TOPIC 63. BRITISH INSTITUTIONS. THE PARLIAMENT CHAMBERS.

THE
GOVERN. POLTICAL PARTIES AND THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM. THE CROWN

1. INTRODUCTION

Political history in the British-Irish Isles over the past eight hundred years
illustrates the developing identity of the British state and evolutionary changes in its
composition. The slow weakening of non-democratic monarchical and aristocratic
power led to political and legislative authority being transferred to UK parliamentary
structures, a central UK government and a powerful prime minister.

Changing social conditions resulted in a growth of political parties, the

extension of the vote to all adults, the development of local government, and a
twentieth-century devolution (transfer) of some political power to Wales, Scotland, and
Northern Ireland. These historical processes have been accompanied by political,
social, and religious conflicts and constitutional compromise.

Early political history tells the story of four geographical areas (now England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and their turbulent struggles for independent
nationhood. English political and military expansionism over the centuries influenced
the development of the other three nations. Ireland was invaded by England in the
twelfth century; England and Wales were united administratively by the 1536-42 Acts
of Union; the thrones of England and Scotland were dynastically unified in 1603 after
English attempts to conquer Scotland; England, Wales and Scotland were joined as
Great Britain by the 1707 Acts of Union; the 1801 Act of Union incorporated Great
Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom; and Southern Ireland (now the Republic of
Ireland) became independent in 1921, leaving Northern Ireland within the United
Kingdom. English models were employed for the UK, until Scotland, Wales and
Norther Ireland regained some of their former political identities under devolution in
1998-99.

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2. THE CONTEMPORARY BRITISH POLITICAL FRAMEWORK

As a result of its political history, Britain has at present (January 2024) a ‘multi-
level governance’ model, in which the different levels have specific functions and
influence each other to various degrees.

The UK has a central constitution; the monarch is formally head of state; and
practical politics operate at national, devolved and local government levels. The UK
Parliament in London with its government departments plays a central role in how the
UK is governed, but the Scottish Parliament, Assemblies in Wales and Northern
Ireland and a Greater London Authority have their own forms of self-governmental
powers. Local government structures throughout Britain organize society at smaller
community levels.

The UK joined the European Economic Community (now EU) in 1973, which became
a very important tier of UK government. Its European Parliament created legally
binding legislation, and the findings of the European Court of Justice were supreme
over British law in the event of conflict. After a fractious membership, the UK left the
European Union in 2019, following a 2016 referendum.

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3. UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT

The UK Parliament is housed in London’s Palace of Westminster. It comprises

the non-elected House of Lords, the elected House of Commons and the monarch.

The two Houses contain members from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland and represent people with varied political traditions. Parliament gathers as a
unified body only on ceremonial occasions, such as the state opening of Parliament
by the monarch in the House of Lords. Here it listens to the monarch’s speech from
the throne, which outlines the UK government’s forthcoming legislative programme.

In traditional constitutional theory, Parliament has legal sovereignty in all

matters and creates, abolishes, or amends laws and institutions for all or any part(s)
of Britain. In practice, this means the implementation of UK government’s policies in
reserved matters while devolved matters are dealt with by the devolved bodies of
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. All three parts of Parliament must pass a bill
before it can become an Act of Parliament and law. Parliament also votes on allotting
finance to government to pursue its national obligations, examines government
policies and administration, and debates political issues.

Historically, except for emergencies, a Parliament has a maximum duration of

five years and dissolution of Parliament and the issue of writs for an election is ordered
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. The prime minister could choose
the date of a general election within the five years, but this power was controversially
given up after the 2010 election and a fixed term of five years’ duration was
substituted. A 55 percent majority in the House of Commons is required for a vote to
dissolve Parliament prior to the fixed term. If an MP dies, resigns or is given a peerage,
a by-election is called only for the member’s seat, and Parliament as a whole is not
dissolved.

BY-ELECTION ‘an election held in a single political constituency to fill a vacancy

arising during a government’s term of office’

The proceedings of both Houses are open to the public and may be viewed
from the public and visitors’ galleries. Transactions are published daily in Hansard (the

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parliamentary ‘newspaper’), debates are televised, and radio broadcasts may be live
or recorded form.

3.1. THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

The House of Lords consists of Lords Temporal and Lords Spiritual. Lords
Spiritual are the Archbishops of York and Canterbury and 24 senior bishops of the
Church of England. The Lords Temporal now (January 2024) comprise 91 peers and
peeresses with hereditary titles elected by their fellows (whose future is uncertain) and
668 life peers and peeresses, who have been recommended by political parties or by
an independent Commission. Peers receive no salary for parliamentary work, but may
claim attendance and travelling expenses.

The current House of Lords does its job as an experienced and less partisan
forum than the House of Commons and also takes on a legislative and administrative
burden. It has an amending function, which may be used to delay government
legislation for up to one year (possibly three months in future) or to persuade
governments to have a second look at bills. It is a safeguard against over-hasty
legislation by the Commons, and antidote to powerful governments and it has
increasingly voted against Commons legislation.

The House of Commons has 650 members of Parliament (MPs) who are
chosen from all parts of the UK. They are elected by voters (from the age of 18) and
represent citizens in Parliament.

The Speaker is the chief officer of the House of Commons; they are chosen by
MPs, interpret the rules of the House and are assisted by three deputy speakers. The
Speaker is an elected MP who, on election to the Speaker’s chair, ceases to be a
political representative and becomes a neutral official (as do deputies). The Speaker
protects the House against any abuse of procedure by controlling debates and votes.
In a tied result, the Speaker has the casting vote, but must exercise this choice so that
it reflects established conventions.

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4. THE UK GOVERNMENT

The UK government is the executive arm of the parliamentary system. It serves

the whole of Britain and normally comprises members of the successful majority party
after a UK-wide general election. It is centred on Whitehall in London were its
ministries and the prime minister’s residence, 10 Downing Street, are located.

It consists of some 100 ministers who are chosen from both Houses of
Parliament and are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.
They derive their authority from belonging to the majority party in the Commons and
are collectively responsible to Parliament for the administration of national affairs.

The prime minister is appointed by the monarch and is usually the leader of the
majority party in the Commons. Their power stems from support of Parliament, the
authority (or patronage) to choose and dismiss ministers, the leadership of the party
in the country, and control over policymaking.

The Cabinet is a small executive body in the government and usually comprises
about 20 senior ministers, who are chosen and presided over by the prime minister.
Examples are the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretaries of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs, the Home Office and Education.

Collective responsibility is that which all ministers, but mainly those in the
Cabinet, share for government actions and policy. All must support a government
decision in public, even though some may oppose it during private deliberations. If a
minister cannot do this, they may feel obliged to resign.

Government departments (or ministries) are the chief instruments by which the
government does not necessarily alter the number of functions of departments.
Examples are the Departments for Communities and Local Government (DCLG),
Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Transport (DfT).

Constitutional theory suggests that Parliament should control the executive.

However, unless there is small-majority government, rebellion by government MPs or
significant public protest, a government with a reasonable overall majority in the

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Commons should be able to carry its policies through Parliament, irrespective of a
parliamentary attempt to restrain it.

5. POLITICAL PARTIES

British elections at parliamentary, devolved and local levels depend upon the
party political system, which has existed since the seventeenth century. for UK
parliamentary general elections, the parties present their policies in the form of
manifestos to the electorate for consideration during the few weeks of campaigning
prior to election day. A party candidate (chosen by a specific party) in a constituency
is elected to the Westminster Parliament on a combination of party manifesto and the
personality of the candidate.

Since 1945 there have been five Labour and twelve Conservative, including
one Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition, governments in Britain.

Most of the MPs in the House of Commons belong to either the Conservative
or the Labour Party. This continues the two-party system in British politics, in which
political power has alternated between two major parties, except for periods of
coalition or minority government, such as 2010-15. Smaller UK parties could influence
the two-party tradition by providing more coalition or minority governments.

The Labour Party has historically been a left-of-centre party with its own right
and left wings. It emphasizes social justice, equality of opportunity, economic planning
and the state ownership of industries and services. It was supported by the trade
unions (who have been influential in the party’s development), the working class and
some of the middle class. Its electoral strongholds are historically in Scotland, South
Wales and the Midland and northern English industrial cities. But traditional class-
based and left-ideological support has changed with more social and job mobility. In
the 1990s, the Labour Party tried to appeal the middle-class voters in southern
England and to take account of changing economic and social conditions. Its then
leader (and PM), Tony Blair, modernized the party as New Labour by moving to the
centre ground.

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 The Conservative Party is a right-of-centre party, with right- and left-wings
sections. It also regards itself as a national party and appeals to people across class
barriers. It emphasizes personal, social and economic freedom, the individual
ownership or property and shares, and law and order. The Conservatives became
more socially and economically radical in their 18 years of government (1979-1997).
The party’s support comes mainly from financial and business interests and the middle
and upper classes, but a sizeable number of skilled workers vote Conservative. The
party’s strongholds are in Southern England, with scattered support elsewhere in the
country.

LAW AND ORDER ‘a situation in which the laws of a country are being obeyed,
especially when the police or army are used to make certain of this’

The Liberal Democrats (Lib Dem) were formed in 1998 when the old Liberals
and a new Social Democratic Party merged into one party. They see themselves as
an alternative political force to the Labour and Conservative Parties, based on the
centre-left of British politics. Their strengths are in local governments, constitutional
reform and civil liberties. They are relatively strong in south-west England, Wales and
Scotland and increased their MPs at the 2001 and 2005 general election to become
the biggest third party in Parliament since 1929.

Smaller parties are also represented in the House of Commons, such as the
Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru (the Welsh National Party); Democratic Unionist
Party (DUP); the Social Democratic and Labour Party (moderate Nationalist, largely
Roman Catholic Northern Irish Party); and Sinn Féin. Other small parties, such as the
Greens, or the Alliance Party may also contest general elections. A candidate who
fails to gain a certain number of votes in the election loses their deposit (the sum of
money paid when parties register for elections).

6. ELECTORAL SYSTEM

The UK is divided for Westminster parliamentary elections to the House of

Commons into 650 constituencies (geographical areas of the country containing about
66,000 voters – although some have more or fewer). Each returns one MP to the

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House of Commons at a general election. Constituency boundaries are adjusted t
ensure fair representation and to reflect population movements.

General elections are by secret ballot, although voting is not compulsory.

British, Commonwealth and Irish Republic citizens may vote if they are resident in
Britain, are on a constituency register of voters, aged 18 or over and not disqualified
(members of the House of Lords cannot vote, for instance). Those not entitled to vote
include mentally ill patients detained in hospital or prison; persons who have been
convicted of corrupt of illegal election practices; sentenced prisoners (under review)
and members of the House of Lords. Each elector casts one vote at a polling station
set up an election day in a constituency by making a cross on a ballot paper against
the name of the candidate for whom the vote is cast.

The turnout of voters has often been about 70 percent at general elections out
of an electorate of 46 million, although this proportion has declined in recent elections.
The candidate who wins the most votes in a constituency is elected MP for that area.
This is known as the simple majority or ‘first past the post’ system.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the party that wins the most seats at a
general election.

7. THE CROWN

The constitutional title of the UK Parliament is the ‘King-in-Parliament’. This

means that state and government business is carried out in the name of the monarch
by the politicians and officials of the system. However, the Crown is only sovereign by
the will of Parliament and acceptance by the people.

The monarchy is the oldest secular institution in Britain and there is hereditary
succession to the throne. The eldest son of a monarch once had priority over older
daughters (male in line of descent). However, this was changed by the Succession to
the Crown Act 2013. The monarchy’s continuity has been interrupted only by
Cromwellian rule (1553-58), although there have been different royal dynasties such
as the Tudors, Stuarts and Hanoverians. The current monarch belongs to the House
of Windsor.

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 Royal executive power has disappeared. But the monarch still has formal
constitutional roles and is head of state, head of the executive, judiciary and
legislature, ‘supreme governor’ of the Church of England and commander-in-chief of
the armed forces. Government ministers and officials are the monarch’s servants and
many public officeholders swear allegiance to the Crown. The monarchy is thus a
permanent fixture in the British system, unlike temporary politicians. It still has a
practical and constitutional role to play in the operation of government.

The monarch is expected to be politically neutral; is supposed to reign but no

rule; and cannot make laws, impose taxes, spend public money or act unilaterally. The
monarch acts only on the advice of government ministers, which cannot be ignored,
and Britain is therefore governed by His Majesty Government in the name of the King,
whose role is similar in devolved governments.

A central power possessed by the monarch is the choice and appointment of

the UK Prime Minister and has the right to be informed of all aspects of national life by
receiving government documents and meeting weekly with the Prime Minister.

8. CONCLUSION AND TEACHING IMPLICATIONS

The legal framework that develops the content teachers need to teach at
Secondary and Bachillerato levels namely, Royal Decree 217/2020 29 March and
Royal Decree 243/2020 5 April at national level, and Decree 65/2020 and Decree
64/2020 20 July at regional level contain a specific competence, number six, which
encourages students to critically value cultural diversity, therefore a specific
competence dealing with the topic at hand.

The learning based on competences is characterised by its dynamism, its

comprehensive nature and for being cross-cultural, the competency teaching-learning
process must be tackled from all fields of knowledge. Second language teaching,
therefore, should not be constrained to focus on the four skills (productive and
receptive) and grammar, for instance.

There are several fields of knowledge which are susceptible of being included
in the curriculum of a foreign language, and the topic at hand, as long as the teacher

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follows an appropriate methodology for their students’ age and level, would help to
consolidate not only the students’ competence in linguistic communication but also
their competence in cultural awareness and expression, approaching students to
English-speaking countries’ real culture, which is essential in an increasingly
globalised world.

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

- Hefman, Tara. “Crown and Constitution”. (2014):2234

- Longhlin, Martin. The British Constitution: a very short introduction. OUP Oxford,
2013

- Oakland, John. British civilization: an introduction. Routledge, 2019

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