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Worksheets2nd Version British Political System Quiz
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
In practice, parliamentary sovereignty gives which actor the strongest policy-making power?
The judiciary
The monarch
The executive within Parliament
Local councils
If a Prime Minister loses the support of their own party but not the Commons majority, what is most likely?
A general election is automatically called
The PM resigns because party support is essential for governing
The monarch dissolves Parliament
The Lords appoints an interim PM
Why does Britain remain a unitary state despite devolution?
Devolved powers can be legally revoked by Parliament
Each nation elects equal numbers of MPs
The Supreme Court enforces federal balance
The monarch arbitrates disputes
The loss of hereditary peers weakened which feature of the Lords?
Legitimacy based on inherited authority
Policy specialization
Party neutrality
Judicial function
Why does first-past-the-post favor large parties?
It distributes seats equally by population
Votes for smaller parties rarely translate into constituency wins
All votes are pooled nationally
Parties must reach a 5% threshold
Whitehall has greater policy influence than Parliament because:
Civil servants are elected
Civil servants draft and shape most legislation
Backbench MPs control ministries
The Lords oversees all bill writing
What makes the British PM vulnerable compared with the German Chancellor?
PM must survive party leadership challenges
PM lacks control over cabinet appointment
MPs cannot rebel under British rules
PM is directly elected and can be recalled
Why does the House of Commons rarely block government bills?
MPs fear Supreme Court review
Government usually controls a majority and party discipline is strong
The Lords controls the legislative calendar
Bills require unanimous Commons consent
Which institutional factor MOST weakens oversight of the executive?
Question Time
Cabinet collective responsibility
Fused executive–legislative power
Annual sessions
What explains the PM’s dominance in Cabinet?
PM is elected separately
PM controls patronage and shapes government agenda
Cabinet ministers cannot resign
The Lords approves all appointments
Which scenario best reflects the British 'trusteeship doctrine'?
Government follows public opinion polling closely
Ministers act based on judgment, not direct public instruction
Parliament defers to local councils
Citizens propose policy through referenda
Why has devolution complicated British national policymaking?
Scotland and Wales now hold veto power
Policy divergence challenges uniformity in the unitary system
Devolved parliaments write national law
English MPs are now excluded from the Commons
Why was Brexit interpreted as a struggle over sovereignty?
Supreme Court became superior to Parliament
EU law had primacy over national law in some areas
The monarchy opposed membership
Scotland led the leave campaign
Why do interest groups in Britain rely more on insider access than mass mobilization?
Elections are publicly funded
Parliament has limited time and prefers working with established organizations
Britain bans advocacy
QUANGOs control lobbying
Why is local government so weak in Britain?
Councils cannot independently raise major taxes
Mayors appoint MPs
The House of Lords supervises all local budgets
Whitehall is constitutionally subordinate to councils
MPs rarely act independently of party leadership because:
Constituents cannot remove MPs
Backbench rebellions risk career stagnation
Parliamentary rules prohibit dissent
Party funding is illegal
Why is PMQs a weak check on executive authority?
Questions must be approved by the PM
PM can refuse to answer
It emphasizes performance over substantive policy scrutiny
The Speaker enforces government-friendly questioning
Why is the British Supreme Court weaker than its U.S. counterpart?
Its members serve one-year terms
It lacks authority to strike down Acts of Parliament
It is appointed by MP vote
It cannot hear appeals
Which political divide most shapes voting behavior today?
Aristocracy vs. monarchy
Education level and attitudes toward globalization
Rural vs. urban in Scotland only
Religion more than class
Why do multinational tensions persist in the U.K.?
England dominates representation in the Commons
Scotland controls foreign policy
Wales collects national taxes
Northern Ireland’s assembly overrides Westminster
