Politics Mock Exam - Essay Plans
12 Mark - Analyse the different legislative power of the UK Parliament and US Congress (3 Points) - ✔✔
✔1) US Congress has much more legislative power than UK (Structural)
2) Legislative Power in the USA is shared equally between two chambers, whilst in the UK the House of
Lords is very secondary compared to the Commons (Structural)
3)- In the UK, the head of the executive, the PM, can sit in the Legislature, in the USA, the President
cant.
US Congress has much more legislative power than UK (Structural) - Evidence - ✔✔✔The US Congress
has legislative powers explicitly granted in Article I of the US Constitution, unlike the UK Parliament,
which means they have the ability to overturn any presidential veto over legislation, something not
available in the UK
US Congress has much more legislative power than UK (Structural) - Explain - ✔✔✔In the US, a 2/3
majority is needed in each house of Congress to overturn a veto, in affect giving Congress the power to
go over the Presidents head and make laws
US Congress has much more legislative power than UK (Structural) - Example - ✔✔✔For example,
Obama in 2016 over the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
Do you need to use Structural Theory for 12 Mark Essays - ✔✔✔YES
Legislative Power in the USA is shared equally between two chambers, whilst in the UK the House of
Lords is very secondary compared to the Commons (Structural) - Evidence / Explanations - ✔✔✔In the
US, Congress is divided into two unique but equal institutions, with every state having an equal voice in
the Senate, and each state having representation in the House based on state population; both are
elected bodies as a result. However, in the UK, only one chamber is fully elected which is the House of
, Commons, whereas the House of Lords is based on peerage or appointed by the PM, meaning that the
Commons has much more power based on the idea of legitimacy.
Legislative Power in the USA is shared equally between two chambers, whilst in the UK the House of
Lords is very secondary compared to the Commons (Structural) - Example - ✔✔✔For example, the
Salisbury Convention means that the House of Lords will not oppose the 2nd or 3rd reading of any
government legislation promised in their election manifesto.
In the UK, the head of the executive, the PM, can sit in the Legislature, in the USA, the President cant -
Evidence - ✔✔✔The PM, is able to control much of what happens in the Commons due to the limited
separation of power allowing them to sit in the House of Commons. Whereas, in the US there is a
stricter separation of power, set out in Article I of the Constitution, which prohibits the President from
attending or sitting in the Senate or House of Representatives.
In the UK, the head of the executive, the PM, can sit in the Legislature, in the USA, the President cant -
Example - ✔✔✔In 1997 Tony Blair won a majority and only suffered four losses in the Commons in his
10-year tenure as PM
12 Mark - Examine how Devolution in the UK differs from Federalism in the US - 3 Points - ✔✔✔1)
Federalism provides for much more of an even distribution of power between regional and national
government than the UK
2)Federalism grants power uniformly across states, whereas in the UK, devolved governments differ
regionally.
3) Federalism if protected by the US Constitution, whereas Devolution can be retracted by one simple
Act of Parliament.
Federalism provides for much more of an even distribution of power between regional and national
government than the UK - Explain - ✔✔✔In the US states work alongside the National Government
rather than being subservient to it, which can be explained structurally. The US Constitution dictates
that all powers not explicitly granted to the Federal Government (enumerated powers) are reserved to
