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what is the executive ?
the branch of government responsible for directing the nationās affairs and the initiation and proposal of new laws
give an example of who is part of the executive ?
PM - sir keir starmer
cabinet - David lammy - Ed miliband
government minister
what is the legislature ?
the branch of government responsible for discussing and passing laws(legislation) and acting as a watchdog over the government
who is part of the legislature
UK parliament:
the house of lords
the house of commons
(queen )
what is the judiciary ?
The branch of government responsible for interpreting and applying laws in particular cases
who is part of the judiciary ?
the supreme court
judges
what is a constitution ?
a set of rules determining where sovereignty lies in a political system, and establishing the relationship between the government and the governed
The system or body of fundamental principles according to which a nation state is set up and governed
what are the 7 functions of a constitution ?
determines how political power should be distributed this includes federal and unitary states
determines the balance of power between institutions and the government i.e. cabinet, the PM the monarchy and courts
establish the political process - the relationship between institution and the rules that govern how they operate
democratic constitution normally states the limits of governmental power
they should assert the rights of citizens in relation to the state most democratic countries have a ābill of rightā prevents gov from trampling on civil liberties
rules by which nationality is established - who is a citizen and how to become a citizen
must be amendable from time to time - most contain the rules for its own amendment
how is the UKās constitution different from most constitution on amendments ?
the UKās constitution can be changed in a number of ways
through parliamentary statue
slow evolution of unwritten rules i.e. conventions
publication of new official guidance or legal decisions
what are conventions ?
conventions are unwritten rules
traditions not contained in law but influential in the operation of a political system
What is unusual about the UK constitution - and one of its functions ?
it does not place any limit at all on the competence of parliament - with a system of parliamentary sovereignty parliament can theoretically do what it like
what is unitary state/ political system
this is where ultimate power lies in one place
legal sovereignty is contained in a single place
what is a federal state/political system
where power is divided between central government and regional institutions
where legal sovereignty is shared between national government and regional government
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