Political Participation in the UK

Supreme Court: Composition

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the UK.
It is composed of 12 Justices, including a President and a Deputy President.
Justices are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of a selection commission. The commission includes among others the current President and Deputy President of the court.
Any person who has held high judicial office for at least two years, or has been a qualified solicitor or barrister for at least fifteen years is eligible for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

Independence of Judiciary: The Supreme Court, like any other court in the UK, operates independently of the government.
Rule of Law: The Supreme Court defends the rule of law, ensuring that states act within the law.
Separation of Powers: The Supreme Court exemplifies the separation of powers as it performs the judiciary role of the state which is distinct from the legislature and the executive.
Finality of Judgement: Decisions made by the Supreme Court form case law, and are final and binding on all courts below it in the court hierarchy.

The European Union (EU) was formed to establish peace in post-second world war Europe and promote economic cooperation.
Policymaking has developed to cover more than economic cooperation to include areas like environment, justice, migration, and foreign policy.
The EU saw successive waves of enlargement, welcoming new member states to join the Union.

The ultimate objective of the EU is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its citizens.
The EU aims for sustainable development based on balanced economic growth: this includes a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress.
The EU actively combats social exclusion and discrimination, promoting scientific and technological progress and enhancing economic, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among EU countries.