The government of the U.K

1. The Government of The U. K.

2.

Evolution
Theory
To govern

3. A brief introduction:

the oldest representative democracy in the
world
the process of state-building has been one
of evolution rather than revolution
the long, unbroken history is apparent in
Britain’s current political institutions and in
its political culture

4. A brief introduction:

The UK still keeps an old fashioned
government established on the basis of
constitutional monarchy:

5. Constitutional Monarchy:

The head of the state is a king or queen.
In practice, the country is governed, in the
name of the Sovereign, but by His or Her
Majesty’s Government.

6. The Monarchy

1. History of the Monarchy
▶Magna Carta (the Great Charter)
2. the present Sovereign is Queen Elizabeth
II, daughter of George Ⅵ, who ascended
the throne in 1952 and was crowned in
1953. her eldest son---Prince Charles--- is
the heir to the throne.
3. Power of the Queen

7. Magna Carta:

King John of England agreed, in 1215, to
the demands of his barons.
Thus he bound not only himself but his
"heirs, for ever" to grant "to all freemen of
our kingdom" the rights and liberties the
great charter described.
With Magna Carta, King John placed
himself and England's future sovereigns and
magistrates within the rule of law.

8.

King John signing the Magna Carta

9. Queen Elizabeth II

10. Queen Elizabeth II

The wedding of
Queen Elizabeth II
and Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh

11.

Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
on the day of the Queen's coronation

12. Queen Elizabeth II

13. Queen Elizabeth II

The couple marked
their diamond
wedding anniversary
with a special service
of
thanksgiving(2007)

14. The power of the Queen

The power of the queen is nowhere defined
as Britain has no written constitution and
many of the rules that govern the system are
customs or conventions.

15. The power of the Queen

Theoretically the Queen has all the power:
1. she is the head of the executive branch of
government and gives effect to all laws;
2. she may pardon criminal offenses and cancel
punishments;
3. she is the commander-in-chief of the armed
forces;

16. The power of the Queen

4. She is the temporal head of the Church of
England;
5. She also confers all titles of rank and appoints
judges, officers of the armed forces, governors,
bishops and diplomats;
6. She has the power to conclude treaties, to
declare war upon and make peace with other
nations.

17. The power of the Queen

In practice, the role of the monarchy(symbolic):
1. symbolise the tradition and unity of the British
state;
2. set standards of good citizenship and family
life;
3. a confidante to the Prime Minister.

18. Quiz

What is a Constitutional Monarchy?
What is the Magna Carta?
What power does the Queen have?

19. Parliament

1. History of the Parliament
2. Functions of the Parliament
3. The House of Lords and
the House of Commons

20. Parliament

History of the Parliament:
“parliament”
“to parley”: to discuss or talk
The term was first used in 1236: the gathering of
feudal barons and representatives from counties
and towns

21. Parliament

the Great Council:
leading, wealthy barons + representatives of counties, etc.
People who were
summoned“by name”
(the House of Lords)
representatives of communities
(the House of Commons)

22. Parliament

Functions:
1. passes laws;
2. provides the means of carrying on the work of
government by voting for taxation;
3. scrutinises government policy, administration
and expenditure;
4. debates the major issues of the day.

23. Parliament

Parliament is the supreme legislative
authority
It consists of:
the Queen
the House of Lords
the House of Commons

24. The House of Parliament

25. The House of Parliament

26. The House of Lords

27. The House of Lords

The House of Lords consists of the Lords
Spiritual and the lords Temporal, which
comprises hereditary and life peers , with
the Lord chancellor as the President of the
House.

28. The Lord Chancellor

The Lord chancellor is the President of the
House of Lords. At present, there are over
1,000 peers who have the right to attend the
debates, vote and propose bills and ask
questions of government ministers, but not
many of them actually use their power.

29. The House of Commons

30. The House of Commons

The House of Commons consists of 651
members elected from the country’s 651
constituencies, with Mr. Speaker as the
chairman in debates.

31. Mr. Speaker

The Speaker is elected by a vote of the
House at the beginning of each new
Parliament to preside over the House and
enforce the rule of order.
He has more powers than the Lord
Chancellor and rank only next to the Prime
Minister.

32. Cabinet

The Cabinet is composed of the heads of the
most important departments. It is the Prime
Minister who decides which minister will be
included.
The Cabinet meets regularly, usually once a
week, in one of the rooms in the Prime
Minister’s official residence, No. 10
Downing street.

33. No. 10 Downing Street

34. No. 10 Downing Street

35. The Prime Minister

36. The British Government Today

deeply influenced by its long past
both a parliamentary democracy and
a constitutional monarchy
the official head of state is the Queen, but her
powers are largely traditional and symbolic
The government at national and local levels
is elected by the people and governs
according to British constitutional principles

37. The British Government Today

The Constitution:
Britain has no written constitution;
statute law;
the common law;
conventions.

38. The British Government Today

The Constitution
Parliament
The Role of the Monarchy Today
The House of Lords and the House of
Commons