Word Count: 1933
The English Election System
Once the Queen has appointed a person to the office of Prime Minister, he can remain in
office only for so long as he has majority support in the House of Commons. If he is
defeated there, he may resign and leave the Queen looking for a new one. According to
law the period between general elections must never be more than five years. Within
these five years the Prime Minister may choose the date for a general election, this gives
him and his party a great advantage, because then he can choose a time when the opinion
is high for his party.
The Government
A Brittish Government consists of the Prime Minister and other ministers, all of whom
are collectively responsible for every part of the Government´s
administration. The ministers are all choosed by the Queen, but they are choosed entirely
on the PM´s advice. All the ministers must be members of either the House
of Commons or the House of Lords, and a minister may only speak in the house of which
he is a member. Some of the ministers and the offices have special titles such as the
"Minister of Agriculture" and as the "Chancellor of the
Exchequer. A politicial assistant to a minister is called, for example, the
"Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture". If the
Minister´s title is "Secretary of State" his assistant is
called for example, of "Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Scotland".
The Cabinet consists of the heads of the most important Departments together with a
few ministers without departments. The PM decides which ministers will be included, but
there is some, like the Foreign Secretary, whom he could not leave out. The number of
members has varied in peacetime between 15-23. The Government is a wider term
including ministers, ministers of state and junior ministers, plus 4 legal members and
about twelve Government whips.
The PM lives and works at No. 10 Downing Street. This is a pretty large house in a
small street off Whitehall, where many of the departments have their offices, a very short
distance from the Houses of Parliament. One of the rooms in the PM´s house
is the Cabinet-Room. This is where the Cabinet-Members meets usually once a week, but
sometimes more often.
The Cabinet itself is not recognized by any former law and it has no formal powers,
but only real powers. It takes the effective decisions about what is going to be done, but
in many cases the formal order embodying the Cabinet´s decision must be
made later, either by a particular minister, or by the Queen in her Privy Council, or when
the Cabinet´s decision involves the making of a new law. The Cabinet is
technically an informal committé of Privy Councillors. Whenever a person
is made minister of Cabinet rank, he is made a member of the Council and continues as a
member for the rest of his life.
The Privy Council has the formal power to make certain executive orders and
proclamations. In 1968 Mr Wilson set up an inner committee of the seven most
important Ministers. The intention seemed to be that the main part of the work should be
done by this committee. Apart from this, much of its work is done in a number of special
commitees, which are groups of ministers, including some who do not belong to the
Cabinet, dealing with particular sections of policy, like the defence.
The Cabinet and its commitees work in great secrecy. No outside person is allowed to
see any Cabinet papers until they have become only of historical interest. It seems that it
is almost unknown for any decision of the Cabinet to be made by a vote of the ministers,
but whatever decision is made, every office-holder must be prepared to share the
responsibility for it and to defend it outside. If he doesn´t or if he
isn´t prepared to do this he must resign.
Although each minister only can speak in the House to which they belongs, the
Government is "responsible" only to the House of Commons. Each
department has a large staff of professional civil servants who do most of the work of
running the department on the minister´s behalf.
The Civil service is wholly non-politicial.
Politicial Parties
Until about 1920 the two main parties were the Conservatives and the Liberals, but
during the period of politicial confusion that followed the First World War the Labour
Party replaced the Liberals as the second main party. Some people, both in Parliament
and outside, who are really indistinguishable from Conservatives, are called by other
party-labels--Unionist in Scotland, Ulster Unionist, in Northern Ireland until 1973, but
the name "Conservative" can quite properly be used so as to
include all these groups. The Conservatives and their allies are opposed to great changes
in society, they uphold private enterprise and freedom from state control, and they stand
for the maintance of order and authority at home and the protection of the national
interest in foreign relations. The Labour Party believes actively in the pursuit of greater
social and economic equality, and in foreign affairs it is, in sentiment if not in practice,
more "internationalist" than "nationalist".
Quite simply we may say that the Conservatives are the "RIGHT"
and the Labour Party the "LEFT" in politics. Both of the parties are
commonly regarded as class parties. It has been found that about 2/3 of all manual
workers tend to vote for the Labour Party, and that the majority of middle class people
vote for the Conservatives and the little group that can be called upper class is is the
support for the Conservatives as high as 80%.
The Conservatives can claim to be less of a class party than Labour in that about half
of all the votes cast for Conservative candidates are cast by manual workers. With the
Labour Party the greater part of the support comes from the manual workers.
Each of the two parties holds a conference at some seaside town in October every
year. The Labour Party conference is intended to be an occasion on which the main lines
of party policy are decided by a democratic process. It is attended by delegates from the
trade unions and the local associations which together make up the whole party, and the
conference votes on the questions of policy. The delegates are often bound in advance to
vote according to decisions made by the bodies which they represent. Conference
decisions are supposed to indicate to the Labour Members of Parliament the direction
which they should follow, but the Labour Members of Parliament decide by their own
majority vote on the line which they will all follow in Parliamentary buisiness.
The Conservative Party conference is attended by
"representatives" of local associations, and the effect of the
conference votes is not clearly defined. In practice the Conservative conference is not a
device for making the party´s policy, but rather an occasion when the faithful
meet together, see and hear the party´s leaders, and express their opinions for
the leader´s guidance.
Elections
The whole United Kingdom is divided into electoral districts, called
"constituencies", of approximately equal population, and each
constituency elects one member for the House of Commons. The number of seats, and of
constituencies is not fixed by law, though it is assumed that there ought to be about 625.
In 1974-80 there will be 635. The task of fixing the boundaries between the
constituencies is entrusted to impartial experts.Each of the constituencies ought to have
not more or less than 60,000 voters. The impartial commissions propose changes at
intervals of not more than fifteen years. Each voter may only vote for one of the
candidates, and the candidate who receives most of the votes is elected. Any person can
stand as an independent candidate, but there seems to be a very little chance of being
elected except under the name of a party. And a little chance except as a candidate
backed by either the Conservative or the Labour Party. In every constituency each of
these two parties has a local organisation, whoose first task is to choose the candidate,
and which then helps him to conduct his local campaign. The central organisation of each
party keeps a list of people who would like to be nominated as candidates, and will
supply a local association with names from the list if it is asked to do so.
With the Conservatives, the choice of the candidates is very oligarchical. A small
commitee, consisting of a few from the leading active members of the local association,
chooses a few from the people who aspire to the candidature, these few are called to be
interviewed by the association´s executive council, which selects one of
them, the person selected appears, without any rivals, before a general meeting of the
association, which almost invaribly adopts him.
With the Labour Party, the selection meeting looks
much moore democratic,because the different unions and other bodies which make up the
local association are all represented according to their membership. But in reality a few
personalities have great infuence here too.
If a person is elected to the House of Commons in a "marginal
seat" by a small majority, he knows that if the trend of the puplic opinion at
the next election is agains his party he is quite likely to loose his seat.
Any British man or woman aged over eighteen years may vote in parliamentary
elections. The age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969. The only exceptions are the
obvious ones, such as lunatics, and also peers, who already have seats in the House of
Lords. Anyone that may vote may also be a candidate for election to the House of
Commons, but certain classes are forbidden to sit in the house. These include all
Government employees, or "holders of offices of profit under the
Crown", and also all clergymen of the Church of England, ministers of the
Church of Scotland and Roman Catholic priests.
A general election is organised as it were 635 separate elections in the 635
constituencies.
Each voter must go to his particular voting station - normally a school or other puplic
building near his home - to cast his vote.
When he comes in, an official gives him his ballot paper, and his name is recorded as
having voted. On the ballot paper the names of all the candidates are printed. The voter
must take his paper to a screened cabin, where he puts a cross against the name of the
candidate for whom he wishes to vote. He then folds the paper, so that nobody can see it,
and puts it folded into a large box. It is forbidden for any voter to show how he has voted
for another person, he may go out and tell his friends how he has voted, but the rules ao
the voting-process is very strict.
Voting is on the same day, usually a Thursday, in all the constituencies, and the voting
stations are kept open from 7.00-23.00. If a member dies or resigns, a by-selection is held
to replace him, there are usually about 10-15 by-selections every year.
Keywords:
word count english election system once queen appointed person office prime minister
remain office only long majority support house commons defeated there resign leave
queen looking according period between general elections must never more than five
years within these five years prime minister choose date general election this gives party
great advantage because then choose time when opinion high party government brittish
government consists prime minister other ministers whom collectively responsible every
part government acute administration ministers choosed queen they choosed entirely
acute advice ministers must members either house commons house lords only speak
which member some offices have special titles such quot agriculture quot quot chancellor
exchequer politicial assistant called example parliamentary secretary ministry agriculture
acute title secretary state assistant called example parliamentary under secretary state
scotland cabinet consists heads most important departments together with without
departments decides which will included there some like foreign whom could leave
number members varied peacetime between wider term including state junior plus legal
members about twelve whips lives works downing street this pretty large small street
whitehall where many departments have their offices very short distance from houses
parliament rooms cabinet room this where cabinet meets usually once week sometimes
more often itself recognized former formal powers only real powers takes effective
decisions about what going done many cases formal order embodying decision must
made later either particular privy council when decision involves making technically
informal committ eacute privy councillors whenever person made rank made member
council continues member rest life privy council formal power make certain executive
orders proclamations wilson inner committee seven most important intention seemed that
main part work should done committee apart from much work done number special
commitees which groups including some belong dealing with particular sections policy
like defence commitees work great secrecy outside person allowed papers until they have
become historical interest seems that almost unknown decision vote whatever every
office holder prepared share responsibility defend outside doesn prepared resign although
each speak they belongs responsible commons each department large staff professional
civil servants most running department behalf civil service wholly politicial politicial
parties until about main parties were conservatives liberals during period confusion that
followed first world labour party replaced liberals second main people both parliament
outside really indistinguishable from conservatives called other labels unionist scotland
ulster unionist northern ireland until name conservative quite properly used include these
groups conservatives their allies opposed great changes society uphold private enterprise
freedom control stand maintance order authority home protection national interest foreign
relations labour believes actively pursuit greater social economic equality foreign affairs
sentiment practice more internationalist than nationalist quite simply right labour left
politics both parties commonly regarded class been found manual workers tend vote
majority middle class people vote little group upper class support high claim less than
half votes cast conservative candidates cast manual workers with greater part support
comes manual workers each holds conference seaside town october every year
conference intended occasion lines policy decided democratic process attended delegates
trade unions local associations together make whole conference votes questions policy
delegates often bound advance according decisions bodies represent decisions supposed
indicate parliament direction should follow decide their majority line will follow
parliamentary buisiness conservative attended representatives local associations effect
votes clearly defined practice device making rather occasion when faithful meet together
hear leaders express opinions leader guidance elections whole united kingdom divided
into electoral districts constituencies approximately equal population constituency elects
number seats constituencies fixed though assumed there ought will task fixing boundaries
between constituencies entrusted impartial experts ought less voters impartial
commissions propose changes intervals fifteen years voter candidates candidate receives
elected stand independent candidate seems very little chance being elected except under
name little chance except candidate backed either constituency these local organisation
whoose first task choose then helps conduct campaign central organisation keeps list
people would like nominated candidates supply association names list asked choice very
oligarchical small commitee consisting leading active association chooses aspire
candidature interviewed association executive selects them selected appears without
rivals before general meeting almost invaribly adopts selection meeting looks much
moore democratic because different unions other bodies make represented according
membership reality personalities infuence here elected marginal seat small knows trend
puplic opinion next election agains quite likely loose seat british woman aged over
eighteen elections reduced exceptions obvious ones such lunatics also peers already seats
lords anyone also certain classes forbidden include employees holders offices profit
under crown also clergymen church england church scotland roman catholic priests
organised were separate voter particular voting station normally school puplic building
near home cast comes official gives ballot paper name recorded having voted ballot paper
names printed voter take paper screened cabin where puts cross against whom wishes
then folds nobody puts folded into large forbidden show voted another tell friends voted
rules voting process strict voting same usually thursday stations kept open dies resigns
selection held replace usually selections year
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