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Understanding the UK Constitution and School Rules

Explore the sources and importance of the UK constitution while also examining school rules and their significance. Learn about parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, and the threats and protections to it.

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Understanding the UK Constitution and School Rules

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  1. starter activity How do you know what are the school rules? Who makes the rules? Why do we all abide by them? Who decides if the rules have been broken?

  2. What is the British Constitution?

  3. Lesson overview • What are the sources of the UK constitution • What is the rule of law? • What is parliamentary sovereignty? • What is a unitary state?

  4. What are the sources of the constitution? • Set of laws / rules by which a country is governed • Uncodified (Israel & NZ) • Statutes; Magna Carta of 1215, Bill of Rights, 1689 • Political conventions • Common or case law • Constitutional experts, e.g. Walter Bagehot, Erskine May and A.V Dicey. Walter Bagehot

  5. What is the rule of law? • A V Dicey, An Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1884) • Key principle of UK Constitution • Abide by legal rules • No arbitrary decisions • No punishment without breach of law • Everyone subject to same law Lord Falconer, Lord Chancellor

  6. What are the threats to the rule of law? • Official Secrets Act • Possible end to trial by jury • Activities of MI5, MI6 (especially after 9/11) • Removal of traditional rights (e.g. TU membership at GCHQ, though reinstated since 1997) • Gagging clause signed by members of Civil Service ( Clive Ponting and Belgrano issue after Falklands War, 1982)

  7. What protects the rule of law? • Need for stability • Respect for tradition • Organisations, e.g. Council of Tribunals, Parliamentary Commissioner • Consent for need for secret service

  8.  Task One • Prepare a short speech making a case for Britain having a fully codified constitution, along the lines of America’s. Highlight the disadvantages of the present system before explaining the advantages of codifying the present constitution.

  9. What is parliamentary sovereignty? • Westminster Parliament supreme law-making body • Legislation cannot be overturned by higher authority • Westminster can legislate on any issue • No parliament can bind its successors

  10. What is a ‘unitary state’ • Centralised state, national institutions at centre • Characterised by weak local and ‘subnational’ govt. with little or no autonomy • No power-sharing, e.g. federal systems of Germany & USA

  11. Unitary state or union state? • J. Mitchell, “classic unitary state exhibits high degree of standardisation”, i.e. similar systems of govt. & political culture • In a union state differences remain

  12. Unitary state or union state? • Wales, invaded by England in 1282, Act of Union (1536, 1542) • Scotland, crowns joined under James I (1603), states joined by Act of Union (1707) • Ireland, Act of Union (1801) united Irish & British Parliaments, Ireland Act (1949) established acknowledged Irish Free State and protected N.Ireland Royal shield under Queen Victoria

  13. Unitary state or union state? • By mid-C20th Scottish, Welsh & Northern Ireland Offices all estd. • Decisions made at Westminster & imposed on local populations • Support for devolution, e.g. 1978 referendums on devolution in Scotland & Wales • 1997, devolution for Scotland, Wales & N. Ireland

  14. Unitary state or union state? What powers do Scotland, Wales & Ireland now have? • Scotland: legislative & tax-varying powers; responsibility for educ., health & local govt. • Wales: secondary legislative authority • N. Ireland: similar powers to Scotland

  15.  Task three Visit the websites of the three main UK parties as well as the leading ‘devolution’ parties like the SNP and identify their current aims and manifesto pledges. Present your ideas to the class.

  16. Conventions Rules or accepted practices, neither codified nor enforced by law. Examples include: royal assent to acts of parliament, appointment of leader of largest party to form government, PM is a member of House of Commons (last instance of lord, Alec Douglas-Hume, 1963)

  17. Statutes Acts of Parliament. Some acts have greater constitutional significance than others, e.g. Great Reform Act (1832) extending franchise, Parliament Act (1911) establishing HoC as dominant chamber, Human Rights Act (1988) enshrining key rights in UK law.

  18. Common law Legal principles that have been established by law courts having interpreted the law. Also customs and precedents, e.g. royal prerogative to declare war, negotiate treaties, dissolve parliament, appoint ministers & judges. Powers are only nominal, and real power lies with PM.

  19. Sovereignty Legal supremacy: parliament has ultimate law-making authority.

  20. Unitary state “A unitary state is a centralised state in which political power is located at the centre in national institutions” M.Garnett & P. Lynch, ‘UK Govt. and Politics’

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