1. The British Electorate
during collectivist years, single issue shaped how British voters viewed the political world: social class
significance of conservative victory, ’79?
vote against radicalism and chaos of the Labour government?
first step in a more lasting realignment?

2. Interest groups
many groups (national to local), but little influence and little lobbying
groups with most influence: TUC/Labour and CBI/Conservative
all governments need to consult with interest groups: information and expertise

3. The British and American States
feature UK
USA
Constitution
unwritten
fused powers
written
federal
separation of powers
Executive
dominant
recruited from Parliament
power to persuade
recruited from everywhere
Legislature
mostly debate
party voting
law making
party or coalition voting

4. Monarchy and Lords lots of visibility, little impact
pre 1958, all Lords were hereditary peers or members of senior clergy and judiciary
1999: Parliament, with support of Lords, stripped all but 92 self-selected hereditary peers of membership
law Lords: Britain’s highest court of appeals, but cannot rule on constitutionality of acts of Parliament

5. Parliamentary Sovereignty
the House of Commons: the body that determines who governs and which laws to pass
does this make it sovereign?
House of Commons is not the major influence on most policy issues
instead, real influence lies with majority party leadership and certain non-elected bodies
also, courts have never had a policy-making role

6. House of Commons
646 MPs, representing single-members districts, elected in first-part-the-post elections
MPs are not expected to represent their constituents’ interests
they do not even have to live in the districts they represent
‘virtual’ representation

7. Parliamentary Party: the key to the British state
leader of the majority party becomes PM, can [almost always] count on support of party colleagues
head of the largest minority party becomes leader of the opposition
appoints a shadow cabinet to monitor and criticize
backbenchers: seats reserved for MPs who are not part of the leadership

8. PM selects the cabinet and other junior ministers (all MPs) (about 70)
all but two cabinet members chosen from House of Commons
cabinet ministers appointed based on their position in party’s power structure
less likely than American counterparts to be experts in area they supervise

9. cabinet governed by principle of collective responsibility
cabinet remains in office as long as the netire government retains support of its parliamentary majority
individual ministers must publicly support all cabinet decisions or resign
cabinet introduces all major legislation
new legislation usually introduced only after extensive period of study and debate and publication of government white paper

10. cabinet introduces all major legislation
Parliamentary debate: extensive, acrimonious, meaningless
‘cabinet government’: possibly becoming a myth
realistically, Britain has government by PM , bureaucracy and other nonelected bodies (QUANGOs)

11. Public Policy: The Thatcher Revolution
Thatcher: ‘the politics of conviction”
produced dramatic changes in British economic life
goal: sharply reduce the role of the state : wide-ranging privatization
pro: saved economy, brought inflation and unemployment under control, energized the private sector
con: widened the gap between rich and poor, allowed public services to deteriorate

12. Thatcher, cont. privatization was popular in the short term
provided a needed infusion of capital to government
also tried to strengthen role of market forces: cut government subsidies to industry, reduce ‘redundant’ labor, reduce taxes on wealthy
other centerpiece of Thatcher revolution: roll back the welfare state
problem: unlike nationalized industries, social sevices programs were very popular – resistance to cut backs

13. The Blair Revolution
originally, Labour committed to nationalization of the ‘commanding heights’ of the economy, and planned to put much of the rest under government control
pass benefits to working class, create a more equal and just society
little effect on public policy before 1945
later, set up planning boards nationalized dozens of key industries, especially unprofitable public services

14. Blair, cont.
by 60s, nationalized industries required massive subsidies, and bad planning left unions more powerful than ever
welfare state (especially NHS)became more and more expensive
pro: combined best aspects of socialism and market economy
con : ‘Thatcher lite”
Blair government able to redirect a lot of money to poor and to public services
Partly enabled by booming ecoomy
Other important policy changes: welfare-to-work; cost of living increases for poor retirees; increase in minimum wage; increased income of bottom 2/5th with no impact on wealthy
Most ly occurred during 1st Blair government, when popularity was high

15. Britain is part of the EU, whose decisions have great impact on British economy
issues:
should England join the European Monetary Union and abandon the pound for the euro?
should England ratify the second draft constitution for the EU, which would be one step closer to a united states of Europe?

16. (2) IRAQ
first Gulf War uncontroversial: invasion of Kuwait was a clear violation of international law
support for USA after 9/11 acceptable
second Iraq war more problematic : Blair stood behind the countries’ “special relationship” and took identical positions
dire domestic political implications

17. feedback TV and radio in Britain: very different from those in US
Centralized, professional media
BBC and independent broadcasters offer thorough political coverage
most political information comes from national newspapers
some quality reporting, many tabloids
many local papers with little national news and little influence
TV: little local news