How this works. Each stem starts an analytical sentence. Finish it in one or two sentences with a named case, a date and a clear analytical point. Press the hint button if you stall.
Sentence 1Miller II
Miller II 2019 looks political at first glance, but the ruling was rule-based because
Hint: What common-law principle did the Court actually apply — and is it party-neutral?
Sentence 2Sumption
Lord Sumption's critique in the 2019 Reith Lectures argued that
Hint: Sumption is the leading judicial critic — his complaint is about the Court going beyond a 2005 design.
Sentence 3Begum 2024
The Begum case 2024 is evidence AGAINST the 'too political' claim because
Hint: Begum is a ruling that disappointed the left — what does this show about preference vs law?
Sentence 4Rwanda 2023
The Rwanda case 2023 followed by the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024 demonstrates
Hint: Court ruled, Parliament legislated back — what does the sequence demonstrate about each branch's role?
Sentence 5JAC appointments
UK Supreme Court justices are appointed via the JAC merit-based panel rather than political confirmation hearings, which means
Hint: Compare merit-panel appointment with political confirmation — what kind of insulation does it create?
Sentence 6US comparison
The US Supreme Court is more politicised than the UK Supreme Court because
Hint: How are US justices appointed — and how does this differ from the UK process?
Sentence 7HRA declarations
Declarations of incompatibility under the HRA do NOT strike down statute, which shows
Hint: What does the Court do under the HRA — and what does it NOT do?
Sentence 8Synoptic - parties
Conservative governments have clashed with the Supreme Court more often than Labour governments, which suggests
Hint: Distinguish a political Court from a Court that politicians respond to politically.
Sentence 9Synoptic - ideology
The conservative philosophical case against judicial activism comes from Burke's argument that
Hint: Burke's preference for evolution over design — applied to constitutional rules.
Sentence 10Synoptic - public confidence
Public confidence in the judiciary at 41% vs MPs at 12% (YouGov 2024) complicates the 'too political' claim because
Hint: Compare court trust ratings with politician trust ratings — what would you expect if they were the same kind of body?
Sentence 11No fence-sitting
On this question I commit to the line that the Court has NOT become too political, which means
Hint: State the line: politics may come to the Court through cases, but the Court itself remains rule-based.
Sentence 12Synoptic level cap
Without synoptic points my P2 essay caps at
Hint: Mark scheme rule: which level cap applies without synoptic linkage?