UK govt evidence

What does the acronym SCCLAT stand for in the context of the sources of the UK Constitution?

Statute Law, Common Law, Conventions, Landmark Decisions, Authoritative Works, Treaties

What is the mnemonic to remember the sources of the UK Constitution, and what does it stand for?

SCCREW - Statute law, Common law, Conventions, Royal prerogative, External constitutional agreements/treaties, Works of authority

What significant document in 1215 guaranteed basic rights, including protection from imprisonment without a trial?

Magna Carta

What act in 1689 established a constitutional monarchy in the UK?

The Bill of Rights

Which UK region had the highest spending per head in 2022-2023?

Scotland (£14,456 per head)

What electoral system does Northern Ireland use for its devolved assembly elections?

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

When was the proposal for a North East England assembly defeated in a referendum?

2004, with a 78% "no" vote

What replaced the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011?

The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022

What controversial bill in 2024 was criticised for destabilising human rights in the UK?

The Safety of Rwanda Bill

Which act enabled the exposure of the 2009 MPs' Expenses Scandal?

Freedom of Information Act 2000

How many hereditary peers remained after the House of Lords reform in 1999?

92

What act in 1998 incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into UK law?

Human Rights Act

What act in 2023 increased police powers to curb protest tactics deemed disruptive?

Public Order Act

When was same-sex marriage legalised across Britain?

2013, under the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act

Which act established the UK Supreme Court, separating the judiciary from the House of Lords?

Constitutional Reform Act 2005

What legislation allows voters to trigger a by-election if 10% of registered voters sign a petition?

Recall of MPs Act 2015

Why was Abu Qatada's deportation delayed for eight years?

Concerns over fair trial and evidence obtained through torture

What was the basis for stripping Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship?

National security concerns after she joined IS in Syria

What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are women, and how does this compare to the general UK population?

41% of MPs in the House of Commons are women, compared to 51% in the UK population (2021 census)

How does the representation of BAME individuals in the House of Commons compare to the general population?

14% of MPs in the House of Commons are BAME, while 18% of the UK population is BAME (2021 census)

What percentage of MPs are LGBTQ+, and how does this compare to the general UK population?

11% of MPs are LGBTQ+, compared to 3.2% in the UK population (2021 census; likely higher due to voluntary nature of the question)

What percentage of MPs are under 30, and how many are over 50?

Only 2% of MPs are under 30, while 52% are over 50

How many MPs went to Oxford or Cambridge, and what percentage were privately educated?

23% of MPs went to Oxford or Cambridge; 23% were privately educated (46% Conservatives, 15% Labour)

What is the purpose of the Parliament Acts in resolving disagreements between the Commons and Lords?

The Parliament Acts allow the House of Commons to override the Lords. Blair used this three times, including for the Hunting Act 2004

What recent example of parliamentary ping-pong occurred in 2024?

The Safety of Rwanda bill underwent parliamentary ping-pong, with the Lords meeting twice to address rejected amendments

What are the consequences of ignoring a three-line whip in Parliament?

MPs may be removed from the parliamentary party, as seen when Boris Johnson expelled 21 Conservative MPs over Brexit in 2019

What percentage of government bills versus private members' bills (PMBs) gain royal assent?

From 2016-17, 89% of government bills (25/28) passed compared to 5% of PMBs (8/163)

Name two recent private members' bills that succeeded and their impacts

The Carer’s Leave Act (2023) improved employment rights for carers; the Worker Protection Act (2023) aimed to prevent workplace sexual harassment

Give an example of a government bill passed against its wishes via an emergency debate

The Benn and Cooper-Letwin Acts on Brexit

How many times did Theresa May lose votes during her premiership, and why?

May lost 33 times, largely due to Brexit-related divisions among backbenchers

What led to Liz Truss’s resignation as PM?

A scheduled meeting with the 1922 Committee triggered her resignation

Name an impactful select committee investigation

The 2015 Public Accounts Committee inquiry into NHS cancer care led to a government review and the creation of an independent cancer task force

How often are select committee recommendations accepted by the government?

Only 40% on average are accepted

What happened to Chris Pincher in July 2022 under individual ministerial responsibility (IMR)?

Chris Pincher resigned after drunkenly groping two men, leading to the Tamworth by-election and contributing to Boris Johnson’s resignation

Why did Suella Braverman resign in October 2022?

Braverman resigned as Home Secretary after sharing secure information via private email

What was Robin Cook’s reason for resigning under collective ministerial responsibility (CMR) in 2003?

Robin Cook resigned over Tony Blair’s decision to prepare for war in Iraq, as he was unconvinced of a threat to the UK

How did Boris Johnson challenge the significance of CMR during Theresa May's government?

Johnson openly criticised government policies and wrote dissenting articles but was not sacked due to his popularity among Conservatives

What example demonstrates a PM's power of patronage?

Boris Johnson appointed Dominic Cummings as Chief Advisor in 2019 due to shared views on the EU

How did Rishi Sunak demonstrate his power through a cabinet reshuffle in 2023?

Sunak sacked Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, replacing her with James Cleverly, and brought Lord Cameron in as Foreign Secretary

What is an example of a PM not dominating the cabinet?

Rishi Sunak backtracked on restricting graduate visas after opposition from key cabinet members

How did Liz Truss lose control over policy in September 2022?

International financial markets rejected Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget, undermining her authority

Who is Lord Dannatt, and how has he contributed to the House of Lords?

A crossbencher and former Chief of General Staff, Lord Dannatt used his military expertise to campaign for UK ground troops in Iraq to fight ISIS in 2015-2016

What act was passed in 2005 to guarantee the independence of the UK judiciary?

The Constitutional Reform Act

What was the significance of the 2016 Gina Miller case regarding Article 50?

It reinforced parliamentary sovereignty by requiring parliamentary consent to trigger Article 50, highlighting the judiciary's role in checking the executive

How did the Supreme Court demonstrate its power in the 2019 Miller case?

It ruled Boris Johnson's proroguing of Parliament unlawful, upholding parliamentary sovereignty

What effect did the Judicial Review Act 2022 have on judicial reviews?

It restricted judicial reviews, particularly in immigration and asylum cases, by ending “cart” judicial reviews

How has the number of judicial reviews changed since 2010?

They decreased from 15,000 in 2013 to 2,400 in 2022

What did Scotland do in 2008 that opposed Westminster’s Higher Education Act 2003?

Scotland scrapped tuition fees

What ruling did the Supreme Court make regarding a second Scottish Independence Referendum in 2022?

It denied the referendum, affirming Westminster's sovereignty

How did Westminster respond to Scotland’s 2023 Gender Recognition Reform Bill?

It vetoed the bill under Section 35, highlighting Parliament's ultimate authority

What example shows devolved powers being repatriated to Westminster?

Control over Northern Ireland returned to Westminster during Stormont's suspension (2022–2024)

What did the Factortame case (2000) demonstrate about EU law?

It established that EU law takes precedence over UK parliamentary acts

How does popular sovereignty conflict with parliamentary sovereignty?

Referendum results reflect public will, but Parliament can legislate against them, as seen in the EU Referendum of 2016

How did the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act improve judicial independence?

It separated the judicial and legislative branches by removing law lords from the House of Lords

What criticism did the judiciary face after the 2016 Miller case?

Judges were accused of liberal bias and faced scrutiny for alleged personal EU sympathies

How does the Contempt of Court Act protect judicial independence?

It bans media interference in active cases, ensuring proceedings remain unbiased

What demonstrates the Supreme Court’s judicial restraint?

The Nicklinson case (2014) on assisted death, where the court avoided overstepping legislative boundaries