The British Institutions

1997-1998

The constitutional monarchy

• The monarch has a figurehead role
• continuity
• objectivity
• Queen Elizabeth's large popularity

• undemocratic nature
• associated with class, wealth and privilege
• royal scandals
• King Charles III's low popularity

its alleged strengths

its alleged weaknesses

VS

1921

1801

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1707

aka The Palace of Westminster aka The Houses of Parliament

King Charles III

The Parliament

The Monarch

Hum...No!

CONSTITUTION?

How are THE BRITISH INSTITUTIONS organised?

CRASH COURSE

THE BRITISH INSTITUTIONS

• The Magna Carta (1215) was the first document to put into writing the principle that the monarch and the government were not above the law.

- It limits the powers of the monarch - It protects individuals against arbitrary imprisonment or punishment without prior judgement.

• The Bill of Rights (1689) is the basis for constitutional monarchy since it makes the arbitrary use of royal power illegal.

It deals with the relationship between the monarch and Parliament. > The sovereign now must govern according to the statutes voted by Parliament. > S/He cannot raise taxes unless Parliament has agreed. > The Bill of Rights excludes Catholics from the succession to the throne.

TWO key textS

The monarch's choice is bound by convention.

Ok, but what on earth does this job consist of?

His first and foremost duty is to ensure that there is a prime minister and government who can govern. He has the power to dismiss a PM but his mother never used it. The last time this happened was in 1834 when King William IV dismissed Lord Melbourne - because his cabinet was considered as extremist and a threat to the monarchy. He then asked Sir Robert Peel to form a new government.

The Monarch: King Charles III

Representative role

• Head of the Nation
• Head of State
• Head of the Commonwealth (= 56 states)

• Supreme Governor of the Church of England
• Commander-in-chief of the military

• gives their royal appointment to the PM. The kissing of hands is, at this point, merely a symbolic gesture, a name for the proceedings, but at one point in history, the prime minister was actually required to kiss the sovereign’s hand to show their loyalty to the sovereign and the crown.
• appoints a government by signing the list of names presented to them by their new PM.
• reads Cabinet papers regularly
• meets the PM every week or so to be informed of the government's actions.
• opens the Parliament sessions in the House of Lords
• gives Royal assent to bills passed by Parliament
• fulfills international duties as Head of State and Head of the Commonwealth

The sovereign / monarch

• A constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.
• No written constitution but an unwritten one formed of Acts of Parliament, court judgements and conventions.

• No elected head of state
• The monarch reigns but does not rule.
• The 3 organs of government (legislative / executive & judiciary) are independent of one another.

A state composed of 4 COUNTRIES BUT 1 NATION in a legal and Sovereing sense

THE UNITED KINGDOM

Shabana Mahmood

Lyndsay Hoyle

Legislative power

The Parliament's main functions: - scrutiny : checks and balances the work of the Cabinet - legislation : makes and changes laws -debate : debates the key issues of the day - budget and taxes : checks and approves government spending

= The Palace of Westminster = The Houses of Parliament

THE PARLIAMENT

The House of Lords is presided over by the Lord Chancellor

The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker

2nd Chamber = Upper Chamber

1st Chamber = Lower Chamber

About 800 Peers (= members of the House of Lords) from different walks of life, different professions, approved of by the King from a list submitted by the PM. They are chosen for their " experience and knowledge".

• It is the "watchdog" or guardian of the constitution.
• It scrutinises Commons bills to make sure they are well written and do not pose any threat to the constitution.
• It discusses and may block bills.
• It has a legislative function : it can introduce bills which must not be controversial or financial.
• It has a judicial function: it acts as the final Court of Appeal.

It has important political functions:

Life peers need to disclaim their title temporarily if they want to be eligible for election to the Commons.

Women are now admitted in the House of Lords yet as life peers only!

The 1949 Parliament Act limited the power of the Lords to delay a Commons bill to one year. After that if the Commons so wishes, the bill will go forward to the Sovereign to receive the Royal assent.

• General elections every 5 years

• first-past-the-post system = 1st candidate with a majority of votes is elected.

• The leader of the political party which has the majority of seats in the Commons becomes Prime Minister.

• This House is more powerful than the House of Lords.

• It scrutinises and approves all legislation

• MPs are elected by the people

650 MPs --> One for each of the 650 constituencies (=voting districts) in the UK

• 26 Lord Spirituals (among whom is the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• Lords Temporal

- Hereditary peers/lords (92 of them since 1999) - Life Peers & Peeresses (about 600 approved by the monarch: the title is not hereditary.) - 12 Law Lords( = senior judges of the Supreme Court of the UK) who are Life Peers and act as the final Court of Appeal. (not hereditary)

AND

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= 20 senior ministers selected by the PM They meet at 10, Downing street, the headquarters of the Government

The Cabinet

= the head of Government = the leader of the majority Lives at 10, Downing street

The Prime Minister

Legislative power

Executive power