Edexcel A Level Government and
Politics Paper 2 June 2024 Exam
Questions and Answers
Constitution - Answer>>a set of rules determining where
ultimate power lies in a system and relationship between
government
Unentrenched - Answer>>having no special procedure for
amendments
Uncodified - Answer>>the constitution is not written so cannot
be followed
Unitary - Answer>>power is in one place
Parliamentary sovereignty - Answer>>parliament has ultimate
power over laws, can't bind its successors and its legislation can't
be struck down by a higher body
Rule of law - Answer>>everyone must follow the rule and will be
punished for not, though everyone is entitled to a fair trial and
shouldn't be imprisoned without a legal process
Statute law - Answer>>laws passed by parliament (1998
scotland act)
not all laws are constitutional, only those that affect the nature of
the political system/citizens rights
most important source as underpinned by the concept of
parliamentary sovereignty
Common law - Answer>>laws made by judges where the
original is unclear (habeas corpus was until it became statute in
1967)
,legal principles laid down by judges in rulings, which provides
precedents for later judges
Conventions - Answer>>traditions that affect the way a political
system works (after 2003 iraq, parliament will vote on war unless
an emergency)
can be challenged/changed by an act of parliament
Authoritative works - Answer>>guides on how a political system
is run, written by experts (erskine may's 1844 parliamentary
practise)
lacks legal standing
Treaties - Answer>>formal agreements with EU members (1992
maastricht)
other countries don't affect the constitution
Devolution - Answer>>dispersal of power, but not sovereignty,
within a political system
Magna carta - Answer>>written in 1215, said that no one should
be deprived of liberty or property without due process of law,
though most has been repealed
Bill of rights - Answer>>passed by parliament in 1689, included
regular parliaments, free elections and freedom of speech within
parliament
Act of settlement - Answer>>1701, established the right of
parliament to determine the line of succession to the throne
Act of union - Answer>>1707, united england and scotland who
had shared a monarch since 1603 but not parliaments
,Parliament act 1 - Answer>>1911, lords could not delay money
bills and had a 2 year delay for non financial bills
Parliament act 2 - Answer>>1949, reduced the 2 year delay in
the lords to 1
The european communities act - Answer>>1972, took the uk
into the eec and eu law would be sovereign over uk
For a codified constitution - Answer>>one source so is easier to
learn,
helps check the power of the executive,
unusual to not be codified,
supreme court can't declare laws unconstitutional,
it should be more difficult to amend to fit its importance
For an uncodified constitution - Answer>>flexibility would be
lost,
leads to judicial activism
House of lords act - Answer>>1999, removed all but 92
hereditary peers
Removal of peers - Answer>>ended conservative dominance,
gave the lords a modern appearance, majority were now
nominated due to merits
House of lords appointment commission - Answer>>established
may 2000, recommends 2 people a year to be crossbenchers and
vets most other nominations for lords
Scottish devolution referendum - Answer>>september 1997,
75% yes, 25% no, 60% turnout
, Welsh assembly referendum - Answer>>september 1997, 51%
yes, 49% no, 50% turnout
Good friday referendum - Answer>>may 1998, 71% yes, 29%
no, 81% turnout
West lothian question - Answer>>scottish MPs at westminster
could vote on purely english matters, but english MPs couldn't
vote on scottish matters
The barnett formula - Answer>>determines relative levels of
public spending for parts of the UK based on population, meant
that devolved bodies receive more
North east assembly referendum - Answer>>2004, 78% no,
22% yes, 48% turnout
Human rights act - Answer>>1998, incorporated ECHR into
statute law, ensuring a right to fair trial, freedom from slavery, etc
and all future legislation has to be compatible
Limitation of HRA - Answer>>the government declared and
exemption from article 5 (right to liberty and security) in cases of
suspected terrorism
Creation of the supreme court - Answer>>2005 constitutional
reform act led to establishment in 2009, took over from law lords
Scottish devolved powers - Answer>>education,
justice,
housing,
police,
fire,
vary income tax by 3p,
