Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Constitution - (ANSWER)Set of principles governing a country.
Codified Constitution - (ANSWER)Written in a single document, like the USA.
Uncodified Constitution - (ANSWER)Derived from multiple written and unwritten sources.
Unitary State - (ANSWER)Legal sovereignty resides in a single place.
Unentrenched Constitution - (ANSWER)No formal measures to amend or alter it.
Quasi-federal - (ANSWER)Political power is spread out, despite legal sovereignty.
Rule of Law - (ANSWER)No individual is above the law.
Parliamentary Sovereignty - (ANSWER)Parliament holds ultimate political power.
Statute Law - (ANSWER)Laws made by Parliament, overriding other laws.
Conventions - (ANSWER)Non-legal rules of conduct expected in governance.
Common Law - (ANSWER)Judge-made law based on precedent and tradition.
Works of Authority - (ANSWER)Scholarly writings outlining constitutional correctness.
International Laws - (ANSWER)Treaties that may conflict with UK law.
,Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Elective Dictatorship - (ANSWER)Government power derived from electoral mandate.
Checks and Balances - (ANSWER)System ensuring government power is limited.
Political Entrenchment - (ANSWER)Protection of rights against easy repeal.
Human Rights Act (HRA) - (ANSWER)Legislation protecting individual rights in the UK.
Flexibility of Constitution - (ANSWER)Allows adaptation to changing societal attitudes.
Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 - (ANSWER)Established five-year parliamentary terms in the UK.
Boris Johnson's Law Breach - (ANSWER)Example of executive overreach regarding international law.
Blair's Iraq War 2003 - (ANSWER)Controversial decision against cabinet consensus.
Thatcher's Poll Tax 1990 - (ANSWER)Example of unpopular government policy implementation.
House of Lords reform - (ANSWER)Modernized Lords by limiting hereditary peers to 92.
Life peers - (ANSWER)Members appointed based on merit, not inheritance.
House of Lords Appointment Commission - (ANSWER)Appoints non-partisan peers; 67 appointed since
2000.
PM appointments - (ANSWER)Political nominations; e.g., Boris Johnson appointed 79.
,Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Proportional representation - (ANSWER)Introduced in Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish elections.
AV referendum 2011 - (ANSWER)42% turnout; 67% rejected electoral system change.
Human Rights Act 1998 - (ANSWER)Incorporated ECHR rights into UK law.
Judicial review - (ANSWER)Courts can protect rights from Parliamentary actions.
Control orders - (ANSWER)Parliament ignored Article 5 rights; replaced by TPIMS.
Supreme Court - (ANSWER)Established in 2009 as highest UK appeal court.
Separation of powers - (ANSWER)Different government branches operate independently.
Wright Reforms 2010 - (ANSWER)Committees chosen by MPs, enhancing parliamentary democracy.
Recall of MPs Act 2015 - (ANSWER)Allows voters to remove MPs; few successful petitions.
Brexit - (ANSWER)UK left EU in 2021; triggered Article 50 in 2017.
Scottish independence - (ANSWER)62% of Scots wanted to remain in the EU.
Sovereignty restoration - (ANSWER)Brexit aimed to restore UK sovereignty and protect borders.
EVEL - (ANSWER)English Votes for English Laws; scrapped in 2021.
, Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Referenda significance - (ANSWER)2011 AV and 2016 EU referenda largely insignificant.
Devolution - (ANSWER)Delegation of power from central to subnational government.
History of Devolution - (ANSWER)1997 Labour promised more power for Scotland and Wales.
TPIMS - (ANSWER)Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures; replaced control orders.
Parliamentary tyranny - (ANSWER)Potential abuse of power by Parliament against rights.
Landslide Election Victory - (ANSWER)179 seat majority with 56/72 in Scotland.
Referendums - (ANSWER)Votes to determine support for devolution.
Scottish Parliament - (ANSWER)Legislative body located in Holyrood, Scotland.
Taxation Powers - (ANSWER)Can raise or lower income tax by 10p.
Reserved Powers - (ANSWER)Powers not devolved to Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Legislation Example - (ANSWER)Free university education introduced in 2008.
Drink Driving Limit - (ANSWER)Lower legal limit established in 2014.
Voting Age - (ANSWER)16-17-year-olds can vote in Scotland since 2015.
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Constitution - (ANSWER)Set of principles governing a country.
Codified Constitution - (ANSWER)Written in a single document, like the USA.
Uncodified Constitution - (ANSWER)Derived from multiple written and unwritten sources.
Unitary State - (ANSWER)Legal sovereignty resides in a single place.
Unentrenched Constitution - (ANSWER)No formal measures to amend or alter it.
Quasi-federal - (ANSWER)Political power is spread out, despite legal sovereignty.
Rule of Law - (ANSWER)No individual is above the law.
Parliamentary Sovereignty - (ANSWER)Parliament holds ultimate political power.
Statute Law - (ANSWER)Laws made by Parliament, overriding other laws.
Conventions - (ANSWER)Non-legal rules of conduct expected in governance.
Common Law - (ANSWER)Judge-made law based on precedent and tradition.
Works of Authority - (ANSWER)Scholarly writings outlining constitutional correctness.
International Laws - (ANSWER)Treaties that may conflict with UK law.
,Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Elective Dictatorship - (ANSWER)Government power derived from electoral mandate.
Checks and Balances - (ANSWER)System ensuring government power is limited.
Political Entrenchment - (ANSWER)Protection of rights against easy repeal.
Human Rights Act (HRA) - (ANSWER)Legislation protecting individual rights in the UK.
Flexibility of Constitution - (ANSWER)Allows adaptation to changing societal attitudes.
Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 - (ANSWER)Established five-year parliamentary terms in the UK.
Boris Johnson's Law Breach - (ANSWER)Example of executive overreach regarding international law.
Blair's Iraq War 2003 - (ANSWER)Controversial decision against cabinet consensus.
Thatcher's Poll Tax 1990 - (ANSWER)Example of unpopular government policy implementation.
House of Lords reform - (ANSWER)Modernized Lords by limiting hereditary peers to 92.
Life peers - (ANSWER)Members appointed based on merit, not inheritance.
House of Lords Appointment Commission - (ANSWER)Appoints non-partisan peers; 67 appointed since
2000.
PM appointments - (ANSWER)Political nominations; e.g., Boris Johnson appointed 79.
,Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Proportional representation - (ANSWER)Introduced in Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish elections.
AV referendum 2011 - (ANSWER)42% turnout; 67% rejected electoral system change.
Human Rights Act 1998 - (ANSWER)Incorporated ECHR rights into UK law.
Judicial review - (ANSWER)Courts can protect rights from Parliamentary actions.
Control orders - (ANSWER)Parliament ignored Article 5 rights; replaced by TPIMS.
Supreme Court - (ANSWER)Established in 2009 as highest UK appeal court.
Separation of powers - (ANSWER)Different government branches operate independently.
Wright Reforms 2010 - (ANSWER)Committees chosen by MPs, enhancing parliamentary democracy.
Recall of MPs Act 2015 - (ANSWER)Allows voters to remove MPs; few successful petitions.
Brexit - (ANSWER)UK left EU in 2021; triggered Article 50 in 2017.
Scottish independence - (ANSWER)62% of Scots wanted to remain in the EU.
Sovereignty restoration - (ANSWER)Brexit aimed to restore UK sovereignty and protect borders.
EVEL - (ANSWER)English Votes for English Laws; scrapped in 2021.
, Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 2 Exam study guide COMPLETE EXAM
Questions and Answers (Verified Answers) (Latest Update 2026) UPDATE!!
Referenda significance - (ANSWER)2011 AV and 2016 EU referenda largely insignificant.
Devolution - (ANSWER)Delegation of power from central to subnational government.
History of Devolution - (ANSWER)1997 Labour promised more power for Scotland and Wales.
TPIMS - (ANSWER)Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures; replaced control orders.
Parliamentary tyranny - (ANSWER)Potential abuse of power by Parliament against rights.
Landslide Election Victory - (ANSWER)179 seat majority with 56/72 in Scotland.
Referendums - (ANSWER)Votes to determine support for devolution.
Scottish Parliament - (ANSWER)Legislative body located in Holyrood, Scotland.
Taxation Powers - (ANSWER)Can raise or lower income tax by 10p.
Reserved Powers - (ANSWER)Powers not devolved to Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Legislation Example - (ANSWER)Free university education introduced in 2008.
Drink Driving Limit - (ANSWER)Lower legal limit established in 2014.
Voting Age - (ANSWER)16-17-year-olds can vote in Scotland since 2015.
