LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The United Kingdom has a dual system of government with an elected Prime Minister and a bicameral House of Commons. The Commons elects prime ministers and the opposition. A prime minister is chosen from the Commons, but the House of Lords elects the country’s ministers. The prime minister then has to make a bill to carry the policy of his or her party. This legislation is called the ‘Speech from the Throne’ and must be passed by both chambers of Parliament.
MPs are elected for five years by the UK Parliament, and they can change their party all three times in one election. MPs of the House of Commons must be members of a political party to become a member of the Cabinet. MPs from devolved institutions, such as the Scottish Parliament, are elected by a proportional representation system. In Scotland, the Additional Member System (AMS) is used while in Wales and Northern Ireland, a single transferable vote is used.
The government of the United Kingdom is governed by a cabinet that includes the prime minister. This body consists of over twenty departments, with each department having a political head. A prime minister is the political head of each department, and must keep the monarch updated about the major problems. In the House of Commons, the prime minister plays the role of the star of the show, leading debates, overcoming attacks, and planning strategy for the country.
Although the UK government has made great strides since the World War II, the political system remains largely the same. It relies heavily on the exhortation to remain at home and social responsibility, resulting in huge unequal consequences for various groups. These inequalities have been reinforced by the economic measures. However, this is not the only issue in the UK. The government has a wide range of other issues as well, and is determined to tackle them as they arise.
The British parliament is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom. It is a bicameral body, consisting of a House of Commons and a House of Lords. In addition to the House of Lords, there are devolved parliaments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and these have varying degrees of legislative authority. The political system of the UK has three distinct branches of government, each with its own constitution and unique set of laws.
The British government is a constitutional monarchy. The Queen is the head of state, though she has very little involvement in the government, aside from being the monarch. She retains ultimate executive power through royal prerogative powers. This is a special type of authority which the monarch can use for many things, such as establishing new laws or imposing taxation without Parliament’s consent. While this might seem like a very complicated system, it is actually quite straightforward.
The House of Lords reviews legislation initiated by the House of Commons. It can amend legislation, but it can also exercise a “suspensive veto”, delaying it for 12 months. The House of Lords is limited in its use of this power, though, and Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 limit its use. Often, governments will accept changes in order to avoid negative publicity and time delays.