Overview of Great Britain's Political System

Nov 19, 2024

Lecture Notes: Great Britain and Its Political System

Overview

  • United Kingdom (UK) Composition: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
  • Great Britain (GB): Includes only England, Scotland, Wales
  • Political System: Parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy
    • Monarch: Ceremonial role, Head of State
    • Prime Minister: Head of Government, leads the majority party in Parliament

Government Structure

  • Parliament
    • Two Houses:
      • House of Commons: Elected by the public
      • House of Lords: Hereditary/appointed positions
    • No Single Constitution: UK operates on a series of laws
  • Current Prime Minister: Theresa May (mentioned in historical context)
  • Established Religion: Church of England

Political History

  • Post-WWII Era: Emergence of collective consensus
  • 1970s Economic Crisis: Led to the rise of Thatcherism
    • Margaret Thatcher: Conservative leader, similar to Ronald Reagan
    • Tony Blair (1997): New Labour Party, seeking a "third way"
  • David Cameron (2010): Called for Brexit referendum, resigned after Brexit vote

Brexit

  • Referendum Date: June 23, 2016
  • Outcome: 51.9% voted to leave the EU
  • Issues: NHS funding, open borders & refugee crisis, Northern Ireland/Ireland border
  • Current Status: Negotiations ongoing, deadline extended to Oct 31, 2019

Political Parties

  • Labour Party: Urban/industrial support, more liberal
    • Current Leader: Jeremy Corbyn
  • Conservative Party: Rural/suburban support, wealthier demographic
  • Other Parties:
    • Liberal Democrats: Centrist
    • UK Independence Party (UKIP): Far-right, focused on Brexit
    • Democratic Unionist Party: Northern Irish, coalition with Conservatives

Elections

  • National Elections: Only for House of Commons
  • First-past-the-post System: Winner-take-all, favors two main parties
  • Fixed-term Parliaments Act (2011): Elections every five years

House of Commons Powers

  • Legislation: Pass laws, budget
  • Votes of No Confidence: Can lead to elections
  • Prime Minister's Question Time: Weekly session for government scrutiny

Media and Society

  • Media Spectrum: Ranges from high-quality journalism to sensational tabloids
  • BBC: Government-regulated, non-political
  • Citizen Participation: Strong party identification, high election turnout

Judiciary

  • Supreme Court: Established in 2005, final Court of Appeals, judicial review
  • Devolution: More power to local governments

Social Welfare and Domestic Issues

  • Welfare State: Universal healthcare (NHS), family leave, subsidized housing, education
  • Anti-Immigrant Sentiment: Influential in Brexit
  • Terrorism: Past attacks increased national security measures

These are key points and topics covered in the review lecture for the upcoming exam on Great Britain. Understanding these concepts will be crucial for the exam.

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