1. REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION

2. Power shifted from Parliament to Civil Service
The Legislature
In the 1830’s, the Parliament collaborated on policy making, accepting and rejecting legislation.
The Voting act of 1835
Power shifted from Parliament to Civil Service

3. House of Commons Members are elected 3 legislative functions
Pass Laws
Taxation
Reviewing government policies
Governing party has the plurality of seats

4. House of Lords
Used to amend/delay legislation, and now only provide redrafting legislation
1999, Tony Blair appointed Wakeham Commission and the House of Lords Act was passed
Are not elected
Hereditary Peers
Life Peers
Law Lords (NOW
SUPREME COURT –
outside Parliament)

5. Behavioral and Structural Changes
Backbench Dissent
Parliamentary Committees
Watchdog Committees

6. Political Parties and the Party System
Appears to be a Two-Party System
The New Labour
The Conservative Party
But watch out for the Coalition Players!!
(Prominent Contending Parties)
Liberal Democrats
Scottish National Party (Scotland)
Plaid Cymru (Wales)

7. The Labour Party
Launched by trade union representatives and socialist societies
Adopted the collectiveness consensus in the 1950’s-60’s
Mid 1970’s – lost power due to disputes over trade unions
Moderate center-left

8. The Conservative Party (The Tories)
Began in the eighteenth century
Economic and social elite
Divisions over Britain’s role in the E.U.
Contributing to the fall of Thatcher and Major
Moderate center-right party

9. Liberal Democrats
1983 – Alliance between Social Democratic Party and the Liberals (forming the Liberal Democrats)
Nick Clegg
They opposed the war in Iraq
Moderate center-left party

10. The Electoral System
Elected officials are known as Members of Parliament (MPs)
Elections are Winner-Take-All
2005 – Women held 128 seats as MPs (19.8%)
2005 – Ethnic Minorities held 15 seats (2.3%)

11. Trends in Electoral Behavior
Geographical and regional division between parties
Conservative Party competes with Labour Party for urban north
Conservative Party dominates the rural south
Scotland – Labour vs. Scottish National Party
2005 election very interesting…

12. Social Class New Labour diminished the importance of social classes
Decolonization of Britain
More diverse country

13. Citizenship and National Identity
Doubts about British identity
Race and nationality
Blair is trying to revitalize a sense of community
9/11 – blame on minority groups

14. Ethnicity 8 % African, African-Caribbean, or Asian Many disadvantages
Police insensitivities
Housing
Accusations about heritage
Employment
Sporting events

15. Gender Women’s chief concerns
Child care
Domestic violence
Equal pay
Labour gained support by listening to women’s concern
Women now vote for Labour instead of Conservatives

16. Interests, Social Movements, and Protest
Recent rise in number of protest
Environmental activism in the 1990s
Genetically Modified Crops
GMO’s
High fuel prices sparked protests in 2000
Many anti-war rallies
,000 demonstrators in London

17. THE
END