Paper 1/Anker examples bank

Committee stage passed

Online safety act examined by a public bill committee

Second reading example

EU withdrawal act passed in 2019

Third reading example

assisted dying bill passed in 2024

Presidentialism dependent on character

2024 Starmer vs 1983 Thatcher 60% majority

Blair presidentialism

Sofa cabinet

Quote for powerful PM being constricted by events

Harold Macmillan ‘events dear boy’

example of scrutiny by committee

Public Accounts Committee investigating PPE contracts during covid

Example of Lords using power

Amending the Brexit withdrawal agreement

Example of backbench influence

MPs rebelling on May’s Brexit votes in 2017

Example of PM using prerogative powers

Boris Johnson reshuffling cabinet in 2020

Example of collective responsibility

Robin Cook resigning over Iraq War 2003.

Example of cabinet limiting PM

John Major’s cabinet delaying policies in early 1990s

Example of devolution changing sovereignty

Scottish Parliament passing health and education laws.

Example of Human Rights Act protecting citizens

Courts supporting LGBT rights and freedom of expression cases.

Example of uncodified vs codified constitution

US vs UK

Example of constitutional reform

House of Lords Act 1999 reducing hereditary peers.

Example of judicial review

Supreme Court blocking Boris Johnson’s prorogation 2019.

Example of judges upholding rights

R Miller in 2017 on Article 50 and Brexit.

Example of judicial independence

Supreme Court justices’ security of tenure

Example of judicial neutrality vs government

Judges maintain impartiality by avoiding political campaigning.

Example of Lords limitations through Salisbury

Salisbury convention was invoked for the welfare Reform Bill in 2015

Example of collective responsibility suspended

Over Brexit in 2016 Cameron allowed ministers to campaign on opposing referendum sides

Example of constitutional reform reversed

Fixed term parliament act of 2011 being repealed in 2022

Example of devolution expanding

Scotland Act in 2016 which gave them new tax powers

Example of court vs government

Belmarsh Case in 2004

What happened in the Belmarsh Case in 2004

Foreign terror suspects were held without trial. Law Lords ruled this illegal under HRA.

Going against party ideas

In 2025 with the Welfare Bill, where 49 Labour MPs voted against the third reading