BRITISH INSTITUTIONS

Politics of the United KingdomA constitutional monarchyMonarch is head of state Prime Minister is head of government. Executive power is carried out by HM's Government,

on behalf of and by consent of Monarch

• The Legislative Power: makes the law (ie. Debates, votes and passes new laws)

• The Judicial Power: interprets the law (ie. Decides what punishment should be given for those that break the law)

• The Executive Power: implements and enforces the law (ie. Makes sure that the decisions of the legislature are carried out)

The division of powers

The division of powers• The Legislative Power :

Parliament (House of Commons, House of Lords, the Monarch)

• The Executive : the government (the party or coalition with a majority in the Commons)

• The Judiciary : the judges and especially the Supreme Court

Monarch(Representative

Function)

Supreme Court(since 2009)

House of Lords

House of Commons

Government

PrimeMinister

Nation(electorate)

Partiament

elects

elects

can dissolve

appoints aristocratscan dissolve appoints

appoints justices

Legistative

Executive

Judiciary

Separation of powers

appoints

Parliamentary monarchy in the United Kingdom

What the Queen Can Do

Her picture appears on postage stamps, but her personal mail is franked.

What the Queen Can Do

She can drive as fast as she likes in a car which needs no license number.

What the Queen Can DoShe can confer Britain’s highest

civilian decoration, the Order of Merit—one honour in which the Sovereign retains freedom of choice.

What the Queen Can’t Do

Her Majesty cannot vote. Nor can she express her

political opinion in public. She cannot sit in the House of

Commons (building royal property).

She cannot write her own speech.

She cannot refuse to sign a bill, and she cannot appear as a witness in court.

The Queen’s roleConstitutional Arbitration – In

times of CrisisStability –1,000 years of SovereigntyContinuity –helps to bridge the

discontinuities of party politicsExperience –reading state papers,

meeting heads of state and ambassadors, and weekly audiences with Prime Ministers

Uniting the Nation with the State –combination of the role as Head of State and Head of the Nation.

The Queen’s role (2)Unity: Party politics = disagreement

and confrontation. (rich vs poor, north vs south, management vs unions, Catholic vs Protestant…)

Moral Leadership & Model Behaviour

Custodianship of the Past – Through its ceremony, pageantry and ritual, the monarchy preserves the link with Britain’s history

Coronation ceremony

QUEEN’s DIAMOND JUBILEE 1952- 2012

The British ConstitutionA constitution is a set of laws on

how a country is governed. The British Constitution is

unwrittenIt is referred to as an uncodified

constitution.Amendments to constitution are

made by a majority support in both Houses of Parliament to be followed by the Royal Assent.

Sources of the Constitution:

Statutes such as the Magna Carta of 1215 and the Act of Settlement of 1701.

Laws and Customs of Parliament; Political conventionsDecisions in a court of lawConstitutional experts who have

written on the subject such as Walter Bagehot and A.V Dicey.

Principles of the Constitution

Two basic principles govern the Constitution:

The Rule of Law The Supremacy of Parliament

For or AgainstPros: Flexibility and change Cons: no public access– Only

constitutional experts know where to look and how to interpret it.

The House of LordsParliament's second chamber. Role: 'double check' new laws. About 800 members. Not elected. No power to stop a new law but

can delay it (veto lost in 1911)Bills must go through both Houses

before becoming 'Acts' (laws).

House of CommonsThe most powerful of the two

houses. 659 elected members. Members are called MPs. The Commons is the most

important place for discussing policies and making laws.

There are only 427 green leather seats so when it's full a lot of politicians have to stand!

House of commons ON A PASSAGE OF A BILL

PASSAGE OF A BILL

House of Commons

House of Lords

House of Lords

House of Lords

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3RC21

Royal AssentBill starting in theHouse of Lords

Bill starting in theHouse of Commons

Royal Assent

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Britain

And politics

Two-party systemmajority of MPs in the House of

Commons belong toThe Conservative party (the

tories), orThe Labour PartyPower has always alternated

between the two major parties.

The Labour Party

traditionally gathers its support from the trade unions, the working class, the middle-class . Its electorates have always been in south Wales, Scotland, and the Midland and northern English industrial cities.

Political Parties the Conservative Party

the party's support comes mainly from business interests and the middle and upper classes

the party's strongholds tend to be in southern England

They are laughing…Shall I tell them there will be a quiz next week?

A. The House of CommonsB. The common peopleC. The CommonwealthD. None of the above

Q1 “Common lands” were called common after

A. TurnipB. Wheat C. BarleyD. Clover

Q2This is called

Common land was used forA. Collecting woodB. Grazing animalsC. Slaughtering animalsD. Gardening

Q3Which statement is wrong

The disadvantages of the open-field system included

A. Manure from cattle didn’t fertilize the soil

B. Disputes between farmers C. Animals caused damage to cropsD. Animals get lost

Q4Which statement is right?

A. Land left with no crops for a season B. An unfenced landC. A piece of land that is divided in

stripsD. An enclosed land

Q5 WHAT DOES FALLOW MEAN?

A. Selective breeding B. Fair distribution of landC. Farming specializationD. Increased agricultural

productivity

Q6WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT

AN EFFECT OF ENCLOSURE ?

A. Fenced landB. Grazing landC. Enclosed landD. All of the above

Q7WHAT TYPE OF FARMLAND WAS

LOST DURING ENCLOSURE?

A. By slaughtering their animals in autumn

B. By grazing animals in open-fieldsC. By introducing selective breedingD. By using fertilizers

Q8How did farmers produce more

meat ?