Discuss the following questions 1. Who is the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland now? What is Her surname? 2. What major political parties does Great Britain and Northern Ireland have? 3. Is there a written Constitution in Great Britain and Northern Ireland? 4. What is the Union Jack? 5. What are Britain’s national flowers?
Great britain (legal and political system)
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the only European state without a formally written constitution. Of course, this does not mean that a constitution does not exist. The British constitution is a mixture of legal provisions, conventions and acceptance of the constitutional principles.
The essence of the British constitution is based on two basic principles: the rule of law, and the sovereignty of Parliament. The rule of law protects citizens from the state and forces Parliament to put into law the powers it transfers to the government. Laws can be rejected, repealed or passed by a simple majority. Since there is no written constitution, there is no need for special majorities to enact changes to the constitution.
The English legal system simplifies the flexible way in which the British constitution develops. It is based on common law. The main feature of common law is its foundation on case law, that is, precedents set by previous cases, which can be used to settle new disputes, and developed further according to new legislation. Legal decisions are always based on firm cases and not a general rule. A code of law like the one in Ukraine does not exist. This means that a great deal of flexibility exists in interpreting the law.
Due to the legal and constitutional traditions in Great Britain the modification of laws and institutions to meet new challenges has been possible without major external changes. The widespread idea that Great Britain is a nation that holds on tight to its historical traditions
is based on this outer impression of formal continuity. The role of the monarch and the role of Parliament have changed dramatically over the past four centuries despite this continuity.
In addition to the rule of law, sovereignty of Parliament forms the second pillar of the British constitution. While Parliament is responsible for passing laws and is solely responsible for controlling legislation, it is not bound to a written constitution and therefore cannot be overruled. It is Parliament and not the people that is responsible for the constitution*.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. The head of state is the reigning monarch. Executive power, however, is wielded by a prime minister, who is head of government, and a committee of ministers called the cabinet. The prime minister is usually the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons. By custom, cabinet ministers are selected from among the members of the two houses of Parliament. The King or Queen is responsible for appointing Bishops to the Church of England, the Chief Justice and the highest-ranking members of the armed forces, who all swear allegiance to the Crown. The monarch performs a representative, ceremonial and integrating role. The present Queen, Elizabeth II, has been on the Throne since 1952 and (and the Royal Family) represents the UK at home and abroad, as well as being the head of the Anglican Church. The Queen carries out and legitimizes acts of state such as the annual opening of Parliament during which the Queen reads out a speech drawn up by the Prime Minister, which marks out the government’s intended legislative program for the coming Parliament (Queen’s Speech). The monarch’s neutral position makes him/her a generally accepted figure of national integration even in times of war and crisis.
The UK Parliament is one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world. From the 14th century, parliamentary government in the United Kingdom has been based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper house) and the House of Commons (the lower house) sit separately and are constituted on entirely different principles. The relationship between the two Houses is governed largely by convention but is in part defined by the Parliament Acts. The legislative process involves both Houses of Parliament and the Monarch.
The House of Commons is traditionally regarded as the lower house, but it is the main parliamentary arena for political battle. A Government can only remain in office for as long as it has the support of a majority in the House of Commons. As with the House of Lords, the House of Commons debates new primary legislation as a part of the process of making an Act of Parliament, but the Commons has primacy over the non-elected House of Lords. «Money Bills», concerned solely with taxation and public expenditure, are always introduced in the Commons and must be passed by the Lords promptly and without amendment. When the two houses disagree on a non-money bill, the Parliament Acts can be called upon to ensure that the will of the elected chamber prevails.
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK. Houses of Parliament. Members of the House of Lords (known as «peers») consist of Lords Spiritual (senior bishops) and Lords Temporal (lay peers). Law Lords (senior judges) also sit as Lords Temporal. Members of the House of Lords are not elected. Originally, they were drawn from the various groups of senior and influential nobility in Britain, who advised the Monarch throughout the country’s early history. Following the House of Lords Act 1999 there are only 92 peers who sit by virtue of hereditary peerage. The majority of members are now life peers and the Government has been consulting on proposals for further reform of the Lords.
The House of Lords considers legislation, debates issues of importance and provides a forum for government ministers to be questioned. The Committees of the House consider a wide range of issues and produce reports on them. The House of Lords is also the highest court in the United Kingdom.
The most important political role in the British democratic system is reserved for the Prime Minister. British prime ministers are powerful. This is because they have great power and appoint, for instance from among, around 100 senior and junior ministerial posts to members of the ruling party across government. The Prime Minster’s power is based on the parliamentary loyalty of his/her party
