18 concepts the spec wants you to use precisely, drawn from the Panther database. Read them, then test yourself.
In test mode, tap a concept to reveal its definition.
The concepts
Administrative devolution(tap to reveal)- Transferring the running of policies to a regional body without giving it the power to change laws.
Asymmetrical devolution(tap to reveal)- Different parts of the UK having different levels of devolved power - Scotland has more powers than Wales.
Customs union(tap to reveal)- A trading area where members have no tariffs between themselves but the same tariffs on outside countries.
Devolution(tap to reveal)- The transfer of power from central government to regional bodies such as the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Senedd, while Westminster keeps overall sovereignty.
Legislative devolution(tap to reveal)- Giving a devolved parliament the power to make its own laws in certain policy areas.
Constitutional reform(tap to reveal)- Planned changes to the rules and structures that govern how a country is run.
Devolved assembly(tap to reveal)- An elected parliament in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland with powers to make laws in certain areas.
Quasi-federal(tap to reveal)- The UK's system after devolution - resembles a federal state in some ways but Parliament still has ultimate authority.
Reserved powers model(tap to reveal)- Scotland and Wales can legislate on anything not specifically reserved by Westminster.
Authoritative works(tap to reveal)- Important books and texts, such as Erskine May, that are treated as reliable guides to how the constitution operates.
Barnett formula(tap to reveal)- The formula deciding how much money Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get from the UK government.
Bill of rights(tap to reveal)- A document listing fundamental rights that the state must protect. In the UK, the Human Rights Act serves this function.
Common law(tap to reveal)- Law developed by judges through their decisions in court cases, rather than by Parliament passing legislation.
Constituent (rules)(tap to reveal)- The most fundamental rules of a political system that set out how the state is organised and what it can do, which are distinct from ordinary laws.
Constitution(tap to reveal)- The set of fundamental rules that determine how a country is governed, where power lies, and what rights citizens have.
Constitutional convention(tap to reveal)- An unwritten rule that politicians are expected to follow even though it has no legal force.
Constitutional monarchy(tap to reveal)- A monarchy where the king or queen has only ceremonial powers - all real decisions are made by elected politicians.
Control order (counter-terrorism)(tap to reveal)- A legal power that allowed the government to restrict the movements and activities of suspected terrorists without putting them on trial.