GOVERNMENT
The system of Government
British government is democratic, yet ts people
are not, as one might expect in a democracy,
constitutionally in control the statei.
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British sovereignty collectively resides in the three
elements of Parliament:
the Crown, and Parliament’s two chambers, the
House of Lords and the House of Commons
The Crown
The reigning monarch is not only head of
state but symbol of the unity of the
nation.
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The monarchy is hereditary, the
succession passing automatically to the
oldest male child, or in the absence of
males, to the oldest female offspring of
the monarch.
Succession is automatic on the death of the
monarch, confirmed later by a formal
coronation ceremony.
In law, the monarch is head of the executive
and of the judiciary, head of the Church of
England, and commanders-in-chief of the
armed forces.
Since 1689, the monarch’s sovereign powers
have been formally limited by the idea
that national sovereignty resides in ‘the
Crown in Parliament’—the idea that Crown
is only sovereign by the will of Parliament.
Nevertheless, the function of the monarch is
politically important.
The Whitehall as the seat of government
‘Her Majesty’s Government’ governs in the name
of the Queen, and its hub, Downing Street, lies
in Whitehall, a short walk from Parliament.
Government ministers are almost invariably
members of the House of Commons, but
infrequently members of the House of Lords are
appointed.
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Most governments consist of about one
hundred ministers, but the essential core
is the Cabinet, the twenty or so most
senior ministers invited by the Prime
Minister to belong to it.
Cabinet government demands collective
responsibility and confidentiality.
The Prime Minister must give strong
leadership, he or she must allow for each
minister to exercise responsibility within
their field and should encourage collective
decision making on controversial issues,
particularly ones beyond the responsibility
of one ministry.
Although government is essentially political,
it depends upon a permanent body of
officials, the Civil Service, to administer
the decisions of ministers and to keep the
wheels of government
The heart of Civil Service is the Cabinet
Office, whose Secretary is the senior civil
servant at any given time.
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Parliament is the seat of British
democracy, but it’s perhaps valuable to
remember that while the House of Lords
was created in order to provide a council
of the nobility for the king, the Commons
were summoned originally in order to
provide the king with money.
Parliament is the supreme legislative
body of the state.
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Parliament’s functions:
1. to pass laws
2. to raise enough money through
taxation to enable the
government to function
3. to examine government policy
and administration, particularly its
financial program
4. to debate or discuss important
political issues.
THE ELECTORAL AND PARTY SYSTEM
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The United Kingdom, for electoral
purposes, is divided into constituencies,
each one of which elects a Member of
Parliament to sit in the House of
Commons.
The candidate in a constituency who gains
most votes is returned as Member to the
Commons.
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If a Member of Parliament (MP) resigns,
dies or is made a peer during the lifetime
of a Parliament, a by-election must be
held in his or her old constituency to elect
a new member.
POLITICAL PARTIES
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The Conservative Party is the party of
the Right, identified with the idea of
economic freedom and of resistance to
change
party of patriotism.
The Labor Party is less disciplined but
possibly more democratic, with more open
disagreements between the leadership
and other party members
party of
social justice
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The Liberal Party
Democratic Party
Democrats.
Social
Liberal
To ensure equitable representation four
permanent Boundary Commissions (for
England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern
Ireland) make periodic reviews to adjust
electoral boundaries and redistribute seats
The House of Commons
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The dynamic power of Parliament
lies in the House of Commons.
The shape of the Commons debating chamber
makes an important comment on the political
process in Britain.
MPs are paid salaries, approximately twice the
average national wage, but substantially less
than most MPs could earn outside the Commons
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The members of the House of Commons
represent constituencies in England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Many MPs find themselves in other rooms of
the Commons, participating in variety of
committees and meetings necessary for an
effective parliamentary process.
The House of Lords
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The upper chamber of Parliament, the House of
Lords, is not democratic in any sense at all.
Members:
4 categories of peers
- the majority are heredity of peers,
- the smaller number are ‘life’ peers
(certain people rendered political or
public service to the nation)
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The House is presided over by the Lord
Chancellor, the senior law officer of the
state (responsible for the administration of
justice and an automatic member of the
Cabinet).
Peers, of whatever party loyalty, are far
freer to vote according to their own
convictions rather than party policy than
are members of the Commons.
Parliamentary Committees
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The Commons and the Lords should form
committees to consider specific matters or
bills passing through Parliament.
The commons have a number of ‘standing
committees’ which examine bills during
the procedural stages until they become
law.
Political hierarchy
The Crown
The House
of Lords
The
Government
The House
Commons
The People