Bellringer for QuizBellringer for Quiz UK vs GBUK vs GB Collective ConsensusCollective Consensus Third WayThird Way Hung ParliamentHung Parliament NeoliberalismNeoliberalism NHSNHS Social welfare programsSocial welfare programs Current Coalition GovernmentCurrent Coalition Government

United KingdomUnited Kingdom

3 - Governance & Policy 3 - Governance & Policy MakingMaking

Today we will …Today we will …ObjectivesObjectives AgendaAgenda Assess understanding Assess understanding

of Modern British of Modern British State & Political State & Political Economy and Economy and DevelopmentDevelopment

Explain the structure Explain the structure of the British of the British governmentgovernment

1.1. QuizQuiz

2.2. Government Structure Government Structure notesnotes– Organization of the StateOrganization of the State– ExecutiveExecutive– Public and Semipublic Public and Semipublic

InstitutionsInstitutions– JudiciaryJudiciary

3.3. ClosureClosure

4.4. Intro to Parliament video?Intro to Parliament video?

HW – IV A-CHW – IV A-C

Structure of British Structure of British GovernmentGovernment

Structure of British Structure of British GovernmentGovernment

History History Parliamentary SystemParliamentary System The Westminster ModelThe Westminster Model In the 1200’s, Parliament In the 1200’s, Parliament

became officially became officially recognized as a gathering recognized as a gathering of feudal barons of feudal barons summoned by the king summoned by the king whenever he required whenever he required their consent to special their consent to special taxestaxes

By the 15By the 15thth century they century they gained the right to make gained the right to make laws.laws.

Westminster ModelWestminster Model

British Parliament British Parliament

House of Commons House of Commons – MPsMPs– Make lawsMake laws– Center of public Center of public

debatedebate– Source of Source of

government government ministersministers

House of Lords House of Lords – PeersPeers– Minimal influence Minimal influence

todaytoday– Can delay legislation & Can delay legislation &

debate technicalities debate technicalities of proposed billsof proposed bills

– May amend (but May amend (but Commons can delete)Commons can delete)

– Acts as a final Court of Acts as a final Court of Appeals (law lords), Appeals (law lords), not judicial review not judicial review

Parliamentary

Sovereignty

EXECUTIVE BRANCHEXECUTIVE BRANCH

Role of the MonarchRole of the Monarch Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II

(since 1952)(since 1952)– Must give royal assent to Must give royal assent to

all legislation passed by all legislation passed by both houses of both houses of Parliament. Parliament.

– Opens Parliament & Opens Parliament & dissolves it. dissolves it.

– Formally makes treaties Formally makes treaties w/foreign states, creates w/foreign states, creates peerages, makes many peerages, makes many top appointments in civil top appointments in civil service, armed forces service, armed forces and judiciary.and judiciary.

Role of the MonarchRole of the Monarch Constitutionally bound Constitutionally bound

to take the advice of to take the advice of the Prime Minister the Prime Minister – ““Queen must sign her Queen must sign her

own death warrant if the own death warrant if the two Houses unanimously two Houses unanimously send it up to her.” send it up to her.”

Head of the armed Head of the armed forces: Declares war forces: Declares war and declares the and declares the end of war (with PM)end of war (with PM)

Makes visits: Makes visits: hospitals, schools, hospitals, schools, and factoriesand factories

Official visits abroadOfficial visits abroad

ExecutiveExecutive

Executive – DualExecutive – Dual– Monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth IIMonarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II– Prime Ministerial System – PM is David Prime Ministerial System – PM is David

Cameron– How was he selected?Cameron– How was he selected?

Buckingham Palace

“God save the Queen”

The “Government”The “Government” A Government is A Government is

formed whenformed when– the party (or coalition - the party (or coalition -

if there was a hung if there was a hung parliament) with the parliament) with the most MPs wins the most MPs wins the election. election.

– Their leader is the Their leader is the Prime Minister and they Prime Minister and they choose ministers to choose ministers to form the government.form the government.

– About 12 ministers. About 12 ministers. Most will be chosen Most will be chosen from the House of from the House of Commons, but they can Commons, but they can also be chosen from the also be chosen from the House of LordsHouse of Lords

Parliament

Parliament

The Cabinet (Government)

Prime Minister: David Cameron (Tory)

Deputy PM Kick Clegg (LD)Shadow Cabinet: Ed Milliband

(Labour)

Prime Minister & CabinetPrime Minister & Cabinet Prime MinisterPrime Minister

– ““First among equals”First among equals”– Member of Parliament Member of Parliament

and Leader of majority and Leader of majority partyparty

– Speaks legitimately for all Speaks legitimately for all Members of ParliamentMembers of Parliament

– Chooses cabinet Chooses cabinet ministers and important ministers and important subordinate postssubordinate posts

– Makes decisions in Makes decisions in cabinet, with agreement cabinet, with agreement of ministersof ministers

– Campaigns for and Campaigns for and represents the party in represents the party in parliamentary electionsparliamentary elections

– Shapes cabinet decisions Shapes cabinet decisions into policyinto policy

CabinetCabinet– Collective cabinet is Collective cabinet is

the center of policy-the center of policy-making in the British making in the British political systempolitical system

– As leaders of As leaders of majority party majority party elected by the elected by the people, they take people, they take ““collective collective responsibilityresponsibility” for ” for making the policy of making the policy of the country the country

– Most important: Most important: Foreign Office, Home Foreign Office, Home Office, chancellor of Office, chancellor of exchequerexchequer

Prime MinisterPrime Minister The CabinetThe Cabinet Speaks legitimately for Speaks legitimately for

all Members of all Members of ParliamentParliament

Chooses Cabinet Chooses Cabinet Ministers and important Ministers and important subordinate postssubordinate posts

Makes decisions in the Makes decisions in the Cabinet, with the Cabinet, with the agreement of the agreement of the ministersministers

Campaigns for and Campaigns for and represents the party in represents the party in parliamentary electionsparliamentary elections

Ministries (Ministries (political experts)political experts)– Foreign Office (Sec of State)Foreign Office (Sec of State)– Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Exchequer

(Treasury)(Treasury) Until recently, the Cabinet Until recently, the Cabinet

controlled monetary policy controlled monetary policy which is now controlled by the which is now controlled by the bank of Englandbank of England

Key functions of the CabinetKey functions of the Cabinet– Responsible for policy making but Responsible for policy making but

are not are not (policy experts)- (policy experts)- bureaucratsbureaucrats

– Supreme control of the governmentSupreme control of the government– Coordination of all government Coordination of all government

departmentsdepartments– PM has the responsibility of shaping PM has the responsibility of shaping

their decisions into policytheir decisions into policy– Cabinet does not voteCabinet does not vote

They take collective They take collective responsibility- they support the responsibility- they support the policy making of the PMpolicy making of the PM

BackbenchersBackbenchers

Executive BranchExecutive Branch

Westminster ModelWestminster Model

Parliamentary Parliamentary sovereignty sovereignty

Parliamentary Parliamentary democracy democracy

Cabinet government Cabinet government – Center of British politics Center of British politics – Formulates and Formulates and

presents policy to presents policy to Parliament Parliament

– Supreme ruling body of Supreme ruling body of the executive branch the executive branch

– Collective responsibilityCollective responsibility

The Cabinet SystemThe Cabinet System

Bureaucracy: Civil ServantsBureaucracy: Civil Servants Hundred of thousands of civil servants in the UKHundred of thousands of civil servants in the UK They administer laws and deliver public servicesThey administer laws and deliver public services Most do clerical and routine work for the Most do clerical and routine work for the

bureaucracybureaucracy A few hundred directly advise ministers and A few hundred directly advise ministers and

oversee work of departmentsoversee work of departments Top civil servants and bureaucrats usually stay Top civil servants and bureaucrats usually stay

with their departments, while ministers are party with their departments, while ministers are party officials who move with party demandsofficials who move with party demands

Therefore, top civil servants often have a great Therefore, top civil servants often have a great deal of input into policy-makingdeal of input into policy-making

Comparative ExecutivesComparative Executives

PM of BritainPM of Britain Serves only as he/she Serves only as he/she

remains leader of the remains leader of the majority partymajority party

Elected as a member of Elected as a member of ParliamentParliament

Has an excellent chance Has an excellent chance of getting his programs of getting his programs past Parliamentpast Parliament

Cabinet members not Cabinet members not experts in policy areas, experts in policy areas, rely on bureaucracy to rely on bureaucracy to provide expertiseprovide expertise

President of the USPresident of the US Elected every four years Elected every four years

by an electoral college by an electoral college based on popular electionbased on popular election

Elected as PresidentElected as President Has an excellent chance Has an excellent chance

of ending up in gridlock of ending up in gridlock with Congresswith Congress

Cabinet members usually Cabinet members usually don’t come from Congressdon’t come from Congress

Some expertise in policy Some expertise in policy areas, one criteria for areas, one criteria for their appointment, head their appointment, head vast bureaucracies vast bureaucracies

Check for Check for understandingunderstanding– How is the US How is the US

Executive Branch Executive Branch different or similar to different or similar to the Executive “branch” the Executive “branch” in the UK?in the UK?

PUBLIC AND SEMIPUBLIC PUBLIC AND SEMIPUBLIC INSTITUTIONSINSTITUTIONS

QUANGOSQUANGOS

Quasi-nongovernmental Quasi-nongovernmental organizationsorganizations

Almost 6,000 present, 90% operating Almost 6,000 present, 90% operating at the local levelat the local level

Some advise on policy, others deliver Some advise on policy, others deliver services, all are created by Acts of services, all are created by Acts of Parliament and publically fundedParliament and publically funded

Interest GroupsInterest Groups

In a Parliamentary systemIn a Parliamentary system– Little of the lobbying Little of the lobbying

one finds in the U.S.one finds in the U.S.– Interests groups Interests groups

focus their attention focus their attention on decision makers: on decision makers: ministers, party ministers, party leaders, and senior leaders, and senior civil servants; try to civil servants; try to influence the influence the drafting of a bill, not drafting of a bill, not how it is dealt with how it is dealt with on the House floor. on the House floor. WHY?WHY?

Corporatist arrangements during during collectivist years collectivist years

Thatcher government Thatcher government in 1980s effectively in 1980s effectively froze the unions out of froze the unions out of the decision making.the decision making.– Labour unions lose public Labour unions lose public

supportsupport– Parties start to distance Parties start to distance

themselves- New Labourthemselves- New Labour

Quagnos: Quasi- nongovernmental Quagnos: Quasi- nongovernmental orgs.orgs.

Types of Interest Types of Interest Group SystemsGroup Systems– Pluralist: many Pluralist: many

compete (US)compete (US)– Corporatist: Corporatist:

government controls government controls (China)(China)

– Neo-corporatist (UK & Neo-corporatist (UK & Mex- under PRI)Mex- under PRI)

Policy advisory board Policy advisory board appointed by the appointed by the government . (5,000)government . (5,000)– AdviseAdvise– Provide servicesProvide services

Policies are made by Policies are made by non-elected bodiesnon-elected bodies

Disproportionate Disproportionate accessaccess– Trade Unions Congress Trade Unions Congress

(TUC) – Labour(TUC) – Labour– Confederation of Confederation of

British Industry (CBI)– British Industry (CBI)– ConservativeConservative

JUDICIAL BRANCHJUDICIAL BRANCH

Judiciary BranchJudiciary Branch In Britain, the principle of In Britain, the principle of parliamentary parliamentary

sovereignty sovereignty (parliament’s decisions are final) has (parliament’s decisions are final) has limited the development of judicial reviewlimited the development of judicial review

British courts can only determine whether British courts can only determine whether government decisions violate the common law or government decisions violate the common law or previous acts of Parliamentprevious acts of Parliament

By tradition British courts cannot impose their rulings By tradition British courts cannot impose their rulings upon Parliament, the prime minister, or the cabinetupon Parliament, the prime minister, or the cabinet

Law lords – settle disputes from lower courts; they do Law lords – settle disputes from lower courts; they do not have power of judicial review, so their authority is not have power of judicial review, so their authority is limitedlimited

Constitutional Reform Act of 2005Constitutional Reform Act of 2005 – provides for – provides for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take over a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take over the existing role of the law lordsthe existing role of the law lords

Most judges are not MPs and few are active in party Most judges are not MPs and few are active in party politics; most were educated in public schools and the politics; most were educated in public schools and the Oxbridge connectionOxbridge connection

Judicial Branch-est. 2009Judicial Branch-est. 2009 Highest appellate court in all Highest appellate court in all

matters under English law, matters under English law, Welsh law, Northern Irish Welsh law, Northern Irish Law, Scottish civil law and Law, Scottish civil law and devolution issuesdevolution issues

12 professional judges 12 professional judges appointed by House of Lordsappointed by House of Lords– No term limits, can be No term limits, can be

removed by an address of removed by an address of ParliamentParliament

– Judges forced to retire at Judges forced to retire at 70 or 7570 or 75

– Composition: A President, Composition: A President, Deputy President, 12 Deputy President, 12 permanent Justicespermanent Justices

ClosureClosure

Define a parliamentary system. Define a parliamentary system. Explain how devolution challenges Explain how devolution challenges

the sovereignty of the Parliament in the sovereignty of the Parliament in Great Britain. Provide 2 examples.Great Britain. Provide 2 examples.