h4wk's Blog

Hier findet ihr eine Englische Zusammenfassung über die Politik in England / Groß Britannien.

1: Constitution

• Is not written down (<-> USA)
• Documents, habits, resolutions -> products of evolution
• Flexible / can change
• Historical convention -> parliament can change parts of the constitution

2: Monarch: Functions

• No real political power but a representative power
• Head of state but not head of government
• Chooses / appoints PM à leader of strongest party
• Head of the church of England
• Acts on the advice of the PM
• Part of the executive + legislative (parliament + king / queen)
• Appoints members of Parliament
• Queens speech (written by government)
• Representative job abroad
• Can dissolve the parliament

3: Parliament: a) House of Lords

• Hereditary à there for life
• 735 members
• Undemocratic, because not elected
• Law lords / law peers (= supreme court ins usa) à in 2009 uk: supreme court
• bishops

b) House of Commons

• Elected
• 646 members (=constituencies)
• Define and pass laws

c) Shadow Cabinet

• Chosen by the opposition leader
• Take over government if the government in power isn’t able to act

d) Front benchers

• main party + spokesmen of opposition

4: UK election

• first past the post system: à on person / vote decides over the candidate
• constituencies
• “the winner takes all”
• Election every 5 years
• Independent candidate: no party member
• Doorstep-canvassing: door-to-door campaign to get known
• By-election: if a MP dies / resigns on need a by-election in his constituency

5: Cabinet

• Made up of ministers
• Chosen by the PM
• Responsible for carrying out the policies agreed an by the government

6: Prime Minister

• Coordinating government policy
• Choosing cabinet
• Head of government
• Leader of the majority party
• Appoints bishops
• Queens private advisor
• Chief spokesman at international meetings

7: Member of Parliament

• Take part in the parliamentary work
• Look after the constituencies he represent

8: Parties

• Two party system
• Conservative party (party of the right) industrial / commercial sector
• Labour party à British socialism
• Other parties like the liberal democratic party are not important in Britain

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