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Chapter 5

The Government

Parliament, the monarchy, and how the UK is governed

Table of Contents

Chapter 5: The Government

The Constitution

The UK does not have a single written constitution. Instead, the constitution is formed from:

  • Acts of Parliament (statute law)
  • Common law (legal precedent from court decisions)
  • Conventions (established practices and traditions)

Key constitutional documents include the Magna Carta (1215), the Bill of Rights (1689), and the Human Rights Act (1998).

The Monarchy

  • The UK is a constitutional monarchy -- the monarch is the Head of State but has limited political power
  • The current monarch opens each new session of Parliament with the Queen's/King's Speech, outlining the government's plans
  • The monarch's role is largely ceremonial
  • The monarch must remain politically neutral

Parliament

The UK Parliament consists of two chambers:

The House of Commons

  • Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected by the public in general elections
  • The UK is divided into constituencies -- each one elects one MP
  • The political party with the most MPs usually forms the government
  • The leader of the winning party becomes the Prime Minister
  • General elections must be held at least every five years
  • The Speaker chairs debates and maintains order in the House of Commons

The House of Lords

  • Members are not elected
  • Includes life peers (appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister), hereditary peers, and bishops of the Church of England
  • The House of Lords scrutinises and revises legislation proposed by the Commons
  • It can suggest amendments but cannot ultimately block laws passed by the Commons

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

  • The Prime Minister (PM) is the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons
  • The PM appoints approximately 20 senior MPs to the Cabinet -- the most important decision-making body in government
  • The PM's official residence is 10 Downing Street in London
  • The PM's country residence is Chequers in Buckinghamshire

Key Cabinet Positions

| Role | Responsibility | |------|---------------| | Chancellor of the Exchequer | Economy and finance | | Home Secretary | Crime, policing, and immigration | | Foreign Secretary | Foreign affairs and relations |

  • The Cabinet meets weekly to discuss policy and make key decisions
  • Cabinet decisions must be debated in and approved by Parliament

The Opposition

  • The second-largest party in the House of Commons forms the Official Opposition
  • The Opposition leader appoints shadow ministers to challenge government policy
  • Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) take place weekly when Parliament is in session

Political Parties

The main UK political parties are:

  • Conservative Party (also known as the Tories)
  • Labour Party
  • Liberal Democrats
  • Scottish National Party (SNP) -- Scotland
  • Plaid Cymru -- Wales
  • Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein -- Northern Ireland
  • Independent MPs -- not affiliated with any party

Political parties recruit members, hold annual conferences, and maintain local constituency branches.

Pressure Groups and Lobbying

Pressure groups and lobby groups seek to influence government policy on specific issues. Examples include:

  • CBI (Confederation of British Industry) -- represents business interests
  • Greenpeace -- environmental campaigning
  • Liberty -- civil liberties and human rights

The Civil Service

  • Civil servants implement government policies and deliver public services
  • They are selected on merit (not political affiliation)
  • Civil servants must remain politically neutral
  • Core values include integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality

Devolved Governments

Since 1997, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have had devolved administrations with powers over local matters.

| Body | Members | Title | |------|---------|-------| | Welsh Assembly (Senedd Cymru) | 60 | Assembly Members (AMs) | | Scottish Parliament | 129 | Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) | | Northern Ireland Assembly | 108 | Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) |

Powers of Devolved Governments

Devolved matters (controlled locally):

  • Education
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Transport
  • Environment

Reserved matters (controlled by Westminster):

  • Defence
  • Foreign affairs
  • Immigration
  • Taxation
  • Social security

Local Government

  • In England, local services are provided by local authorities (county councils, district councils, unitary authorities, or London boroughs)
  • Local councillors are elected by residents
  • Local government provides services including: education, planning, roads, housing, refuse collection, libraries, and social services
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