AP Comparative Government - UK

Caucuses

A private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office

Whig

British party more responsive to commercial and manufacturing interests.

Tory

a supporter of traditional political and social institutions against the forces of reform

Labour Party

the working-class political party that wanted a peaceful transition to socialism, gained power

Conservative

One who favors limited government intervention, particularly in economic affairs

Hung Parliament

a parliament in which no single party has majority control in the House of Commons

Tony Blair

British Labour Prime Minister, 1997 to 2007; staunch American Ally on war against terrorism

Clause 4

called for nationalization of the commanding heights of British industry by the Labour Party

Neil Kinnock

leader of Labour in 1983

Gordon Brown

British Prime Minister from the Labour Party that served from 2007 to 2010. Seceded Tony Blair

Euroskeptics

People opposed to the UK's membership in the EU and the expansion of the EU's power.

Nick Clegg

Liberal DEMOCRATIC who helped David Cameron form a coalition government in 2010

Plurality Voting System

the electoral process in which the candidate who polls more votes than any other candidate is elected.

Proportional Representation

an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

Plaid Cymru

Welsh nationalist party

Scottish National Party

A left-leaning nationalist party in Scotland that advocates secession from the UK.

Fixed-Term Parliaments Act of 2011

Introducing fixed-term elections to the Westminster parliament for the first time. Under the provisions of the Act, parliamentary general elections must be held every five years, beginning in 2015.

Nicola Sturgeon

current leader of SNP

Good Friday Agreement

an agreement to end the conflict in Northern Ireland signed in 1998 by Protestants and Catholics

Interest Group Pluralism

relatively autonomous groups competing with one another for influence in policymaking

Neocorporatism

interest groups take the lead and dominate the state. (Societal corporatism)

Quangos

Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations that assist the government in making policy.

Confederation of Business Industries

limits the Trade Union Congress' wage demands in exchange for 3% reduction in income tax rates

British Broadcasting Corporation

An independent, public corporation for broadcasting set up by British Parliament

Parliamentary System

A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.

Presidential System

A political system in which the chief executive and the legislature are elected independently

Unitary System

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

Collective Responsibility

The doctrine that all cabinet members must agree with all decisions.

First Among Equals

a phrase which indicates that a person is most senior of a group of people sharing the same rank

Loyal Opposition

the secondary party that does not win the majority in the House of Commons

Shadow Cabinet

The official leadership of the opposition party that "shadows" the cabinet

Backbenchers

Legislators who do not hold leadership positions within their party caucus or conference.

Question Time

Time reserved in British Commons for MP's to questions members of the cabinet.

Speaker of the House of Commons

like a referee in parliament; decides who is going to speak, may cast a vote in a case of a tie.

Vote of No Confidence

where a majority of parliamentary members vote to remove a prime minister from office

Parliamentary Sovereignty

The principle that Parliament's decisions are final

Hereditary Peers

Members of the House of Lords whose seats have been passed down through family ties

Life Peers

Distinguished members of the society who are given lifetime appointments to the House of Lords

Discretionary Power

power in implementing legislative and executive decisions

Common Law

A legal system based on custom and court rulings

Code Law

a written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government

Law Lords

five members of the House of Lords who serve as Britain's highest court of appeals

Supreme Court

Highest court in the land