The system of government
In theory, the constitution has three branches: Parliament, which
makes laws, the government, which «executes» laws, i.e. puts them
into effect, and the law courts, which interpret laws. Although the
Queen is officially head of all three branches, she has little direct
power.
Parliament has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of
Lords. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of
650 constituencies. They are as MPs, or Members of Parliament. The
Prime Minister, or leader of the Government, is also an MP, usually
the leader of the political party with a majority in the House of
Commons.
The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet of about twenty other
ministers. The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major
government department or ministries. Departments and ministries are
run by civil servants, who are permanent officials. Even if the
Government changes after an election, the same civil servants are
employed.
The House of Lords consists of the Lords Temporal and the Lords
Spiritual. The Lords Spiritual are the Archbishops of York and
Canterbury, together with twenty-four senior bishops of the Church
and England. The Lords Temporal consist of hereditary peers who have
inherited their titles; life peers who are appointed
by the Queen on the advice of the Government for various services
to the nation; and the Lords of Appeal (Law Lords) who become
life peers on their judicial appointments. The latter serve the House
of Lords as the ultimate court of appeal. This appeal court consists
of some nine Law Lords who hold senior judicial office. They are
presided over by the Lord Chancellor and they form a quorum of three
to five when they hear appeal cases.
