L2.8: Constitution and Government 2

To begin to examine how the Constitution limits the power of Government

To discuss whether these limitations are sufficient

Match the definitions

The ultimate power to make laws which will be enforced within the State

Where political power lies in reality. Parliament may have legal sovereignty - but does Parliament truly

have power? Or does it lie elsewhere.

The idea that Parliament is the ultimate authority

within the State.

The name given to the Monarch (for historical reasons) despite the fact that she is not, ultimately, ‘sovereign’

Legal sovereignty

Political sovereignty

Parliamentary sovereignty

Sovereign

If your Head teacher resigned and a new Head teacher took over your school or college and the new Head teacher came in and said....

What problems would you have with that?

What problems would your teachers have?

And your parents or carers?

All the rules that you had at school

are now abolished. The timetable is changing. The time we start school is changing, your

lunch hour is changing. All the school behaviour

policies, everything - the whole lot, it is all changing

Parliament is elected for only 4 to 5 years at a time, in that time, they could repeal all previous legislation made by other Governments. It could, in theory, claw back power from the regional assemblies, it could withdraw from Europe etc. No Parliament can ENTRENCH any laws - it cannot make laws that a future Parliament cannot withdraw.

Why do you think that when, on being elected, a new Parliament does not just ‘wipe the slate clean’, repeal all laws that were made before and make new ones?

dissolving Parliament and calling a General Election

appointing and dismissing all Government Ministers

creating peerages (members of the House of Lords)

appointing ambassadors

agreeing foreign treaties

commanding the armed forces and declaring wars

conducting relations with foreign powers

conducting relations with foreign powers

granting pardons to convicted prisoners

Powers to research

1. What the power ‘means’ - e.g. what does it mean to create a peer?

2. How the Prime Minister goes about exercising that power e.g. what does he have to do to ratify a foreign treaty

3. Find examples of when these powers have been exercised in the past

4. How can the Prime Minister use these to exercise power over others and so exercise political sovereignty (power not controlled by Parliament)?

Provides the most power to the PM

Provides the least power to the PM

dissolving Parliament and calling a General Election

appointing and dismissing all Government Ministers

creating peerages (members of the House of Lords)

appointing ambassadors

agreeing foreign treaties

commanding the armed forces and declaring wars

conducting relations with foreign powers

conducting relations with foreign powers

granting pardons to convicted prisoners

It is clear to see that the Prime Minister has considerable powers. If you were an evil Prime Minister, which powers would you use to make sure that you ruled the country with a firm hand and Parliament would have to do as you say?

Make your evil plan!

What limits are there on the

powers of the Prime Minister?

Could I be accused of

being an ‘elective dictator?’

● Consider how you would go about answering this question. ● What information would you need? ● Where would you find this out? ● What further questions would you need to ask in order to investigate this? ● Thought shower your ideas in pairs, then join with other pairs and create an action plan to answer this question as a group.

L2.8: Constitution and Government 2

To begin to examine how the Constitution limits the power of Government

To discuss whether these limitations are sufficient

Do you think this country is potentially at risk from an ‘evil Prime Minister’ in the future?