United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Government History
Present Government
Democracy and state building
1066- Norman Conquest
1640- Civil War
1688- Glorious Revolution
Established parliamentary supremacy
Industrial Revolution
Shift in economic power
1800's- First, Second and Third Reform Acts
1979- election of the Conservative Margaret Thatcher
1997- election of the New Labor Tony Blair
2007- Gordon Brown follows Blair
2010- coalition government
2015- Conservative government
Brexit- British exit from the EU
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
Decline of Labor
"third way" welfare state reform
Devolution (to North Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
Demise of welfare state (political system that redistributes income from rich to poor, standard in West Europe)
1980's- Thatcher reforms
European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership involving 28 European countries
Single market for goods and services
Single currency, the euro, used by 19 of 28 member countries
Zone where EU citizens are free to work and live where they wish
Actor on international stage with common foreign policy
Based on treaties that have been negotiated with member states
Set of 'supranational' political institutions and decision making bodies
Referendum(vote on an issue rather than for an office) held last June to decide whether UK should leave or stay in EU
Leave won (52% to 48%)
Voter turnout was 71.8%
England and Wales voted strongly for Brexit
Scotland and Northern Ireland backed staying in EU
Referendum called because it was promised in 2015 campaign
After referendum
David Cameron resigned from position as PM
Theresa May (former home security) is new PM
PM May was against Brexit, but says "Brexit means Brexit"
Britain's actual exit
Must invoke agreement called Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty
Gives both sides two years to agree on terms of split
Summer 2019- UK will be expected to have left
2016- constitutional challenge makes PM seek vote from Parliament
January 2017- Parliament vote in support of leave
UK's Parliamentary Government System
Mutual dependence
Dual executive
Majoritarian: electoral system that encourages dominance of one party in a parliament
Unwritten Constitution
Housed at Westminster Palace
Parliamentary Sovereignty
Parliament sits in 5 year term
Parliament can pass a vote of no-confidence (vote to oust the PM)
Government is responsible to Parliament (not voters)
Monarch (head of state)
Formally appoints PM
Opens Parliament each year
Cabinet government
Government dominates policy making (led by PM)
Housed at No. 10 Downing Street
"Collective Responsibility" - cabinet is collectively responsible for policy
Her Majesty's Government
Prime Minister
25 Ministerial departments
21 Nonministerial departments
376 agencies and other public bodies
Roles of Parliament
Represent the public
Debate and question policy
Recruit / select executive
Provide finance
Pass laws
House of Lords
Upper house of Parliament
700+ members
Law Lords - now a Supreme Court
House of Commons
Lower house of Parliament
646 elected seats
Governing party vs official loyal opposition
Shadow cabinet (opposition leadership who aim to become the next cabinet)
Accountability
Question time
Back benchers
Front benchers
Now much less important than Commons
1215- Magna Carta (agreement to preserve rights of English nobles)
Reform act: series of laws expanding the British electoral franchise
MP's members of Parliament
Political Parties
Conservatives (Tories)
Labour Parties
The Liberal Democrats (LibDems)
Scottish National Party (SNP)
UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Greens
Center right
Party of Margaret Thatcher
Current party leader (PM)
David Cameron (steps down in 2016)
Theresa May wins control and becomes PM
Center left
Party leader (Nick Clegg -> Tim Farron)
Deputy PM under coalition
On the electoral rise
Natalie Bennett is the leader
Usually more on side of peace (anti-war)
Had a big showing in 2015 elections
Threat to the Conservative Party
National and Local(Constituency) Party
Bargain over potential local candidates for Commons
Central (party) office plays large role in candidate selection
Both sides have veto power
No requirements to live in district one seeks to represent
Candidates hope to get safe seats (constituency where voting has long favored a given party)
Incumbent has a considerable majority over the closest rival