1

outline

British Political System

Political life

The Monarchy

The Government

The Parliament

Elections

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Content1.The public attitude

to politics2.The style of

democracy3.The constitution4.The style of politics5.The party system

Political life

The Monarchy

The Government

The Parliament

Elections

3

Public attitude to politics

However

1st rule in politicNEVER BELIEVE ANYTHING

UNTIL IT’S BEEN OFFICIALLY DENIED

Are unknown

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Style of democracy Have high respect for the law

• Little systematic law breaking by large number • Not evading taxation Comparatively unenthusiastic about

making new laws• Best to do without them• Few rules and regulations in many aspects (for Government and individuals)

Relationship between Individual and the State Both should leave each other alone

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Style of democracyIndividual Government

Not breaking the law and paying taxes

Not having to vote at elections

Not having to register their change of address when moving houses

Having less participation by ordinary citizens in governing and law making No concept of “By the people”

Not having to ask the people for a change in law

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Style of democracy

People choose who is to govern the country and let

them get on with it

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The constitution

Is a constitutional monarchy – governed by a King or Queen– accepts the advice of Parliament

How

ever

Doesn’t have a “constitution” at all

No written law:- Says anything about who can be the MP and what his powers and duties are- asserts people’s rights

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The style of politics Political life is still influenced by the traditional British respect for privacy and love of informality

Comparatively informal Important decisions are to be taken at lunch, over dinner, or in chance encounters in the corridors of power

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The party system

A two – party system

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The party system

The party that wins the majority of seat forms the Gov. and its leaders (= MPs)

The parties choose candidates in elections (independent candidates are rarely elected)

The largest minority party = opposition (criticize the party running the country )

Without agreement between the political parties, the British parliamentary system would break down

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1.The appearance2.The reality3.The role of the monarch4.The value of the monarch5.The future of the monarch

outlinePolitical

life

The Monarchy

The Government

The Parliament

Elections

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The appearanceIn written law, the Queen has absolute power to: Choose the Prime Minister Dismiss ministers and governments Dissolve Parliament Refuse to agree to legislation passed by Parliament Dismiss the governments of other countries of which she is monarch Embody the law in the courts Can do nothing that is legally wrong

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When she opens Parliament each year, the speech she makes has been written for her

• she makes no secret of the fact• She reads word for word• She might ask the Gov. minister to

change the wording

In reality: Different Can’t choose anyone she likes to be P.M P.M decides the other government ministers P.M requests a dissolution of Gov. The Royal assent to a bill passed by Parliament is automatic

The reality

The Queen has almost no power at all

Can’t stop the Gov. going ahead with any of its politics

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The Role of the monarch

Symbol of government

A final check on

a Gov

Ceremonial duties

The Monarch can refuse the royal assent for a bill to

become law and the

request of a dissolutionof Parliament

People can be as critical as they like about the real Gov without being accused of being

unpatriotic

The real G has more time to get on with the actual job

of running the country

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The Value of the monarch

Important to the economy

Popular with the majority of the British peopleMake up for the lack of colour and ceremony A source of entertainment

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Future of the monarchy

• Not a burning political issue• The Q= popular• Prestige of Royal family has lowered due to various marital problems

Changing Guard at Windsor Castle

Future of royal style a little grand,

a little less distant

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1.The Government Structure2.Collective Responsibility3.The cabinet4.The Prime Minister5.The civil service6.Central and local government

outline

Political life

The Monarchy

The Government

The Parliament

Elections

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Government structure

• The Government includes:– The Prime Minister: most powerful– 20 MPs:

• Heads of the Gov. Departments (Minister of...)

• Belong to the same political party• Appointed by the monarch (on the advice of

the PM) but are accountable to Parliament• Take on various responsibilities of managing

Parliament but have COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

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Collective responsibility

All share the responsibilities for every

policy made by Government

No member of the Gov. can

criticize Gov. policy in public or

must resign to do so

Having different opinions, they must keep these private

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The Cabinet

• Which?• Who?• Where

? • When?• What?• How?

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The Cabinet

Which?

Who?

Where?

The committee at the centre of the British political system and is the supreme decision-making body in government

Prime Minister and all Ministers in the governing party

In the Cabinet room in

Downing Street

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Take decisions about new

policies, the implementation

of existing policies and

the running of the various

Gov. Departments

The Cabinet

When?

What?

How?

Traditionally Thursday,

now Tuesday morning

- Cabinet meetings are confidential - The PM chairs the meeting-Who says what is secret- Reports are made and circulated to Gov. Depart.-Gov. Depart. summarizes the topic discussed and decisions taken

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The Prime Minister

Has a great deal of power in reality– Appoints the cabinet and change his

cabinet– Makes final decisions on major issues – Decides the agenda for cabinet meetings

which he also chairs – Dissolve Parliament

Has the power of public image

the leader of his party in the House of Commons

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The civil service

Helps run the Government day-to day and implement policies

Remains though Governments come and go

Knows the secrets of previous Gov which the present minister is unaware of

Is reputed for absolute impartiality Top civil servants exercise quite a lot of

control over their ministers

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The civil service

Unknown to the larger publicIs a career

get a high salary have absolute job security stand a good chance of being

awarded an official honour

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Its efficiency

The civil service

Criticism

- Doesn’t have enough expertise in matters such as economics or technology- Lives in its closed world, cut off from the corners of most people in society

• From the same narrow section of society– Have been to a public school and

then Oxford and Cambridge– Studied history and classical

languages

Solutions

Ministers have their own political advisers working

alongside with their civil servants

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Central and local government

Local Government has similar system of national Government– Elected representatives = councilors ≈

MPs– Meet in council chamber in the Town

Hall or County Hall ≈ Parliament– Make policy implemented by local

Government officers ≈ Civil Servants

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Central and local government

Local Government authorities (= councils) only have powers given by the Central Government

Most people have far more direct dealings with local Gov.– Manage nearly all public services– Employ 3 times as many people

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1.The House of Lords2.House of Commons3.The Atmosphere of Parliament4.The Stages of legislation5.Parliamentary business6.MP’s way of working7.MP’s life

outlinePolitical

life

The Monarchy

The Government

The Parliament

Elections

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- Committee rooms- Restaurants- Bars- Libraries- Some places of residence- 2 larger rooms:

- House of Lords- House of Commons

Parliament Like parliament in other

western democracies:– Make new laws– Give authority for the Government to raise

and spend money– Keep a close eye on Government activities

and discuss these activities

Activities

Place of working offices

Palace of Westminster

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House of lords

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House of lords• The upper chamber• No fixed number of members, now 747

– Historically most members = hereditary peers undemocratic Labour Government abolished the right of all Now 92

– Almost all = life peers = no fixed number but the current one is 629 (senior politicians + distinguished figures)

– The rest = 26 Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England.

• Its main job is to 'double check' new laws, but not on Money Bills

• Is a forum for public discussion

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House of commons

• The lower chamber • Chaired by the Speaker• Currently 646 seats, each seat =

geographical constituency (60,000 rural– 80,000 urban voters)

• Sits most days of the week for about half of the weeks of the year

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House of commons Design and layout US House of British

House Representatives of

Commons

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Facing each other

Government benches Opposition benches

Speaker chairs the debate between two rows

• Either For or Against (No opportunity for a reflection of all various shades of political opinions)• Encourage confrontation between Gov and opposition• Reinforce the reality of the British two-party system

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MPs speak in a conversational

tone and don’t normally speak

for long

MPs are encouraged to co-operate

House of commonsOther features

1. Has no front2. Has no desks for MPs3. Is small

Creates fairly informal atmosphere

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The atmosphere of parliament

MPs are forbidden to address one another directly or use personal names• All remarks and questions must go

“through the chair”• Use “the honourable Member of

Winchester” or “my right honourable friend”

Take the “heat” out of debate and decrease the possibility that violence may break down

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The Stages of legislation

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Parliamentary business• Much of the work is done in Committees (not

on the floor of the chamber)– Select Committees: lifetime of a Parliament;

conduct investigations, and issue reports – General Committees: temporary bodies;

examine the detail of a particular piece of legislation and consider amendments to the Bill

• MPs have to vote for or against by walking through one of 2 corridors at the side of the house (page 91)– Aye: agree– No: disagree

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Parliamentary business

• Prime Minister's Question Time on any subject for 30 minutes every Wednesday

• Easy accessibility for the press • There are also permanent committees

to investigate the activities of government in particular field– include 40 members– have power to call certain people such as

civil servants to come and answer their questions

The committees are becoming a more and more important part of the business of the Commons

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MPs nearly vote the way that their party tells them to do

WHIP• Each of the 2 major parties has several

MPs who perform this role• Those make sure MPs do this by

informing all MPs in their party how they should vote

MP’s way of working

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MP’s life• Traditionally, MPs weren’t supposed to be

specialist politiciansshould be ordinary peopleideally come from all walks of life

• MPs weren’t paid until early 20th

supposed to do a public service, not making a career

only rich people could afford to be MPs

• MPs have incredibly poor facilities: sharewith at least more than 2 MPs

an officea secretary

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MP’s life

Politics in Britain in the last 40 years has become professional Most MPs = full-time politicians

and do another part-time job (if at all)

Spend more time at work than any other professional in the country

However

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MP’s life

• Mornings are taken up with committee work, research, preparing speeches and dealing with the problems of constituents

• Afternoons = meetings in the house• Weekends are not free:

– Visit their constituencies– Listen to the problems of anybody who

wants to see them

A busy life

So busy that they have little time for • pursuing another career• for families (higher rate of divorce)

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The system• The electoral system used in Britain doesn’t

seem to add up The “first-past- the-post” system E.g.: General Election in May 2005

- Labour party = 355 seats- Conservative Party = 198 seats- Liberal Democrat Party = 62 seats- Other small parties= 31

• Nearly everybody votes for a candidate on the basis of the party (s)he represents, not on the qualities or political opinions of the candidate

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Voters

• Voters can choose only one candidate; otherwise, the ballot paper is “spoiled” and not counted

• Voters ≥ 18 years old and on the electoral register H

ow

ever Nobody is obliged to vote

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Time for New Election

• It is the Government which decides when to hold an election

• An election has to take place at least every five years

usually shorter

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The campaign

– Local newspapers give coverage to the candidates

– Candidates hold meetings– Party supporters stick up posters in

their windows– Local party workers spend their time

canvassing

Comparativelyquiet affairs

no large rallies or parades like in USA

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the campaign

Limited amount of money have to submit detailed

accounts for their expenses for inspection

Any attempt to influence voters improperly is outlawed

Strict regulations on the campaign

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the real campaign

• Takes place at a national level• The parties spend millions of pounds

advertising on hoardings and newspapers

• They don’t buy time on TV= USA but given a number of strictly timed “party election broadcasts”

• Each party also holds a daily televised news conference

Emphasis is on the national party personalities rather than local candidates

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Process of Election

The country is divided into a number of areas of roughly equal population = constituencies

Anyone wishing to become an MP must declare himself belonging to one of these constituencies (after depositing £500 with the Returning Officer)

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Process of election

The date of general election (polling day) is fixed

- always on Thursday- not a public holiday

On polling day, voters go to polling stations and put a cross next to the name of one candidate on a ballot paper

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Process of election

After the polls close, the marked ballot papers are taken to a central place in the constituency and counted

The Returning officer makes a public announcement for the votes cast for each candidate and declares the winner to be the MP for the constituency

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At the election night, TV start their programmes

By midnight, experts will be making predictions about the composition of the newly elected House of Commons

By 2 in the morning, ≥ ½ of the constituencies will have declared their results.

Process of election

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validity of election

Candidates are entitled to demand as many recounts as they want until the result is beyond doubt

Fairly conducted

ExceptionIn Northern Ireland

“Vote early, vote often”

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By- electionWhenever a sitting MP can no longer fulfill his duties, there has to be a special new election

in the constituency which he represents

No system of ready substitutes

By elections can take place

at any time

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Suggestions for further reading

1. Conservative party and labour party – which is better for the British

2. Stages of legislation: how a bill becomes law

3. British judiciary system4. British general election