court

The highest court in the Uk political system

Judicial neutrality

The principle that judges should not be influenced by their personal political opinions and should remain outside party politics

Judicial independence

The principle that judges should not be influced by other branches of government, particulary the executive

Judicial review

The power of the judiciary to review, and sometimes reverse, actions by other branches of government that breach the law or that are incompatible with the Human Rights Act

Elective dictatorship

A government that dominates Parliament, usually due to a large majority and therefore has few limit on its power

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of a group of European countries

Four freedoms (EU)

The principle of free movement of goods, services, captial and people within the EU’s single market.

Legal sovereignty

The legal right to exercise sovereignty, i.e. sovereignty in theory

Political sovereignty

The political ability to exercise sovereignty, i.e. sovereignty in practice

Ultra vires

Literally ‘beyond the powers’. An action that is taken without legal authority whe it requires it.