THE UK - POLITICAL SYSTEM

 ADMINISTRATION

The united Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is divided into four parts:

• England (capital London)

• Wales (capital Cardiff)

• Scotland (capital Edinburgh)

• Northern Ireland (capital Belfast)

    The official title for the union of England, Wales and Scotland is Great Britain. Great Britain and Northern Ireland form the UK while the UK together with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some other territories is the British Commonwealth of Nations.
    Wales was politically linked in 1536. The English and Scottish crowns were united in 1603 and their parliaments in 1707. Ireland became the part of this union in 1801 but in 1922 the most of Ireland (Roman Catholic) became a separate state. Now it is the Irish Republic (Dublin capital).
    The problems between majority Protestant and minority Roman Catholic people is one of the causes of lasting civil disturbances in Northern Ireland. Terrorism and fights between the troops of British and IRA (Irish Republican Army) Armies continue and Northern Ireland is the region of political and social unrest.
    Locally is Britain divided into counties. England comprises 46 counties, Wales 8, and Northern Ireland 6 counties. Scotland is divided into 12 regions and 53 districts. The capital of the whole Britain is London. Other big cities according to population are Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bradford and Bristol.

    Britain is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. In practice she reigns, but does not rule. The country is governed, in her name, by the Government, a body of ministers, who are responsible to Parliament.
    Britain's democratic system of government is long established and well tried, and has provided remarkable political stability which owes much to the monarchy. Its continuity has been interrupted only once in over a thousand years when the republic of 1649-60 was formed after the defeat and execution of Charles I at the hands of Oliver Cromwell's parliamentary army.

THE MONARCHY

    Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 (her birthday is officially celebrated in June); married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on 20 November 1947; acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952; and was crowned on 2 June 1953. Her official title is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith". The form of the royal title is varied for those other member states of Commonwealth of which the Queen is head of state (16 in number), to suit the particular circumstances of each. Other member states are republics or have their own monarchies.
    The seat of the monarchy is in Great Britain. In the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man the Queen is represented by a Lieutenant-Governor. In the other member nations of the Commonwealth of which the Queen is head of State, her representative is the Governor-General, appointed by her on the advice of the ministers of country in guestion and completely independent of the British government. In the British dependencies the Queen is usually represented by governors, who are responsible to the British Government for the good government of the countries concerned.
    The Queen's eldest son - Prince Charles, Prince of Wales - is the heir to the throne. Next in the line of succession are, in order: Prince William of Wales, Prince Henry of Wales, Andrew, Duke of York, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, Prince Edward etc.
    The Queen is impartial and acts on the advice of her ministers. She has "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage and the right to warn". One important duty is the choice of Prime Minister, although by convention the monarch chooses the leader of the party with a majority in the House of Commons. She normally sees the Prime Minister each week as well as speaking to other ministers.
She also receives copies of important government papers and a summary of debates in Parliament. Some duties are now largely ceremonial. A major example is the opening of Parliament each year by the Queen, when she delivers a speech from the throne setting out of Government's plans for the coming year. The speech is prepared by the Government.

LEGISLATIVE POWER
 

    The British constitution, unlike that of most other countries, is not written as a single document. It is formed partly by statute, partly by common law and partly by convention. It can be altered by an Act of Parliament, or by general agreement to change a convention. British parliamentary system is one of the oldest in the world, it developed slowly during the 13^th century after King John's signature of Magna Carta in 1215.
    The supreme law-making body in the country is Parliament. It consists of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
    The House of Lords is made up of hereditary and life peers and peeresses (Lords Temporal), including the law lords appointed to undertake the judicial duties of the House, and the Lord Spiritual (the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and 24 bishops of the Church of England). Its main function is to bring the wide experience of its members (on mid-1990 there were 1,189 of them) into the process of law making. The House of Lords is a revising chamber.
The House of Commons is elected by universal adult suffrage and consists of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) - 523 from England, 38 from Wales, 72 from Scotland, and 17 from Northern Ireland. The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker, elected by MPs to preside over the House.
    The major part of Parliament's work is revising the Government's work. On the first day when the Parliament session is opened the Queen reads a speech that outlines the Government's policy. This opening ceremony takes place in the House of Lords. From Monday to Thursday all ministers must answer MPs' questions for one hour (questioning time). Two days a week the Prime Minister must answer MPs' questions.
    Another important parliamentary task is law-making. A proposal of some new law - a bill - must pass through both Houses and then is sent to the Queen for Royal Assent.
    A general election must be held every five years and may be held at more frequent intervals. Eighteen is the minimum voting age - voting is not compulsory. Candidates for election must be 21 or over. There are several main political parties in Britain. The most important of them are the Conservative, Labour, Liberal and Social Democratic parties.

EXECUTIVE POWER

    The party which wins majority seats in the House of Commons at a general election forms the Government. The Queen appoints its leader as the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints a team of main ministers as the Cabinet (about 20 people) who take decisions on major policy. The second largest party form the official Opposition with its leader and "shadow cabinet". The opposition has a duty to criticise government policies and to present an alternative programme.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS
 

    The flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is officially called the Union Flag, but it is commonly known as the Union Jack. The flag is made up of the crosses of the patron saints of England (St George's red cross on a white field), Ireland (St Patrick's red diagonals on a white field) and Scotland (St Andrew's white diagonals on a blue field) and has existed in its present form since 1801. Wales is not represented because when the flag first appeared it was already united with England: King Henry VIII united England and Wales under one Parliament in 1536.

NATIONAL ANTHEM ♫♫♫♫