PAPER 2 KEY WORDS

Backbenchers

member of Parliament who:

• Sits on the back rows of the House of Commons (behind ministers and shadow ministers).

• Is not part of the government (e.g., not a minister)

• Is not part of the opposition leadership (e.g., not a shadow minister).

Bicameral

Parliament or legislature with two separate chambers.

In the UK, this refers to:

• House of Commons

• House of Lords

Cabinet

The committee of senior government ministers, chosen by the Prime Minister, who head major government departments and collectively make key government decisions - top decision making body in executive

Codified constitution

A single authoritative document that sets out the fundamental laws, principles, and institutions of a state in one written text.

Collective responsibility

Collective responsibility is a constitutional convention stating that all Cabinet ministers must publicly support all government decisions, even if they disagree privately.

Confidence and supply

An arrangement where a smaller party agrees to support the government in two key areas:

Votes of confidence (to keep the government in power)

Budget / supply votes (to allow government spending)

Constitution

The set of rules, principles, and laws that determine how a state is governed, defining the powers of political institutions and the rights of citizens.

Convention

An unwritten rule of constitutional practice that is considered binding, but is not legally enforceable.

Entrenchment

A constitutional rule that is protected from easy amendment, usually requiring a special procedure or supermajority to change it.

Fusion of powers

The UK constitutional principle where the executive and legislative branches are closely linked and overlap in personnel and functions.

House of commons

The primary and democratically elected chamber of the UK Parliament, responsible for making laws, scrutinising the government, and representing the public.

House of lords

The unelected second chamber of the UK Parliament that revises legislation, scrutinises the government, and provides expert, independent oversight.

Legislation

The laws made by Parliament (statute law), created through the formal law-making process in the House of Commons and House of Lords. Has supreme authority due to parliamentary sovereignty

Legislative bills

Proposed laws that are presented to Parliament for debate, amendment, and approval before becoming Acts of Parliament.

Legitimacy

The rightful use of power, justified by law, democracy, or consent, making authority accepted by the people.

Opposition

The parties and MPs in Parliament who do not form the government. Their role is to scrutinise, criticise, and hold the government to account, led by the Leader of the Opposition.

Parliament

The UK’s supreme legislative body, made up of the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the Monarch. It creates laws, scrutinises government, and represents the public.

Parliament act

The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 limit the House of Lords’ power by allowing the House of Commons to pass most bills without Lords approval after a delay (1 year) and preventing the Lords from blocking money bills.

Parliamentary government

A system where the executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature. The government must maintain the confidence of Parliament to remain in power (e.g., the UK).

Parliamentary sovereignty

The principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority, able to make, amend, or unmake any law, and no body can override or strike down its legislation.

Presidential government

A system where the executive is separate from the legislature, with a directly elected president who is both head of state and head of government (e.g., the USA). There is a clear separation of powers.

Prime minister

The head of the UK government and leader of the majority party in the House of Commons. The PM appoints ministers, leads the executive, sets policy direction, and represents the UK domestically and internationally.

Rule of law

The principle that everyone, including the government, is subject to the law and equal before it. It ensures legality, fairness, and limits arbitrary power.

Salisbury convention

A constitutional convention where the House of Lords will not block or oppose government bills that were promised in the governing party’s election manifest

Select committees

Cross-party committees in Parliament that scrutinise government departments, examine spending, administration, and policy, and produce detailed reports to hold ministers accountable.

Separation of powers

A constitutional principle dividing the state into three branches—executive, legislature, and judiciary—to prevent concentration of power. The UK has a partial separation due to fusion of powers.

Sovereignty

The ultimate source of political and legal authority. In the UK, traditionally Parliament is sovereign, meaning it can make or unmake any law.

Strike down legislation

When a court declares a law unconstitutional and prevents it from taking effect.

UK courts cannot do this because of parliamentary sovereignty; but they can issue a Declaration of Incompatibility under the Human Rights Act.

Uncodefied constitution

A constitution not contained in a single document, but spread across statute law, conventions, common law, and works of authority. The UK has an uncodified constitution.

What is the Uks most important constitutional principle

Parliamentary sovereignty

Coalition

A government formed when two or more political parties agree to share power, usually because no single party has a majority. Example: 2010 Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition.