POLITICAL SYSTEM OF GREAT BRITAIN

Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. The Queen is at the head of the nation. She is the head of the system of justice and of the armed forces and temporal head of the Church of England. The Queen does not take part in politics, but the country is governed in her name. She summons the Parliament. Laws are made by Parliament and her Royal Assent is needed before any Bill becomes law as an Act of Parliament.

Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords (the Upper House) is presided over by the Lord Chancellor and is formed partly on an hereditary basis. It includes the English peers (lords), a certain number of elected Irish and Scottish peers and a number of the Bishops of the Church of England. The House of Commons (the Lower House) is elective. Each member of the House of Com­mons is elected from one of 635 areas, called constituencies. Elections are held every five years by secret ballot. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker.

Members of the House of Commons belong to different political parties. The main parliamentary parties are: the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Party. The Government is formed by the party that gains a majority in the House of Commons. The leader of that party becomes Prime Minister, the head of the Government. He forms his Cabinet from members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Cabinet is collectively res­ponsible for all Government decisions. It is answerable to Par­liament. The second largest party normally becomes the official Opposition, with its own leader and shadow cabinet.

Local government is carried out by elected councils, repre­senting local areas. They deal with housing, education, social services, police, fire brigades and many other services.

Vocabulary:

1. monarchy- монархия

2. Queen- королева

3. to summon- созывать, собирать

4. temporal- светский, мирской

5. Royal Assent- королевская санкция, согласие

6. the House of Commons- палата общин

7. the House of Lords- палата лордов

8. to preside over- возглавлять, председательствовать

9. a hereditary basis- наследственная основа

10. the Lord Chancellor- лорд канцлер

11. the Bishop of the Church of England – епископ англиканской церкви

12. peer- пэр

13. constituenсy- избирательный округ

14. to hold (held)- проводить, держать, сохранять

15. to gain a majority- набирать большинство (голосов)

16. shadow cabinet- теневой кабинет

17. to deal with (dealt)- иметь дело с (чем-л., кем -л.)

18. elected councils- избранные советы

Ex.1 Read the words and translate them into Russian

Parliamentary monarchy, nation, system of justice, armed forces, politics, bill, lord, speaker, leader, Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, official opposition, party, police, department.

Ex.2 Form the nouns from the verbs and translate them into Russian. Use the suffixes: -ment, -tion, -ent

To govern, to form, to decide, to constitute, to preside, to elect, to educate, to commit

Ex. 3 Give the corresponding adjectives

Constitution, parliament, nation, policy, election, difference, independence, society, democracy.

Ex.4 Translate the words given in the brackets into English

1. The Queen (принимает участие) in politics of the country.

2. The Queen (созывает) Parliament.

3. Lord Chancellor (председательствует над) the House of Lords.

4. The House of Commons is (выборная) and more powerful.

5. The Government is formed by the party that (набирает большинство голосов) in the House of Commons

Ex. 5 Add the necessary words

1. The Queen is at the … of the nation.

2. The Queen is the … head of Church of England.

3. She is the head of the system of … and of the armed … .

4. Laws are made by … .

5. The House of Lords is formed on a … basis.

6. The House of Commons is … .

7. Elections are held by … .

8. The party that … a majority in the House of … forms the Government.

9. The second largest party becomes … .

Ex. 6 Agree or disagree with the following statements

1. The Queen is like a living symbol for Englishmen.

2. The Queen makes laws and her Royal Assent is needed before any Bill becomes law as an Act of Parliament.

3. The House of Lords is formed partly on a hereditary basis.

4. The people’s achievements give opportunity to earn the life membership.

5. The members of the House of Commons are elected every five years by secret ballot.

6. Prime Minister is the head of the Government.

7. Prime Minister is responsible for all government decisions.

Ex. 7 Answer the following questions

1. What is the political statues of Great Britain?

2. Who is the head of the nation?

3. What is the role of the Queen in the country?

4. Who are the laws made by?

5. What does the Parliament consist of?

6. Who is the head of the House of Lords? Who belongs to the House of Lords?

7. Who is the House of Commons presided over?

8. How often are elections held?

9. What are the main parties of Great Britain?

10. What is the Government formed by?