British Government Overview

1. British Government Overview • Britain is a unitary state with political authority centralized in London. • Government has three branches of government (executive, legislative, judiciary) & a bureaucracy. • Legislature (Parliament) is a bicameral system – House of Lords & House of Commons • Parliamentary System– a system of government where in the ministers of the executive branch are drawn from the legislature. • Prime Minister is the head of government; Monarchy is the head of state

2. Comparative Executives Prime Minister of Britain President of the United States Elected every four years by an electoral college based on popular election Elected as president Has an excellent chance of ending up in gridlock with Congress Cabinet members usually not from Congress (although can be) Expertise in policy areas one criteria for appointment to cabinet; members head vast bureaucracies • Serves only as long as he/she remains leader of the majority party • Elected as a member of Parliament (MP) • Has an excellent chance of getting his/her programs past Parliament • Cabinet members not always MPs and leaders of the majority party • Cabinet members not experts in policy areas; rely on bureaucracy to provide expertise.

3. The Confidence Vote in Parliament Prime Ministers in parliamentary democracies lead precarious political lives. Unlike presidents, prime ministers can be voted out of office at any time, and for any reason, by a parliamentary majority. There are two ways in which this can happen: 1.) No-confidence motion- passed by parliament, expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister. No-confidence motions are usually introduced by the opposition in hope of brining down the prime minister.

4. The Confidence Vote in Parliament 2.) Confidence motions- normally introduced by the prime minister The confidence vote can be a powerful weapon in the hands of the prime minister. It is typically attached to a policy proposal that is favored by the prime minister, but not by the parliamentary majority. By attaching a confidence motion to the proposal, the prime minster forces members of parliament to choose between the proposal and the fall of the cabinet.

5. House of Commons Speaker of the House Overseer of debates; not a MP; apolitical Cabinet Members Shadow Cabinet “Backbenchers” “Backbenchers” Prime Minister Leader of majority party Leader of the Opposition Leader of minority party Loyal Opposition Side Minority Party; left of the Speaker Majority Party Side right of the Speaker Leader of the Second Opposition Leader of 2nd minority party

6. U.S. vs. British Elections Britain United States Parties are less powerful Members must live in districts Party leaders run in their respective districts Individual votes for multiple officials on the national level Between 30%-50% of eligible voters actually vote Elections are by first-past-the-post, single member districts Virtually no minor parties get representation • Party determines who runs where. • Members usually don’t live in their districts. • Party leaders run in ‘safe districts’ • Individuals votes for only one official on the national level • About 70% of the eligible voters actually vote • Elections are by first-past-the-post, single members districts • Minor parties get some representation

7. Minor/Regional Parties in British Politics Nationalist Parties (1) Plaid Cymru - Welsh party - 15 of 60 seats in the Welsh Assembly (2) Scottish National Party - Scottish party - 47 of 129 seats in the Scottish Assembly (3) Sinn Fein - Northern Ireland party - Political arm of the IRA (4) Democratic Unionist Party - Northern Ireland party - Led by Protestant clergyman Far Right Parties (1) British National Party - Historically anti-Semitic - Recently focused against the presence of Muslims in Britain (2) UK Independence Party - Focused on its opposition to British membership in the European Union