AP CoGo - United Kingdom

Common Law

legal system based on local customs and precedent rather than formal legal codes

Magna Carta

the 1215 document signed by King John that set the precedent for limited monarchical powers

Parliament

the UK legislature. Bicameral

Cabinet

the appointed officials who serve the executive in overseeing the various state bureaucracies

Prime Minister

head of government. A majority-elected MP w/ no term limit as long as party maintains power and confidence (50% +1, If no majority = hung parliament)

head of govt, chief executive, commander in chief, in charge of policymaking. Checked with removal (VoNC)
Royal prerogative (sign treaties, direct armed forces, execute laws), patronage (appoint cabinet members and life peers), party leader (maintain backbench support), media (face of govt, connect to people)

PM questions (PMQs) - every wed on HoC floor for 1 hour. Opportunity for opps to publicly question majority/PM and for majority to dissent.

Commonwealth

organization that includes the UK and most of its former colonies (52)

economic and symbolic relationships

House of Lords

the upper house of the British parliament
800 members (life peers - 687, hereditary peers - 97)

Life peers appointed by Crown, recommended by PM. Hereditary peers are a part of aristocracy and inherit seats.

NO VETO but can delay legislation for 1 year (if not $ related), serves as court of last appeal/improves legislation (REVIEW, but losing judicial influence)

House of Commons

the lower house of the British parliament

650 members/constituencies (England - 533, Scotland - 59, Wales - 40, N. Ireland - 18. 60-70 thousand people per constituency)

Elected for a max of 5 years (new elections may be called beforehand).
SMD plurality (one MP needs to win only more than any other candidate). Elections managed by the Electoral Commission

Leaders/gov't members sit in front, backbenchers sit behind
Debates, partakes in legislation committees, vote on legislation, can remove PM w/ VoNC

Collective consensus

post-WWII consensus betw the UK's major parties to build and sustain a welfare state (pensions, health care, help impoverished)

noblesse oblige - the upper classes are responsible for helping the lower classes

Hung Parliament

An election result in which no party wins a majority of parliamentary seats, such as the 2010 and 2017 parliamentary elections

Majoritarian

Term describing the virtually unchecked power of a parliamentary majority in the UK political system

The Crown

Refers to the British monarchy and sometimes to the British state; head of state

Member of Parliament (MP)

An individual legislator in the House of Commons

Vote of no confidence

Vote taken by a legislature as to whether its members continue to support the current prime minister.

Depending on the country, a vote of no confidence can force the resignation of the prime minister and/or lead to new parliamentary elections.

The Cabinet

Top members of the UK government who assist the prime minister and run the major ministries.
Each office (about 20 ministries) is headed by a minister, who are HoC MPs appointed by the PM

merit-based, unbiased civil service, responds to parliament, collective responsibility (entire cabinet must appear unified, or individual opposers must resign)

Life peers

distinguished members of the society who are given lifetime appointments to the house of lords

Hereditary Peers

Aristocratic family members with seats in the House of Lords; these seats were largely eliminated by recent legislation

Quangos

Quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations that act as advisory boards that bring gov't officials and interest groups together

independent. Semi-public regulatory bodies (paid for by govt)

the Troubles

Name given to the three decades of extreme ethnic conflict (late 1960s to late 1990s) between Northern Ireland's nationalists or republicans, who are mostly Catholic, and unionists or loyalists, who are mostly Protestant

UK system of government

democracy

Position of power in the UK

unitary

legislative-executive system

Parliamentary

Supreme Court

created by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Law Lords from HoL placed here instead. 15 members that serve for life.

replacements are appointed by the Judicial Appointment Commission on Merit, instead of from the HoL

Rules in devolution cases, NO JUDICIAL REVIEW (can rule on things clashing w/ Human Rights Acts of 1998)

The United Kingdom

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

UK legitimacy

traditional - transition from Divine Right, hereditary authority

rational-legal - no formal written constitution. Common law system, the Magna Carta

Tony Blair and the Third Way

Political shift to "New Labour," ending 20 years of conservative leadership

Labour was the mid ground - neoliberalist ideas, progressive social reform, less labor union support, devolution, limited (but grew) social expenditures

helped increase legitimacy and transparency (Freedom of Information Act)

Brexit

The British Exit from the European Union.
Successful with Boris Johnson (scandalous administration)

The UK regime

consolidated liberal democracy

• Free, fair and competitive elections
• universal suffrage
• robust civil society
• civilian-controlled armed forces
• Recent social issues with racism

supranational government participation

World Trade Organization (WTO), European Union (EU) (BREXIT)

challenges to legitimacy and sovereignty

Westminster Model

parliamentary design with a fusion of executive and legislative authority

two parts:
1) "The Dignified"
2) "the Efficient"

"The Dignified"

symbols of authority/provides legitimacy.

• Head of State (Royals): Royal assent (king/queen agrees that a law is needed).

• House of Lords: Can delay legislation. Only 92 hereditary peers, 687 life peers, 26 "Lords Spiritual (Bishops in CoE). Deliberative authority over legislation

"The Efficient"

The House of Commons

Parliamentary Sovereignty (No check on House of Commons, only delay from House of Lords, Queen's Assent is automatic)

Fusion of power

MPs serve as part of executive and legislative branches simultaneously

Coercive instituions

Armed Forces

• Civilian and voluntary
• Highly Regarded
• Used to fight the Irish Republican Army during "The Troubles"

Police Forces

• Local
• Few to no use of firearms (Special force units often aggressive when dealing with large protests)

Conservative Party

Center-Right, Responsible Spending, less immigration, Exit EU, Increase National Health Service funding

Pro: Free Trade, NATO, WTO, UN, G20, G7

Labour Party

Center-Left, Raise Taxes on wealthy, National Services, Stay in EU, Free College, National Health Service

Liberal Democrat Party

social democrats, referendum to stay in EU, increase taxes, free movement of workers, increase Ed. spending

Other Parties

Scottish National Party - Oppose Brexit, Scottish Independence Referendum

Plaid Cymru -Wales-first Brexit

UK Independence Party - Complete Brexit with no economic cost

Sinn Fein - Ireland Reunification Referendum, Keep NI in EU

Interest Groups and Media

• Quangos
• Confederation of Business Industry (CBI): Lobby of many industries - conservative to promote trade
• Trade Union Congress (TUC): Largest Union Org. Works with Labour Party to promote Workers' Rights
• Amnesty Int. Electoral Reform Society, Greenpeace, Keep Britain Tidy

Free press is well protected, competitive. BBC is public and part of taxes
Freedom of Information Act 2000 - transparency, accountability, legitmacy

Social Cleavages

1) Class - Aristocracy v. middle v. working classes (economic divisions, shifts in party politics)

2) Regional - Scottish Independence Referendum, Northern Ireland (DUP (Protestant) and Sinn Fein (Catholic))

3) Religion -Northern Ireland (The Troubles- 30 year conflict betw Catholic IRA and Protestant Paramilitary and British Army, Good Friday Agreement), Christian v. Muslim (Islamophobia and terrorist actions)

4) Political - Brexit

Terrorism

Domestic terror - Islamic Radicalism (7/7 Subway Attack in 2005 -> Security over Liberty = Surveillance, Investigatory Powers Act)

Northern Ireland and the IRA (Solved through Devolution, Mandatory Coalition Legislature)