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United Kingdom Government, Politics, Political Culture, Policy Debates, Political Parties.

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Presentation on theme: "United Kingdom Government, Politics, Political Culture, Policy Debates, Political Parties."— Presentation transcript:

1 United Kingdom Government, Politics, Political Culture, Policy Debates, Political Parties

2 British Gradualism Magna Carta Development of Parliament The Reformation and the Church of England English Civil War Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights

3 Electoral Reform Great Reform Acts of 1832 and 1867 –Gives the right to vote to the upper class –Corrects the problem of malapportionment, eliminating the “rotten boroughs” Representation of the People Acts 1884, 1885, 1918,1928 – expanding the suffrage

4 Noblesse Oblige Legacy of Feudalism – social deference Evolution not revolution Utilitarianism – Jeremy Bentham Development of the Liberal and Conservative (Tory) Parties Laws passed benefitting the working class, allowing labor unions, free public education, ban on child labor, creation of the pension system

5 Development of modern political parties – Labour and Conservatives Parliament Act – 1911 Collectivist Consensus 1946 – 1979 Representation of the People Act 1948 Representation of the People Act 1969 Life Peerages Act 1958 Constitution Reform Act 2005 Why evolution, not revolution? What provided stability in Britain? Hegemonic Power

6 Civic Culture Supportive of the political system and the rules of the game Pluralistic and tolerant Deference Political Efficacy Trust in Government High level of political participation Geographic, economic, social class and ethnic/religious cleavages

7 The State House of Commons Prime Minister Cabinet - Collective Responsibility –Ministers of ___and –Chancellor of the Exchequer Uncodified Constitution

8 Role of the Monarch House of Lords Fusion of powers Parliamentary Sovereignty Supreme Court

9 House of Commons Frontbenchers Backbenchers Shadow Cabinet Speaker Party Whips Voting by Division Question Time Ministerial Responsibility Select Committees

10 Elections May be held at any time by the choice of the Prime Minister or caused by a vote of no confidence – Must be held at least every 5 years, one month campaign, caretaker gov., by-elections may be held Party Conferences –party centralization Single member districts by plurality (first past the post) in 646 small elections for the House of Commons, elections for local councils. PM chosen by majority of the House of C

11 Political Culture Belief in representative democracy Belief individual rights, equality, majority rule Parliamentary Sovereignty and the Constitutional Monarchy Utilitarianism – the role of the gov. is to do the most good for the most people Capitalism Importance of history and tradition, the role of the monarch and the aristocracy

12 House of Lords Lords Spiritual Life peers, hereditary peers Appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister Crossbenchers Why does it have any influence?

13 Whitehall Civil Service – regular and senior levels Roles in administration and policy design 120 executive agencies Regulatory agencies Of___ QUANGO’s Permanent Secretaries chosen by the Prime Minister usually from the civil service The patron client system

14 How Policy is Made Policy committees – PM, Cabinet, Permanent Secretaries, leaders of appropriate interest groups ( the integrated elite) corporatism Party manifesto Green Paper Consensus of Cabinet White Paper Standing Committees

15 How a Bill Becomes Law Standing Committees are proportional, may mark up a bill May be withdrawn by the PM or taken to the floor of the House of Commons Debate in H of C and passage by division Importance of Party Discipline To the House of Lords for debate, amendment, approval or veto If necessary, returned to H of Commons for passage To the Queen for the Royal Assent

16 Interest Groups TUC – Trades Union Congress CBI – Confederation of British Industry Others : women, environmentalists, ethnic, religious, senior citizens, veterans, “The City” Corporatism Clientelism Interest groups may make campaign contributions and sponsor candidates

17 Political Parties Conservative (Tories) – support less regulation of business, lower taxes, limits on immigration, against the adoption of the euro, typically supported by CBI. Party led by David Cameron Labour – supports membership in the EU and a wait and see decision on the adoption of the euro, revision of the House of Lords/Constitution Reform Act, improvement of services (like NHS), welfare to work, devolution, traditionally supported by TUC, working class Party Leader – Gordon Brown

18 Political Parties Liberal Democrats – formed in the 1970’s when the Social Democrats split from Labour and joined the remnants of the Liberal Party The Lib Dems want withdrawal from Iraq, adoption of the euro, increased services and local government, environmental policies, constitutional reform and elections by proportional rep. Party Leader – Nick Clegg Plaid Cymru – protecting Welsh culture

19 Political Parties Scottish National Party – concerned about the environment, want oil profits shared with Scotland, some want independence Social Democrat and Labor Party - more rights for Catholics in N.I. Sinn Fein (was the political arm of the IRA) want N.I. to join the Republic of Ireland and the British to leave N.I.

20 Political Parties Ulster Unionists – N.I. protestants who want to remain a part of the U.K. Democratic Unionists – N.I. protestants who want to remain a part of the U.K. and were the political arm of the UDA, the Ulster Defense Association, and the UVF, the Ulster Volunteer Force

21 The Collectivist Consensus Keynesianism – It is the role of the gov. to provide jobs and services. To improve the economy the government needs to spend money, deficit spending and interest rate adjustment are necessary Nationalization, NHS, the dole, unions, public education through university level The Winter of Discontent 1979 –strikes, high taxes, inefficient services

22 Thatcherism Monetarism – It is not the gov.’s job to provide jobs, to help the economy taxes must be lowered and spending cut Privatization, crack down on unions, lowered taxes, emphasized individual responsibility, an enterprise culture No negotiation in N.I., war in the Falklands, increased defense spending

23 The European Union Single Europe Act 1986 Maastricht Treaty 1992 – Social Charter for Workers and the plan for the common currency, the euro Concerns: national sovereignty v. supranational authority, monetary policy Views of Thatcher, Blair, and the Liberal Democrats

24 Northern Ireland 1600’s the Ulster Plantation 1690 – James II tries to free Ireland and become King, Battle of the Boyne 1905 – Sinn Fein founded 1916 – Easter Rebellion 1920-21 the Anglo-Irish War – Irish Free State formed, NI remains part of UK 1949 The Ireland Act – Rep. of Ireland recognized, N.I. remains part of UK

25 Northern Ireland 1969 – Civil Rights marches, Royal Ulster Constabulary, British troops occupy N.I. 1972 – Bloody Sunday, N.I. Parliament is dissolved 1994 Cease Fire, beginning of peace talks 1998 The Good Friday Peace Accords Elections held for new government in N.I.

26 Blair and the Third Way The Good Friday Peace Accords Devolution Welfare to work – the stakeholder society Improving the NHS, public services Bigger EU role, wait and see on the euro Moving Labour to the center, pragmatism v. party activists –Party manifesto –Reduced role of TUC

27 The Electorate and Political Attitudes Who votes for Labour? Who votes for the Conservatives? Who votes for the Liberal Democrats? Trust in Government Civil Liberties and National Security Ethnic, Economic, Social Cleavages Belief in the Role of Government

28 Iraq, Immigration, War on Terror, Energy, Economic Challenges, the E.U. and the Commonwealth


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