WHO RULES BRITAIN?

WHO RULES BRITAIN?

The overlapping structure of government in the UK The Executive The Prime Minister Cabinet Ministers Other government Ministers House of Commons (elected) House of Lords (mostly appointed) The Civil Service Non political permanent staff (some political appointments Parliament

THE QUEEN • The Queen is a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCH • Queen Elizabeth II is HEAD OF STATE because her father was king – she inherited the throne. • The Queen is a FIGUREHEAD – her powers are limited by the laws and customs of Britain.In law, citizens of Britain owe loyalty to the monarch rather than the country • The Queen is head of: • the armed forces • the Church of England • the legal system and the country is governed in her name

PARLIAMENT Parliament has the power to: • make laws • raise taxes In Britain Parliament has complete power – in law there are no limits on what it can do. In reality there are lots of limits. Governments have a tendency to dominate the legislative functions of Parliament, by using their in-built majority in the House of Commons, and sometimes using their patronage power to appoint supportive peers in the Lords. In practice, governments can pass any legislation (within reason) in the Commons they wish, unless there is major dissent by MPs in the governing party. But even in these situations, it is highly unlikely a bill will be defeated, though dissenting MPs may be able to extract concessions from the government.

WHAT IS PARLIAMENT? Parliament is made up of two Houses: • The House of Commons which has 650 elected members of Parliament. • The House of Lords which is made up of: • Hereditary peers who have inherited their title (soon to lose their right to sit in the Lords) • Life peers appointed by the Prime Minister • Some bishops and judges • There is an argument going on over who should sit in the Lords and whether some or all Lords should be elected.

The House of Commons is the most powerful part of Parliament. It can force laws through even though the Lords may disagree The House of Lords checks bills and improves them. It can delay some laws for up to a year. Note – a proposal going through Parliament is called a bill. Once it is passed by both Commons and Lords and signed by the Queen it becomes an Act of Parliament and the law.

THE PRIME MINISTER The Prime Minister is appointed by the Queen but she has to choose the leader of the political party that has the majority of Members of Parliament. The Prime Minister exercises power in the Queen’s name. He/she can: • appoint other ministers • make the important decisions of government • tell the MPs in his party which way to vote (although they don’t always do as they are told) • conduct relations with other countries and declare war and make treaties in the Queen’s name • decide the date of the General Election

THE GOVERNMENT The Government is made up of the Prime Minister and other Ministers called the CABINET. Ministers look after various departments of government e.g. education and transport. Important ministers are: • Chancellor of the Exchequer (handles the country’s finances) • Home Secretary (law and order) • Foreign Secretary (relations with other countries) The chief ministers (called Secretaries of State) meet once a week in a committee called the CABINET to advise the Prime Minister and make decisions. The decisions of the ministers are put into effect by the CIVIL SERVICE which runs the country on a day-day basis.

Important Cabinet Ministers Chancellor of the Exchequer – GEORGE OSBORNE Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality - THERESA MAY Defence Secretary – Dr LIAM FOX

The Cabinet http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8675705.stm

ELECTIONS • Members of Parliament are elected in GENERAL ELECTIONS • General Elections must be held at least every five years, although they can be called earlier. • If an MP dies or resigns before a General Election a BY-ELECTION is held to replace him/her • Each MP represents a CONSTITUENCY – a part of the country • Someone standing for an election is a CANDIDATE • Most candidates are nominated (put forward) by the main political parties although you can stand as an independent. • Political parties with MPs are: New Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Scottish Nationalist, Plaid Cymri, Ulster Unionist, Ulster Democratic, Sinn Fein

VOTING • You have to be 18 or over to vote . . . 21 or over to be an MP (and not in Jail, insane or a Lord) • You vole by putting a cross on a BALLOT PAPER by the name of the person you are voting for • Voting is supposed to be secret • Whoever gets the most votes becomes the MP (“first past the post”) • Whichever party has the most MPs wins the election (PROBLEM – what if no-one has a majority?)

DEVOLUTION • Scotland has its own Parliament but still sends MPs to the UK Parliament • Wales has an assembly which runs much of the government of Wales • Northern Ireland has an assembly. The assembly was set up as part of the Good Friday Agreement and it was designed to help end the conflict in Northern Ireland:

WHO RULES BRITAIN?