The system of government

The Government is the management of the country. The Government

makes the important decisions, e. g. about foreign policy, education, or

health. But all these decisions have to be approved by Parliament.

If Parliament thinks that a particular Government policy is against the public

interest, then it can force the Government to change its mind.

State Organs of the United Kingdom include the monarchy, the legislative,

executive and judicial organs of Government.

The monarchy is hereditary. Queen Elizabeth II, who succeeded to the throne

in 1952, is the head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of the armed

forces of the Crown and the temporal head of the established Church in England.

Her Majesty's Government governs in the name of the Queen who must act on the

advice of her ministers.

Parliament is the legislative organ of the United Kingdom. The Parliament of the

United Kingdom consists of the Queen (hereditary monarch), the House of Lords

(peers) and the House of Commons (659 elected Members of Parliament).

All three combine to carry out the work of Parliament.

The House of Lords is still a hereditary body. It consists of the Lords Temporal

and the Lords Spiritual.

The House of Commons is а representative body.

The Government consists of approximately 100 members of the political party,

which has the majority of seats in the House of Commons. The ministers are

appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The Prime

minister is the leader of the political party which has a majority of seats in the House

of Commons. The Prime Minister is the head of the Government, he is always a Member

of the House of Commons

All major decisions of the Government are made by the Cabinet, and therefore it is the

Cabinet which forms Government policy.

Members of Parliament (Members of the House of Commons) protect the rights of the

Individual. Each member of Parliament represents the people of a certain area. Britain is

divided into 659 of these areas, known as constituencies.

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS A general election is when the electors in the country cast

their vote for the candidate from the political party of their

choice to be the Member of Parliament for the constituency.

The political party, which wins the most seats in the House of

Commons forms the Government.

Fair and free elections are an essential part of democracy,

allowing the majority of citizens to determine how they want

the country to be governed.

The United Kingdom is divided into areas, which are known

as constituencies. You live in a constituency and will register

to vote there. You have one vote, which you cast for the person

who you wish to represent you in Parliament. Through this you

also vote for the party which you wish to be in Government.

There are 659 constituencies in the United Kingdom.

The time between general elections is 5 years. About the month

before the election the Prime Minister meets a small group of close

advisers to discuss the date which would best suit the party. The

date is announced to the Cabinet. The Prime Minister formally asks

the Sovereign to dissolve Parliament.

General elections are usually held 17 days after the dissolution

of Parliament. Thursdays are popular general election days.

General elections are often held in either spring or autumn.

Each constituency is divided into a number of polling districts,

each of which has a polling station. Most polling stations are in

public buildings such as schools, town halls or council offices.

Voting takes place on election day from 07.00 till 22.00 in each

constituency. Voters are sent a polling card in advance.

Voting takes place in a booth. The voter marks the ballot paper

with a cross in the box opposite the name of the candidate of his

or her choice, and folds the paper to conceal the vote before placing

it in the ballot box.

When all of the results are known the Queen will usually invite the

leader of the party winning the most seats in the House of Commons

to be Prime Minister and to form a Government. The second largest

party becomes the Official Opposition