- •State and political system of the uk
- •1. The uk Parliament
- •1.3. The passage of legislation
- •1.4. Some distinguishing features of the British Parliamentary system
- •1.5. Political parties
- •2. The uk Government
- •2.1. The Prime Minister
- •2.2. Government Departments
- •2.3. Government Ministers
- •2.4. The civil service
- •2.5. Devolved government
- •3. The uk Judiciary
- •3.1. The Court System of England and Wales
- •3.1.1. Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
- •3.1.2. Senior Courts of England and Wales
- •3.1.2.1. Court of Appeal
- •3.1.2.2. High Court
- •3.1.2.3. Crown Court
- •3.1.3. Subordinate courts
- •3.1.3.1. County Courts
- •3.1.3.2. Magistrates’ Courts
- •3.2. The Court System of Scotland and Northern Ireland
- •4. General elections in the uk
- •Comprehension
- •Further Reading
Further Reading
Britain’s System of Government. – London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1993. – 36 p.
Focus on Britain. – London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1993. – 40 p.
Jones B. Politics UK / B. Jones, D. Kavanagh, P. Norton, M. Moran. – [4-th ed.]. – London: Longman, 2000. – 736 p.
Kingdom J. Government and Politics in Britain: an introduction / John Kingdom. – [3-d ed.]. – Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003. – 800 p.
McLean I. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics / I McLean, A. McMillan. – [2-d ed. revised]. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. – 624 p.
Parliamentary Elections in Britain. – London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1993. – 20 p.
Sheerin S. Spotlight on Britain [2-d edition] / S. Sheerin, J. Seath, G. White. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990. 140 p.
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government (Not to be confused with the form of territorial-political organization – unitary state)
* * This is a result of a long process of evolution, during which the monarchy’s absolute power has been progressively reduced. William of Orange became the first King-in-Parliament after the Glorious Revolution as a result of which Parliament became more powerful than the king. Its power over the monarch was written into the Bill of Rights in 1689.
* ** This is enacted under the Act of Settlement (1701). According to it only a Protestant could inherit a crown. The Act of Settlement was very important and it has remained in force ever since. Even today, if a son or a daughter of the monarch becomes a Catholic, he or she cannot inherit the throne.
* *** Signed in 1215 by King John, Magna Carta (or the Great Charter) was a very important symbol of political freedom: the King promised all “freemen” protection from his officers and the right to a fair and legal trial. Hundreds of years later, Magna Carta was used by Parliament to protect itself from a powerful king.
* Hereditary peers are aged 21 years and over. Anyone succeeding to peerage may, within 12 months of succession, disclaim that peerage for his or her lifetime. Disclaimants lose their right to sit in the House but gain the right to vote and stand as candidates at parliamentary elections.
* The official residence of the Prime Minister is at 10 Downing Street, London.