The British Political System

1.

2.

The United Kingdom is a a constitutional monarchy
Executive power:
•the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II,
•Government and Ministers
•Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Legislative power: Parliament
Judiciary power:
•The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
•Courts of the United Kingdom

3.

Executive power: the Sovereign - king or
queen - also known as "the crown."
Role of the Sovereign
•is head of state
• commander-in-chief of the British Armed
Forces
•Head of Commonwealth
•the Supreme Governor of the established
Church of England
•appoints the Prime Minister
•opens the sessions of parliament (the
ceremony called the State Opening of
Parliament used to take place in the autumn;
but since 2012, it has been brought forward to
May. )
•reads out the government's intended
programme. The "Queen 's Speech" is written
by the Prime Minister's office
•signs new laws passed by Parliament. A bill
does not become law, or an Act of Parliament,
until it has " received royal assent "
Queen Elizabeth
II since
6 February 1952

4.

Prime Minister
Responsibilities
•head of the UK government
•responsible for the policy and decisions
of the government
•appoints members of the government
10 Downing Street the
residence of First Lord of the
Treasury - PM
Theresa May became
Prime Minister on 13
July 2016. Leader of the
Conservative party

5.

Legislative power: Parliament
Parliament examines what the Government is doing, makes new laws, holds
the power to set taxes and debates the issues of the day.
the Palace of Westminster
•Simon de Montfort - an Anglo-Norman baron convened
the first elected parliament of England 1265
•the "Mother of Parliaments“, the most ancient parliament in today's world.
•Parliament consists of two chambers, the House of Lords (the "upper" house) and
the House of Commons (the "lower" house)

6.

The House of Lords
798 Lords
the House of Lords cannot
block bills proposed by the
Government in the House of
Commons, and can only
delay some bills .
•682 Life Peers (i.e. not hereditary lords) former senior officials, judges, business
leaders
• 91 hereditary Lords from the "nobility"
•25 Bishops of the Anglican Church
The role of the House of Lords is
•to discuss non controversial subjects
• examine in detail projects for which the House of Commons does not
have time.

7.

Lord Speaker ( since
2006 )
Lord Chancellor
Lord Fowler is the current Lord Speaker
David Lidington
(since 2016)
The Lord Chancellor is a Cabinet minister
Lord Speaker's duties
•presides over business in the Lords
chamber from the Woolsack
•guides and assists the House during
debate
•has no power to call members to order, to
decide who speaks next
and currently a Member of the House of
Commons

8.

The House of Commons is the main House of the
British Parliament
650 members (Members of
Parliament or MPs ) elected
by universal suffrage.
The life of a Parliament is five
years.
Each MP represents a
territory, or constituency
The British Prime Minister and most
ministers - are members of the
House of Commons.
The chairman of the House of Commons is
known as the "Speaker", and he or she
presides over each parliamentary session.
During debates the Speaker keeps order and
calls MPs to speak. .
John Bercow