Politics of the United Kingdom (including Scotland)
The political system of the United Kingdom is based on constitutional monarchy
in which the monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom is the head of government. Executive power is carried out by Her
Majesty's Government, on behalf of and by the consent of the monarch, as well
as by the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, and the executive of
Northern Ireland. Legislative power is given to both the government and the two
chambers of the UK Parliament – the House of Commons and the House of Lords
– as well as to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland
Assemblies.
The UK is a constitutional
monarchy with the
monarch as the head of
state.
Constitutional monarchy is a form of
government in which a monarch acts as
head of state within the parameters of a
constitution. The constitution is a set of
rules that are used to help run the country.
The UK has an unwritten constitution.
The Queen has mostly
ceremonial duties under
the UK constitution.
Most constitutional monarchies use a
parliamentary system in which the monarch
has strictly ceremonial duties.
Devolved governments in the UK
Llywodraeth Cynulliard Cymru
Welsh Assembly Government
Northern Ireland
Assembly
Holyrood
Westminster
Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two
chambers of the parliament of the United Kingdom, the House
of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as in the Scottish
Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies.
How a law is made in the UK parliament:
Reserved and devolved matters
Reserved matters are issues where
the power to make laws has been
kept by the UK Parliament in London.
Devolved matters are issues where the
power to make laws has been devolved
(transferred) from the UK Parliament.
The reserved matters include:
constitutional matters
UK foreign policy
defence
national security
trade and industry
employment law
social security
gambling and the National Lottery
data protection
drug laws
energy – coal, gas, oil, electricity and
nuclear energy
elections
The devolved matters include:
health
education
local government
social work
housing
planning
tourism
economic development
agriculture, forestry and fishing
sport and the arts
Coalition government – May 2010
Prime Minister: David Cameron (Conservative Party)
Deputy Prime Minister: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat
Party)
Scottish Parliament – May 2011
Government
SNP (68)
Opposition parties
Lab (37)
Con (15)
Lib Dem (5)
Green (2)
Ind (1)
Presiding Officer
PO (1)
Members of Parliament (MPs)
• House of Commons
• 650
• first past the post (FPTP)
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
• Holyrood
• 129
• additional member system (AMS)
Local councils in Scotland
• 32
• single transferable vote (STV)