LECTURE 1

1. LECTURE 1 Politics in Britain

3. Country Bio: United Kingdom Pop: 59.6 million Territory: 94,525 sq. miles Year of Independence: 12th century Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II Head of Government: Prime Minister Gordon Brown Language: English, plus about 600,000 who regularly speak Welsh and 60,000 who speak the Scottish form of Gaelic Religion: Anglican: 26.1 million Roman Catholic: 5.7 million Presbyterian: 2.6 million Methodist: 1.3 million Other Christian: 2.6 million Muslim: 1.5 million Hindu: 500,000 Sikh: 330,000 Jewish: 260,000 Other: 300,000 No religion: 8.6 million Did not state a religion: 4.4 million

4. GREAT BRITAN (GB, UK) Collapse of Roman Empire� England was governed by monarchs Divine right of Kings; power is from God, not from people; sovereign, monarchy, absolutism The first real break with monarchy, 1640, decapitation of King Charles 1649, the first republic, Oliver Cromwell 1660, monarch was restored after Cromwell died

5. � 1215, Magna Carta (the Great Charter), King John/clergymen, barons, knights and other prominent personages Magna Carta plainly implied that there were limits to the king�s sovereign power and the monarchy was not above the law Parliament remained constitutionally subordinate to the crown until the late seventeenth century Glorious Revolution: established a solid precedent for parliamentary supremacy. It means that, Parliament,- not the crown, the courts, or any other institution,- is the supreme authority in the British Political System Thus the system became constitutional monarchy Constitutional Monarchy: in which the monarch performs the largely symbolic functions of a ceremonial head of state while day-to-day decision making rests firmly in the hands of a prime minister and cabinet, backed by their supporters in Parliament. �The monarch reigns, but the Government rules.�

6. � UK played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science It pursues a global approach to foreign policy It currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe It chose to remain outside of the European Monetary Union for the time being It has constitutional monarchy Constitution is unwritten (partly statutes, partly common law and practice) Chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II, Heir apparent Prince Charles. Head of government: Prime Minister: Gordon Brown. Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by prime minister.

8. � Britain exemplifies political change from a strong monarchy with an important aristocratic class to a political democracy. Basically, a constitutional monarch reigns over a country in which the parliamentary cabinet system and political systems are the dominant political organizations representing the different political expression of the power of the people. The British system has sometimes been called the �Westminster model� after the area of London in which Parliament is located. Britain is an example of two-party system as distinct from regimes with one dominant party, a number of parties or none at all. Britain is one of few countries which do not have a single formal document regarded as a constitution to define the political system and state the rights and duties of citizens. Britain is the classical example of a system that is �constitutional� in the sense of adherence to rules and to accepted ways of political behavior as contrasted with countries that are non-constitutional, or arbitrary, in their political practices.

9. � Democracy in Britain is a slow, piecemeal fashion, unlike the other nations�Evolution, not revolution, has characterized the British democratic experience

10. � Constellation of democratic factors in UK Parliament English Nationalism Private enterprise Political parties that embraced democracy A system of education fostered freedom of thought

11. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Monarch (Ceremonial head of State; succession by inheritance; symbolically designates ) Government (Prime ministers and other ministers responsible to:) House of Commons House of Lords (Hereditary and life peers; lords spiritual) Voters (elect)

13. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Monarch: The monarch is the part of the Parliament She retains the formal legal authority to designate the Prime Minister Dissolve the Parliament Call Parliamentary elections Nominal commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the head of the British Commonwealth

14. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Monarch retains a few traditional political prerogatives: Call parliamentary elections Name the Prime Minister Every election to the House of Commons preceded by an election proclamation by the monarch Queen designates her Prime Minister

15. Britain�s Parliamentary Government The Government: It is the chief decision making body of the executive branch 100 members, and all of whom must be members of Parliament Most are members of the House of Commons, but some also come from Lords The Cabinet: 20 or so government ministers constitute the cabinet The leader is the Prime minister Each cabinet member assumes responsibility for a particular functional area (health, foreign affairs, �etc.) Two or three cabinet ministers are members of the House of Lords The real heads of the government are the prime minister and the cabinet The government is formed from the party that can control a majority in the House of Commons Cabinet ministers will normally be chosen from the two houses of Parliament, and the prime minister will come from the House of Commons The cabinet will operate on the basis of collective responsibility to ensure political unity The government will resign or ask for a dissolution of Parliament if defeated in the House of Commons on a motion of no confidence The monarch will ultimately accept the wishes of his or her government

16. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Members of House of Commons: The representation of women has undergone slow but observable change over the years The House of Commons has not been very representative of the United Kingdom�s nonwhite minorities The House of Lords: They still have the right to vote on legislation passed by the Commons If the two houses can not agree on a particular piece of legislation, Lords under current procedures may not kill a bill already passed by the Commons They stand at the apex of Britain�s Legal system It is the supreme court of appeal for the entire country in civil cases, and for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in criminal cases. There is not separation of powers between UK�s legislature and highest court

17. Britain�s Parliamentary Government The House of Commons is over the House of Lords House of Lords: was an unelected body representing the aristocracy and the Anglican Church hierarchy, it constituted the bastion of nondemocratic rule in UK

18. Britain�s Parliamentary Government The electrote voted for the House of Commons The Commons advised the monarch in selection the prime minister, held the government accountable for its actions, and enacted bills into law The Commons also required the right to dismiss government and form new ones Prime minister also required the right to advise the monarch to dissolve the Commons and order new elections Because the Parliament was housed in Westminster Palace, this system of Government became known as the WESTMINSTER SYSTEM.

19. Britain�s Parliamentary Government The head of the state is the monarch who reigns but virtually no political power and only limited influence The powers formerly exercised by the monarch are now in the hands of various individuals and institutions The real political power is the prime minister and the cabinet, with the civil service assisting and influencing the exercise and administration of that power The Government consists of about 100 members, all nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch. Ministers introduce legislative proposals, press the concerns of their department, and argue its case and requests for money in cabinet and interdepartmental committees.

20. THE PRIME MINISTER The prime minister is the acknowledged head of the executive Legally the prime minister is chosen by the monarch, who selects the person capable of forming a government. The choice is obvious if one political party possesses or controls an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons and if that party has an acknowledged leader (Margaret Thatcher or Tony Blair) There are occasions when the monarch has a real choice between individuals (If the prime minister dies or resigns, the choice of a successor is not always obvious) Prime ministers might differ in personality, energy, political interests, and administrative abilities, but all are seasoned politicians with experience in Parliament They might have different social background (aristocracy, middle class, working class)

21. The Duties of Prime Minister Chooses and can dismiss members of the government Decides the size and composition of the cabinet Establishes and appoints the members of cabinet committees Calls cabinet meetings, takes the chair, determines the items of business, and controls the agenda Reports the conclusions of the cabinet and is the chief channel of political communication to the monarch Acts as an arbiter and tries to resolve disputes between departments Dispenses considerable patronage and has a power of appointment that includes not only the members of the government but also the senior members of the civil service, the chief members of the judiciary, military leaders, and the archbishops of the Church of England Controls the major appointments in the civil service, especially those of the permanent secretary to the Treasury and the secretary of the cabinet, who is the prime minister�s chief adviser on problems concerning the machinery of government

22. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Parliament Parliament today is not only supreme over a constitutional monarchy; it is also the highest judicial authority (No supreme court like the United States, or European-style constitutional court.) Laws passes by parliament are thus not subject to judicial review Laws can be amended and abolished only by Parliament itself

23. Britain�s Parliamentary Government Legislative Branch: Bills usually must be passed by a majority of those present and voting in both the House of Commons and House of Lords The Commons enjoys important prerogatives not accorded the Lords Have all the right to hold the Government accountable Vote it out of office if a majority of the Commons no longer has confidence in the prime minister and cabinet (Votes of Confidence)

24. � Parliament is the supreme legislative body. It has the authority to pass, change, or repeal any law without being subject to restraint or veto by the courts of law or any other body; on the contrary, Parliament can reverse the decisions of the courts. Britain now pledged to adhere to EU decisions, which signifies qualification of Parliament�s legal supremacy. Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords and House of Commons House of Lords performs a useful role as an organ of review in the revision of Legislation, the initiation of non-controversial legislation, the discussion of important topics, and the examination of delegated legislation

25. Judicial Branch House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life)� Unlike the US, Britain does not have a system of Judicial review, and courts cannot declare legislation void. As the legal sovereign, Parliament, not the courts, decides on the nature and extent of legislative power.

26. Elections & Parties The prime minister may ask the queen to call elections to the House of commons at any time Parliamentary elections take place at least every five years

27. � Parties: Labour Its source came from Britain�s trade unions Conservatives Descended from Tories.. Tories were devoted to absolutist monarchy, aristocratic rule, the House of Lords, and the established Anglican Church Produced Prime ministers like Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan, and Margaret Thatcher. Their worst defeat is in 1997, when John Major headed a party that was hopelessly divided on Britain�s ties to the EU and other issues Liberal Democratic Party Chief antecedents were the Whigs Devoted to a more limited monarchy, the House of Commons Numerous Others (their electoral support is small) Scottish Nationalist Party: Advocates independence for Scotland Welsh Nationalist Party: wants more autonomy for Wales Democratic Unionists�etc.

28. � The Conservative and Labour parties have shared the bulk of the electoral vote and seats in the house of Common The British System has often been regarded as the classic example of a two-party system in which the Conservative and Labour Parties. Voting behavior might be related to class, party identification, gender, race, religion, age, regional variations, occupation, party and leader�

31. � Interest Groups have long existed in British Politics and now play a significant role. Interest Groups can be divided into two groups such as Sectional Interest Groups and Promotional Groups. Sectional Interest Groups defend and promote the interests of their members, whether individuals or enterprises Promotional Groups concerned with a particular general cause, principle, or policy issue.

32. The Unified System British population is a heterogeneous multicultural society of Celts, Romans, Scots, Picts, Angles, Jutes, Danes, Norsemen, Normans, East Europeans, West Indians, Asians, and other groups. Although Britain is a pluralistic society in ethnic origin, language, religion, and race, the differences have rarely caused political problems affecting the unity and centralization of the system. In recent years the issues of race, ethnicity, and religion and the emergence of nationalist sentiment have upset the stability of the political order

34. The Nature of British Society Shift from the production of goods to a service economy Women, over 40 percent of the labor force, are now almost as equally unionized as men Women have been protected by law in a number of ways such as 1970 Equal Pay Act, 1975 Sex Discrimination Act A steady rise in the general standard of living and in the consumption of goods, especially of housing, cars, better-quality food and drink, and recreation, and more credit borrowing Britain is still a country with great inequality in the distribution of wealth It is a pluralistic society in its religious diversity (Protestant, Catholicism, other religions�) Minority groups can be defined in two ways: Afro-Caribbean and Asian. Riots occurred in 2001 in northern industrial cities with pockets of poverty and unemployment, where some Asian groups live in self-segregated communities with Islamic schools that receive state funding, halal butchers, and mosques.

35. Purpose of Welfare System The purpose of British Welfare System is to deal with problems of poverty and unemployment; to provide for the aged, the sick, and the infirm; and to maintain minimum living standards.

36. Civil Service Civil servants advise ministers on formulating policy and decision making The task of the civil service is to carry out the policy with energy and goodwill

37. UK and US Britain supported the U.S. for the war on Iraq Opposition to military action was vocal in Blair�s own party, Labour Party (B-LIAR) More than 100 Labour MP�s defied their party leadership Unlike the US, Britain has a Parliamentary Government (vs. Presidential Government.) In the United Kingdom, there is a fusion of powers between executive and legislative branches (In the U.S., there is a separation of powers, the president and congress are elected separately)

38. � Unlike the constitutions of the U.S., and most other countries, Britain�s constitution is not a single document but a collection of laws and practices that have accumulated over the ages - Britain=United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK consists of England, Scotland, Wales: Northern Ireland) - It has a unitary system; Devolution means the transfer of more decision-making power to regional governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. By doing that Blair Government moved the UK closer to the model of a federal state like U.S.

39. � Britain�s Parliamentary system requires any prospective prime minister to a member of Parliament, preferably of the Commons (It is possible for a political figure in the U.S. to have no experience in national government, congress, cabinet.) In Britain, the party leader�s name appears on the ballot only in one House of Commons district (smaller group of voters than the voters in the U.S.) Party professionals in UK play a paramount role in selecting the leader of the main parties (in U.S. presidential nominees are increasingly chosen by voters.)

40. Political Issues & Problems Northern Ireland: The first attack on the region by English Monarch started in the twelfth century Catholic (Ireland) vs. Protestant (English) 1801, Ireland joined England and Scotland Famine produced mass starvation�Immigration to the United States Conflict between Ireland and UK. 1922, Irish Free State in southern Ireland where Catholics had a majority 1949�Irish free state changed its name to Ireland

41. � Devolution in Wales and Scotland: They were also conquered and forced to unite with England Blair Government presented the people of Scotland and Wales with new devolution proposals

42. � The impact of EU membership on British sovereignty and on the rights and duties of citizens is uncertain Nonwhite immigrants have led to greater racial tension Dissatisfaction with some aspects of the political system and of the unwritten constitution Increased attempt to decentralize government after the reduction of powers of local authorities Strong difference of opinion in political parties and in the country about development and powers of the European Union and the extent to which its laws and regulations may limit the sovereignty of Britain

43. Bibliography Michael Curtis &�, Western European Government and Politics, Second Edition Michael J. Sodaro, Comparative Politics, A Global Introduction, Second Edition