Governance & Policy Making in UK

Institutions of British Government

  • Gradualism: No single written constitution; based on statute law, common law, and conventions.

  • Convention holds equal importance to written laws.

Characteristics of the British Government

  • Parliamentary sovereignty: Parliament can make or overturn any law.

  • Prime Minister is accountable to the House of Commons.

  • Britain is a unitary state centralized in Westminster with a fusion of powers.

Britain’s Constitution

  • No single written constitution; based on Acts of Parliament, judicial decisions, traditions.

  • No judicial review; courts cannot declare Acts unconstitutional.

Britain’s Monarchy

  • The monarch has a ceremonial role in government.

  • Rights formally held by the monarch are superseded by the Prime Minister's practices.

Succession to the Monarchy

  • Act of Settlement (1701): Only Protestant heirs may succeed.

  • 2013 reforms allowed Roman Catholic marriage and abolished male primogeniture.

Cabinet Government

  • Cabinet holds executive power, led by Prime Minister; functions collectively.

  • Weekly meetings; members must support PM's decisions (collective responsibility).

Legislative Process in Parliament

  • Bills must pass majority in both House of Commons and House of Lords.

  • Party discipline ensures party members vote the same way.

The House of Commons

  • Home to ruling party and loyal opposition.

  • Sworn Speaker maintains neutrality; currently has 650 members.

The House of Lords

  • Functions primarily to revise legislation; less authority than Commons.

  • Current composition includes life peers and hereditary peers with limited blocking authority.

Passage of a Bill

  • Bill requires three readings in both Houses; most government bills pass unamended.

Question Time

  • MPs question PM and ministers to hold the ruling party accountable.

Party Discipline

  • Majority party maintains unity; important to voter turnout and electoral success.

Vote of No Confidence

  • Losing a confidence vote leads to cabinet resignation and elections; historically significant.

The UK Supreme Court

  • Established in 2009; acts as the final court of appeal.

  • Cannot exercise judicial review but ensures executive acts within statutory powers.

The Bureaucracy

  • Civil service, known as "Whitehall," assists in government legislation and execution.

Reforms to the Civil Service

  • New Public Management led to reduced size; QUANGOs incorporated into governance.

The Military and Police

  • High public support for military and police; involved in international initiatives but criticized for community relations.

Subnational Government

  • UK consists of distinct nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; devolution introduced in 1998 giving some local powers.