Bellringer for Quiz UK vs GB Collective Consensus Third Way Hung Parliament Neoliberalism NHS Social welfare programs Current Coalition Government

3 - Governance & Policy Making United Kingdom 3 - Governance & Policy Making

Today we will … Objectives Agenda Assess understanding of Modern British State & Political Economy and Development Explain the structure of the British government Quiz Government Structure notes Organization of the State Executive Public and Semipublic Institutions Judiciary Closure Intro to Parliament video? HW – IV A-C

Structure of British Government

Structure of British Government

Westminster Model History Parliamentary System The Westminster Model In the 1200’s, Parliament became officially recognized as a gathering of feudal barons summoned by the king whenever he required their consent to special taxes By the 15th century they gained the right to make laws.

British Parliament House of Commons House of Lords MPs Make laws Center of public debate Source of government ministers House of Lords Peers Minimal influence today Can delay legislation & debate technicalities of proposed bills May amend (but Commons can delete) Acts as a final Court of Appeals (law lords), not judicial review Parliamentary Sovereignty

Executive branch

Role of the Monarch Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952) Must give royal assent to all legislation passed by both houses of Parliament. Opens Parliament & dissolves it. Formally makes treaties w/foreign states, creates peerages, makes many top appointments in civil service, armed forces and judiciary.

Role of the Monarch Constitutionally bound to take the advice of the Prime Minister “Queen must sign her own death warrant if the two Houses unanimously send it up to her.” Head of the armed forces: Declares war and declares the end of war (with PM) Makes visits: hospitals, schools, and factories Official visits abroad

Executive Executive – Dual Monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II Buckingham Palace Executive – Dual Monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II Prime Ministerial System – PM is David Cameron– How was he selected? “God save the Queen”

Prime Minister: David Cameron (Tory) Deputy PM Kick Clegg (LD) The “Government” Parliament The Cabinet (Government) Prime Minister: David Cameron (Tory) Deputy PM Kick Clegg (LD) Shadow Cabinet: Ed Milliband (Labour) A Government is formed when the party (or coalition - if there was a hung parliament) with the most MPs wins the election. Their leader is the Prime Minister and they choose ministers to form the government. About 12 ministers. Most will be chosen from the House of Commons, but they can also be chosen from the House of Lords

Prime Minister & Cabinet “First among equals” Member of Parliament and Leader of majority party Speaks legitimately for all Members of Parliament Chooses cabinet ministers and important subordinate posts Makes decisions in cabinet, with agreement of ministers Campaigns for and represents the party in parliamentary elections Shapes cabinet decisions into policy Cabinet Collective cabinet is the center of policy-making in the British political system As leaders of majority party elected by the people, they take “collective responsibility” for making the policy of the country Most important: Foreign Office, Home Office, chancellor of exchequer

Executive Branch Prime Minister The Cabinet Speaks legitimately for all Members of Parliament Chooses Cabinet Ministers and important subordinate posts Makes decisions in the Cabinet, with the agreement of the ministers Campaigns for and represents the party in parliamentary elections Ministries (political experts) Foreign Office (Sec of State) Chancellor of the Exchequer (Treasury) Until recently, the Cabinet controlled monetary policy which is now controlled by the bank of England Key functions of the Cabinet Responsible for policy making but are not (policy experts)- bureaucrats Supreme control of the government Coordination of all government departments PM has the responsibility of shaping their decisions into policy Cabinet does not vote They take collective responsibility- they support the policy making of the PM Backbenchers

Westminster Model Parliamentary sovereignty Parliamentary democracy Cabinet government Center of British politics Formulates and presents policy to Parliament Supreme ruling body of the executive branch Collective responsibility

The Cabinet System

Bureaucracy: Civil Servants Hundred of thousands of civil servants in the UK They administer laws and deliver public services Most do clerical and routine work for the bureaucracy A few hundred directly advise ministers and oversee work of departments Top civil servants and bureaucrats usually stay with their departments, while ministers are party officials who move with party demands Therefore, top civil servants often have a great deal of input into policy-making

Comparative Executives PM of Britain President of the US Serves only as he/she remains leader of the majority party Elected as a member of Parliament Has an excellent chance of getting his programs past Parliament Cabinet members not experts in policy areas, rely on bureaucracy to provide expertise Elected every four years by an electoral college based on popular election Elected as President Has an excellent chance of ending up in gridlock with Congress Cabinet members usually don’t come from Congress Some expertise in policy areas, one criteria for their appointment, head vast bureaucracies

Check for understanding How is the US Executive Branch different or similar to the Executive “branch” in the UK?

Public and Semipublic Institutions

QUANGOS Quasi-nongovernmental organizations Almost 6,000 present, 90% operating at the local level Some advise on policy, others deliver services, all are created by Acts of Parliament and publically funded

Interest Groups Corporatist arrangements during collectivist years In a Parliamentary system Little of the lobbying one finds in the U.S. Interests groups focus their attention on decision makers: ministers, party leaders, and senior civil servants; try to influence the drafting of a bill, not how it is dealt with on the House floor. WHY? Corporatist arrangements during collectivist years Thatcher government in 1980s effectively froze the unions out of the decision making. Labour unions lose public support Parties start to distance themselves- New Labour

Quagnos: Quasi- nongovernmental orgs. Types of Interest Group Systems Pluralist: many compete (US) Corporatist: government controls (China) Neo-corporatist (UK & Mex- under PRI) Policy advisory board appointed by the government . (5,000) Advise Provide services Policies are made by non-elected bodies Disproportionate access Trade Unions Congress (TUC) – Labour Confederation of British Industry (CBI)– Conservative

judicial branch

Judiciary Branch In Britain, the principle of parliamentary sovereignty (parliament’s decisions are final) has limited the development of judicial review British courts can only determine whether government decisions violate the common law or previous acts of Parliament By tradition British courts cannot impose their rulings upon Parliament, the prime minister, or the cabinet Law lords – settle disputes from lower courts; they do not have power of judicial review, so their authority is limited Constitutional Reform Act of 2005 – provides for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take over the existing role of the law lords Most judges are not MPs and few are active in party politics; most were educated in public schools and the Oxbridge connection

Judicial Branch-est. 2009 Highest appellate court in all matters under English law, Welsh law, Northern Irish Law, Scottish civil law and devolution issues 12 professional judges appointed by House of Lords No term limits, can be removed by an address of Parliament Judges forced to retire at 70 or 75 Composition: A President, Deputy President, 12 permanent Justices

Closure Define a parliamentary system. Explain how devolution challenges the sovereignty of the Parliament in Great Britain. Provide 2 examples.