Literature

1. Moyra Grant. The UK Parliament. Edinburgh University Press, 2009

2. Irene Hardill, David T.Graham, Eleonore Kofman. Human Geography of the UK: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 2001

3. Harold D. Clarke, David Sanders, Marianne C. Stewart, Paul Whiteley.

4. Political Choice in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004

5. Amir Abedi. Anti-Political-Establishment Parties: A Comparative Analysis. New York: Routledge, 2004

6. Francesca Klug, Keir Starmer, Stuart Weir. The Three Pillars of Liberty: Political Rights and Freedoms in the United Kingdom. New York: Routledge, 1996

7. Paul Chilton. Analysing Political Discourse: Theory and Practice. London: Routledge, 2004

8. Amie Kreppel. The European Parliament and Supranational Party System: A Study in Institutional Development. Cambridge, England, 2001

9. Rosa MulÉ. Political Parties, Games and Redistribution. Cambridge, England, 2001

Theme III: “To what extent has Parliament lost sovereignty?”

Stages of Implementing

1.Take into consideration that there are two types of sovereignty: political sovereignty and legal sovereignty and Legal sovereignty in the UK lies firmly with parliament. This means that no other body has the power to make laws or to overrule laws made by parliament.

2. Consider another thing is that political sovereignty is more difficult matter. At an election the people become politically sovereign. They determine who shall make up both government and parliament. They also choose between the competing manifestos of the parties. In this case when you are doing your project please explain why between elections the people lose control of the decision-making body.

3. Outline the problem that the most controversial issue surrounding parliamentary sovereignty is UK’s membership of the EU. British parliament voted to join EU in 1972. The question “has parliament lost its sovereignty” is being asked since 1973, when UK joined to EU. Parliament will not lose its sovereignty in some points. In such important areas as foreign policy, taxation, education, health, EU has no jurisdiction. Also on important EU matters: EU constitution, EU treaties or EU expansion, UK has a veto.

4. Figure out other points when parliament could lose sovereignty. Since 1972 EC Act was passed UK law is overruled by EU law if there is any conflict. Another point of losing parliamentary sovereignty is the factor tame case: this established that EU law was superior to UK law. Also, the UK courts had the right to declare UK Act of parliament invalid if it was incompatible with EU law.

5.Draw attention that the executive power can influence the parliamentary sovereignty too. It can make parliament lose its sovereignty. Sovereignty has passed from parliament to executive. Government with a large majority can dominate parliament. Also, parliament does not really propose legislation make laws it simply approves decisions made by the government. But in another reasons parliament will not lose its sovereignty. Parliament can block any piece of legislation. Also, all legislation must pass through parliament. It can dismiss a government. A government with a small majority is less able to dominate parliament.

6.Consider that devolution can also affect parliamentary sovereignty. It can make parliament to lose it. In reality the longer the Institutions exist, the more established they become and the less likely that parliament could abolish them. It is politically unrealistic for UK parliament to use its power over the Institutions.

7.Outline Human Rights Act which is combined with parliamentary sovereignty. The court will declare the legislation to be incompatible with ECHR but the court cannot declare the legislation void. Executive decisions made by government ministers can be overturned by the court if they are against the ECHR.

8.Think why referendums are used very rarely in the UK. Parliament can ignore the result legally. But they are used more often in recent years. Public not parliament are making the decision. Despite Scotland in 1979, it would be politically impossible to ignore a referendum result.

9.Don’t forget the final issue to discuss in your project the increasingly globalised world we live in. Sovereignty does not mean absolute freedom of action.

10.Prove that UK parliament has to exercise its self – determination within many limits. Its actions are affected or even controlled by UK’s necessity to maintain relations with other countries in the world.