T

T

he political

he political

system in the UK

system in the UK

Kamil Kominek, IV TD 2011/2012

Kamil Kominek, IV TD 2011/2012

The introduction:

The introduction:

United Kingdom > Great

United Kingdom > Great

Britain

Britain



United Kingdom of

United Kingdom of

Great Britain and

Great Britain and

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland



created in 1801

created in 1801

.

.



Great Britain

Great Britain

:

:



England

England

,

,



Scotland

Scotland

,

,



Wales

Wales

.

.

The

The

introduction:

introduction:

Union Jack

Union Jack



British national flag is called "

British national flag is called "

Union Jack

Union Jack

".

".



It symbolises the Union of

It symbolises the Union of

England

England

,

,

Scotland

Scotland

and

and

Ireland

Ireland

and dates back from 1801.

and dates back from 1801.



The flag is made up of the crosses of the patron

The flag is made up of the crosses of the patron

saints of:

saints of:



England

England

(St George's red cross on a white field)

(St George's red cross on a white field)



Ireland

Ireland

(St Patrick's red diagonals on a white field)

(St Patrick's red diagonals on a white field)



Scotland

Scotland

(St Andrew's white diagonals on a blue

(St Andrew's white diagonals on a blue

field)

field)



Wales

Wales

is not represented because when the flag

is not represented because when the flag

first appeared it was already united with England.

first appeared it was already united with England.

The introduction

The introduction



Britain is administered from the

Britain is administered from the

Palace of

Palace of

Westminister

Westminister

in London (also known as the

in London (also known as the

Houses of Parliament)

Houses of Parliament)



The power of

The power of

Queen

Queen

is not absolute. It is

is not absolute. It is

limited by the Parliament.

limited by the Parliament.



The United Kingdom of Great Britain and

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland is a

Northern Ireland is a

constitutional monarchy

constitutional monarchy

.

.

T

T

he Constitution

he Constitution



U

U

nwritten

nwritten

, based on traditions and common

, based on traditions and common

law

law

.

.



I

I

t´s easy to change it (by an Act of Parliament

t´s easy to change it (by an Act of Parliament

or by general agreement)

or by general agreement)

.

.



D

D

ivides power between 3 independent

ivides power between 3 independent

branches:

branches:



1.

1.

l

l

egislative

egislative

,

,



2

2

.

.

executive

executive

,

,



3.

3.

judicial

judicial

.

.

1. T

1. T

he LEGISLATIVE power:

he LEGISLATIVE power:

THE PARLIAMENT

THE PARLIAMENT

 

 



make

make

s

s

laws, vote

laws, vote

s

s

taxes and public

taxes and public

expen

expen

ses

ses



checks the work of

checks the work of

the Government

the Government

(

(

the Sovereign

the Sovereign

,

,

the House of Commons

the House of Commons

,

,

the

the

House

House

of

of

Lords

Lords

)

)

                         

                         

H o u s e o f L o r d s

T h e H o u s e o f C o m m o n s

T h e Q u e e n

The Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament

The Government

The Government



THE SOVEREIGN

THE SOVEREIGN



at present

at present

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II

,

,



mainly symbolical function (she takes part at ceremonials,

mainly symbolical function (she takes part at ceremonials,

traditional celebrations,..)

traditional celebrations,..)

,

,



she appoints ministers, judges and governors

she appoints ministers, judges and governors

,

,



she is the head of

she is the head of

the Armed Forces

the Armed Forces

and of

and of

the Church of England

the Church of England

.

.



THE HOUSE OF LORDS

THE HOUSE OF LORDS



has over 1000 members

has over 1000 members

,

,



the head is

the head is

the Lord Chancellor

the Lord Chancellor

,

,



made up of

made up of

the Lords of Temporal

the Lords of Temporal

(about 900)

(about 900)

,

,

the Lords Spiritual

the Lords Spiritual

 (2 Archbishops of Canterbury

 (2 Archbishops of Canterbury

and York

and York

+ 24 bishops of the Church of England)

+ 24 bishops of the Church of England)

,

,



they sign the bills to consider it as a law,

they sign the bills to consider it as a law,

they can refuse bills got from The House of

they can refuse bills got from The House of

Commons

Commons

.

.



THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS



consists of 651

consists of 651

Members of Parliament

Members of Parliament

(MPs) – each represents

(MPs) – each represents

a particular part of the country

a particular part of the country

,

,



they pass the bills

they pass the bills

,

,



the Speaker (elected by MPs)

the Speaker (elected by MPs)

=

=

the chief officer

the chief officer

-

-

he preside

he preside

s

s

over the house

over the house

,

,



elections – every 5 years

elections – every 5 years

,

,



minimum voting age – 18 years

minimum voting age – 18 years

,

,



candidates must be over 21

candidates must be over 21

.

.

        

        



Benches in the

Benches in the

House of Commons

House of Commons

Chamber are

Chamber are

coloured green.

coloured green.



In contrast, the

In contrast, the

House of Lords is

House of Lords is

decorated in red.

decorated in red.

2. T

2. T

he EXECUTIVE power:

he EXECUTIVE power:

THE GOVERNMENT

THE GOVERNMENT



the head is

the head is

Prime Minister

Prime Minister

(the leader of

(the leader of

the party, which has the majority in

the party, which has the majority in

The

The

House

House

of Commons

of Commons

)

)

,

,



Present PM is

Present PM is

Tony

Tony

Blair

Blair

– the

– the

representative of the

representative of the

Labour Party

Labour Party

(lives

(lives

at 11 Downing Street) 

at 11 Downing Street) 

,

,

       

       



he chooses his

he chooses his

government ministers

government ministers

(about 20) =

(about 20) =

the Cabinet

the Cabinet

(formally

(formally

appointed

appointed

by the Queen)

by the Queen)

,

,



the second strongest party forms an

the second strongest party forms an

Opposition (Shadow-Cabinet)

Opposition (Shadow-Cabinet)

,

,



the Prime Minister with the Cabinet

the Prime Minister with the Cabinet

have real political power

have real political power

.

.

2. T

2. T

he EXECUTIVE power:

he EXECUTIVE power:

Cabinet

Cabinet

The Cabinet is a

The Cabinet is a

committee of ministers

committee of ministers

.

.

2. T

2. T

he EXECUTIVE power:

he EXECUTIVE power:

THE GOVERNMENT

THE GOVERNMENT

S e n io r M P - s

T h e y a ll f o r m t h e c a b in e t

G o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n ts

M e m b e r s o f th e L o r d s

P r im e m in is t e r

3. T

3. T

he JUDICIAL power:

he JUDICIAL power:



The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system due to it

The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system due to it

being created by the political union of previously independent

being created by the political union of previously independent

countries with the terms of the Treaty of Union guaranteeing the

countries with the terms of the Treaty of Union guaranteeing the

continued existence of Scotland's separate legal system.

continued existence of Scotland's separate legal system.



Today the UK has three distinct systems of law:

Today the UK has three distinct systems of law:

English law

English law

,

,

Northern Ireland law

Northern Ireland law

and

and

Scots law

Scots law

. Recent constitutional changes

. Recent constitutional changes

saw a new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom come into being in

saw a new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom come into being in

October 2009 that took on the appeal functions of the Appellate

October 2009 that took on the appeal functions of the Appellate

Committee of the House of Lords.

Committee of the House of Lords.



The

The

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

, comprising the same

, comprising the same

members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for

members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for

several independent Commonwealth countries,

several independent Commonwealth countries,

the UK overseas

the UK overseas

territories

territories

and

and

the British crown dependencies.

the British crown dependencies.

Political System

Political System

of Great

of Great

Britain

Britain

Great Britain

Parliamentary

Monarchy

The Prime-

Ministers

Parliame

nts

The
Queen

The official

residence –

Downing Street,

10

The

House

of

Commo

ns

The

House

of

Lords

Residence –

Buckingham

Palace

The

Cabinet

The

opposition

Department

s

Electoral systems

Electoral systems



The

The

first-past-the-post

first-past-the-post

system is used for general elections to the

system is used for general elections to the

House of Commons, and also for some local government elections

House of Commons, and also for some local government elections

in England and Wales.

in England and Wales.



The

The

plurality-at-large voting

plurality-at-large voting

(the bloc vote) is also used for some

(the bloc vote) is also used for some

local government elections in England and Wales.

local government elections in England and Wales.



The

The

Additional Member System

Additional Member System

is used for elections to the Scottish

is used for elections to the Scottish

Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales (Welsh Assembly) and

Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales (Welsh Assembly) and

London Assembly. The system is implemented differently in each

London Assembly. The system is implemented differently in each

of the three locations.

of the three locations.



The

The

single transferable vote

single transferable vote

system is used in Northern Ireland to

system is used in Northern Ireland to

elect the Northern Ireland Assembly, local councils, and Members

elect the Northern Ireland Assembly, local councils, and Members

of the European Parliament, and in Scotland to elect local councils.

of the European Parliament, and in Scotland to elect local councils.

Electoral systems

Electoral systems



The

The

Alternative Vote

Alternative Vote

system is used for by-elections in

system is used for by-elections in

Scottish local councils.

Scottish local councils.



The

The

party-list proportional representation

party-list proportional representation

system is

system is

used for European Parliament elections in England,

used for European Parliament elections in England,

Scotland and Wales.

Scotland and Wales.



The

The

supplementary vote

supplementary vote

is used to elect directly-

is used to elect directly-

elected mayors in England, including the mayor of

elected mayors in England, including the mayor of

London.

London.

P

P

olitical parties in the UK

olitical parties in the UK

today:

today:



The Labour Party

The Labour Party

-

-

left wing, their program includes

left wing, their program includes

many social reforms and active social politics

many social reforms and active social politics



The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party

– right wing, they put more

– right wing, they put more

emphasis in private enterprise

emphasis in private enterprise



The Liberals

The Liberals



Social and Liberal Democrats

Social and Liberal Democrats

- left of centre

- left of centre



Scottish National Party (SNP)

Scottish National Party (SNP)



Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin

- the oldest political movement in Ireland

- the oldest political movement in Ireland

Local

Local

government

government



The UK is divided into a variety of different types of

The UK is divided into a variety of different types of

Local Authorities

Local Authorities

, with different functions and

, with different functions and

responsibilities.

responsibilities.



England has a mix of two-tier and single-tier councils

England has a mix of two-tier and single-tier councils

in different parts of the country. In

in different parts of the country. In

Greater London

Greater London

, a

, a

unique two-tier system exists, with power shared

unique two-tier system exists, with power shared

between the

between the

London borough

London borough

councils, and the

councils, and the

Greater London Authority

Greater London Authority

which is headed by an

which is headed by an

elected mayor

elected mayor

.

.



Unitary Authorities

Unitary Authorities

are used throughout

are used throughout

Scotland

Scotland

,

,

Wales

Wales

and

and

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

.

.

European

European

Union

Union



The United Kingdom first joined the

The United Kingdom first joined the

European

European

Economic Community

Economic Community

in January 1973, and has

in January 1973, and has

remained a member of the

remained a member of the

European Union

European Union

(EU)

(EU)

.

.



UK citizens, and other EU citizens resident in the

UK citizens, and other EU citizens resident in the

UK, elect 78 members to represent them in the

UK, elect 78 members to represent them in the

European Parliament

European Parliament

in Brussels and Strasbourg.

in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Sources:

Sources:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England



http://www.bbc.co.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/



http://www.google.com/

http://www.google.com/



http://www.schrapnel.cz/skotsko/mapaanglie.htm

http://www.schrapnel.cz/skotsko/mapaanglie.htm



http://www.kralovstvimap.cz/katalog/velka-britanie-

http://www.kralovstvimap.cz/katalog/velka-britanie-

londyn/7

londyn/7



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Ki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Ki

ngdom#England.2C_Wales_and_Northern_Ireland

ngdom#England.2C_Wales_and_Northern_Ireland

Thank you for attention!

Thank you for attention!