The United Kingdom

1
The United Kingdom
2
Historical Evolution of British Politics

• Magna Carta(1215) King John agreed to consult
  the nobles before he made important decisions, in
  particular regarding taxes
• Limited government restrictions on the monarch
  began with the Magna Carta

3
Historical Evolution of British Politics

• The Glorious Revolution (1688) officially
  established Parliament as the ruling body of
  Great Britain. The agreement signed between
  William Mary and Parliament was known as the
  Bill of Rights

4
Legitimacy

• The government of Great Britain has developed
  gradually tradition is a primary source of
  stability
• Great Britains constitution is unwritten having
  evolved from different documents (Magna Carta,
  English Bill of Rights), common law, legal codes,
  and customs
• The UK has rational legal legitimacy, stemming
  from its democratic constitution and government

5
Political Culture

• Noblesse Oblige
• Important tradition in British politics
• The duty of the upper classes to take
  responsibility for the welfare of the lower
  classes
• Legacy of feudal times (Lords protected serfs)
• Reflected in willingness of British citizens to
  accept a welfare state
• Margaret Thatchers administration challenged
  this by significantly cutting social services and
  social welfare programs

6
Political CultureExtension of Voting Rights

• Great Reform Act of 1832 About 300,000 men
  gained right to vote, House of Commons gained
  more power in relation to House of Lords
• Reform Act of 1867 electorate reaches 3 million,
  many working class people allowed to vote
• Representation of the People Act of 1884
  electorate is further expanded to make sure that
  majority of electorate is working class
• Womens Suffrage all women over the age of 28
  and all men over 21 granted the right to vote in
  1918. By 1928, all women over 21 allowed to vote.

7
Political Beliefs Values

• Through 1960s British political culture
  characterized by
• Trust
• Deference to authority
• Pragmatism
• Harmony
• High voter participation
• The Collectivist Consensus

8
Collectivist Consensus

• Began during WWII with Churchills emphasis on
  putting class differences aside in order to work
  together to defeat Germany
• Churchill headed an all-party coalition
  government during WWII (He was originally elected
  as a Conservative)
• The spirit of collective consensus continued
  beyond the war well into the 1960s

9
Collectivist Consensus

• Both Labour and Conservative parties supported
  the development of the modern welfare system
• Beveridge Report adopted by both parties during
  the war made all citizens eligible for health,
  unemployment, pension, and other welfare benefits
• National Health Service (1948) created under
  the leadership of the Labour Party

10
Political Beliefs Values continued Politics
of Protest

• 1970s and 1980s
• Less supportive of collective consensus
• Support for free market economy
• Decreasing support for labor unions
• Increased violence in Northern Ireland

11
Voter Turnout
12
Political Culture

• Insularity
• Feeling of separation, in particular from the
  continent of Europe
• Sense of exceptionalism
• Euroskepticism
• Different from isolationism

13
Political CultureMulti-nationalism

• Although the UK has a relatively large amount of
  cultural homogeneity (Anglo/white), it is divided
  into four nations
• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

14
England

• Largest region of Great Britain
• Makes up 2/3 of the land mass
• English have dominated the other nationalities
  historically, and still hold a disproportionate
  share of political power

15
Scotland

• History of resistance to English rule
• Strong sense of national identity
• Has its own flag
• Recently granted its own parliament and regional
  assembly (devolution)
• Scottish National Party political party of the
  region of Scotland

16
Wales

• Located west of England
• Plaid Cymru Welch national political party
• Strong sense of national pride reflected in its
  flag and Welsh language
• Granted their own assembly (devolution)

17
Northern Ireland

• The Irish Republican Army (IRA) used guerrilla
  tactics against British officials and citizens
• Sinn Fein political party of the IRA
• Under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the IRA
  decommissioned its weapons in exchange for some
  self rule.
• An assembly was created for Northern Ireland
  (devolution)

18
Devolution

• British government is a unitary system
  (centralized control)
• Starting in the 1970s the Scots and Welsh made an
  aggressive push for political autonomy in their
  regions
• Devolution the turning over of some political
  power and autonomy to regional governments
• The Labour Party had supported the idea of
  devolution since the 1970s

19
Devolultion

• Margaret Thatchers administration blocked
  devolution
• Under Tony Blairs New Labour Party the idea of
  devolution was instituted
• In 1999, referendums in Scotland and Wales
  successfully passed, and each established their
  own regional assemblies powers of taxation,
  education, and economic planning
• In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement established an
  assembly for Northern Ireland

20
Ethnic Minorities

• Make up about 8 of the British population
• Indian (23)
• Pakistani (16)
• Afro-Caribbean (13)
• Black African (11)

21
Education Political Elite Recruitment

• Public schools originally were intended to
  train boys for public life in the military,
  civil service, or politics
• Majority of Britains political elites go to
  public boarding schools
• Currently only about 65 of British 17-year olds
  are still in school, the lowest number of any
  industrialized society
• Oxbridge (Oxford-Cambridge) the most important
  portal to membership in the elite classes and
  political recruitment is through these two
  prestigious universities

22
Labour Party

• Largest party on the left of political spectrum
• Began in 1906 as alliance between trade unions
  and social groups that were strengthened by
  expansion of workers rights
• Traditionally labor unions have provided majority
  of funds for the party

23
Labour Party

• Early history of the party was defined by
  controversial Clause 4 that called for
  nationalization of the commanding heights of
  British industry
• Trade Union Council (TUC) a coalition of trade
  unions generally associated with the Labour
  Party, has traditionally been a force in British
  politics
• Growing moderation of the Labour Party was
  reflected by removal of Clause 4 in early 1990s

24
Labour Party in 1990s

• Shift in policies toward more centrist views
• Moderate-centrist views have continued under
  leadership of and Tony Blair and Gordon Brown
  (1997-2010)
• Tony Blair adopted Third Way platform and
  createed the New Labour Party

25
Third Way

• Moderate
• Centrist alternative to Old Labour Party on
  left and Conservative Party on right
• Initiated by Tony Blair in the late 1990s
• Attempting to redefine and balance following
  policy issues
• Evolving relationship between government
  economy
• British relationship with EU
• Balancing act between the United States and
  European Union
• Devolution

26
Tony Blair
27
Conservative Party

• Characterized by Noblesse Oblige
• Power centered in London
• Party organization viewed as elitist
• Leadership must submit to annual leadership
  elections
• Weakened by division of party in late 1990s
• Traditional Wing(one-nation Tories) values
  noblesse oblige and elitism, supports Britains
  membership in EU
• Thatcherite Wing strict conservatives, support
  full free market, known as Euroskeptics, feel
  EU threatens British sovereignty

28
Thatcherism

• Reforms instituted by Margaret Thatcher in 1980s
• Privatized business and industry
• Cut back on social welfare programs
• Strengthened national defense (staunch
  anticommunist)
• Got tough with labor unions in response to Labour
  Parties distinct movement left, which had
  strengthened labor unions politically

29
Thatcherism

• Returned to market economy
• Resisted complete integration into the European
  Union
• Replaced property tax on houses with a poll tax
  on individual adults
• Froze income tax increases
• Foreign policy dominated by securing British
  interests internationally

30
Margaret Thatcher
31
Conservative Party

• Dominant party in Great Britain between WWII and
  late 1990s
• Main party on the right
• Traditionally pragmatic as opposed to ideological
• Historically has supported a market controlled
  economy, privatization, and fewer social welfare
  programs symbolized by Margaret Thatcher in
  1980s
• Under Prime Minister John Major (1990-1997) and
  David Cameron (2010-present) gravitated towards
  center and away from Thatcherism

32
David Cameron
33
Liberal-Democratic Party

• Attempted to create strong in the middle
  compromise to the two dominant parties
• Won a party high 26 of vote in 1983, but because
  of single-member district plurality system only
  secured 23 seats in Parliament
• Secured only 62/650 MP seats in 2005 even though
  it won 22 of the popular vote
• Also managed to gain support on issues such as
  health, education, the environment, and the Iraq
  War

34
Other Parties

• Scottish National Party
• Plaid Cymru Welsh nationalist party
• Sinn Fein political arm of the IRA
• Democratic Unionist Party led by Protestant
  clergymen
• National Front-racist and nationalist

35
Voting Patterns

• Conservative Party
• Middle and upper classes
• Educated
• Residents of England, mostly rural and suburban
  areas
• Labour Party
• Traditionally supported by working class
• Residents of urban and industrial areas
  (Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle)

36
Interest Groups

• Between 1945-1980, business interests and trade
  union organizations fiercely competed for
  influence over the policy-making process
• Trade Union Congress (TUC) represents coalition
  of unions, had great deal of political power at
  one time and government often consulted them on
  important policy decisions traditionally
  aligned with Labour Party
• Confederation of Business and Industry (CBI) a
  coalition of business groups and private
  interests, usually supportive of the Conservative
  Party

37
Media

• British newspapers reflect social class divisions
• They are divided between quality news and
  comments that appeal to the middle and upper
  classes, and mass circulation tabloids that
  target working and lower classes
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  government funded and guaranteed independence
• Usually respectful of government officials

38
Tabloid Journalism
39
Elections

• Members of Parliament (MPs) are the only national
  officials that British voters elect
• Elections must be held at least every 5 years,
  but Prime Minister may call them earlier
• Officially elections occur after the Crown
  dissolves Parliament, but that always happens
  after the Prime Minister requests it
• Power to call elections very important the
  Prime Minister always calls elections when he or
  she thinks that the majority party has the best
  chance to win

40
Elections

• Winner-take-all system
• Single-member district plurality system
• Each party selects a candidate to run for each
  district
• First-past-the-post winner
• MPs do not have to live in the district in which
  they are running, therefore party selects who
  runs in what districts

41
Elections

• Party leaders run from safe districts or
  districts that the party almost always wins
• Political neophytes are selected to run in
  districts the party know it will lose
• They are usually happy just to receive more votes
  than the party usually gets in that district

42
U.S. vs British Elections

• United States
• Parties are less powerful
• Members must live in districts
• Party leaders run in their respective districts
• Individual votes for four officials on national
  level
• Between 30 and 60 percent of the eligible voters
  actually vote
• First-past-the-post, single-member districts
  virtually no minor parties get representation

• Great Britain
• Party determines who runs where
• Members do not have to live in their districts
• Party leaders run in safe districts
• Individual votes for only one official on the
  national level
• About 70 to 80 percent of the eligible voters
  actually vote
• First-past-the-post, single-member districts
  some representation from minority parties, but
  still less than if they had proportional
  representation

43
Prime Minister Cabinet

• Prime Minister
• First among equals
• Member of Parliament and Leader of majority party
• Speaks legitimately for all Members of Parliament
• Chooses cabinet ministers and important
  subordinate posts
• Makes decisions in cabinet, with agreement of
  ministers
• Campaigns for and represents the party in
  parliamentary elections
• Shapes cabinet decisions into policy

• Cabinet
• The cabinet is the center of policy-making in the
  British political system
• As leaders of majority party elected by the
  people, they take collective responsibility for
  making the policy of the country
• The cabinet is the target of lobbying by interest
  groups

44
Problems Facing the UK
45
Comparing Executives

• Prime Minister of UK
• Serves only as long as he/she remains leader of
  majority party
• Elected as MP
• Has an excellent chance of getting his/her
  programs past Parliament
• Cabinet members are always MPs and leaders of the
  majority party
• Cabinet members not experts in policy areas rely
  on bureaucracy to provide expertise

• President of the US
• Elected every four years by an electoral college
  based on popular election
• Elected as president
• Has an excellent chance of ending up in gridlock
  with Congress
• Cabinet members usually dont come from Congress
  (although they may)
• Some expertise in policy areas one criteria for
  their appointment head vast bureaucracies

46
Parliament

• House of Commons
• Party that receives the majority of the plurality
  of the votes becomes the Majority Party in
  Parliament, the party with the second most votes
  becomes the loyal opposition
• Coalition government occurs when no party wins a
  majority

47
House of CommonsSet-up

• House of Commons set-up with long benches facing
  each other
• Prime Minister sits on front bench of majority
  side, directly in the middle
• Directly across from the PM sits the leader of
  the opposition party
• Between members of the majority and opposition
  parties is a long table
• Cabinet members sit on the front rows of the
  majority party side
• Shadow Cabinet influential members of the
  opposition party sit facing Cabinet members of
  majority party on the opposing side
• Backbenchers less influential members of both
  parties sit in the rear benches on both sides of
  the meeting hall as well

48
House of Commons
49
House of CommonsDebate

• Government consists of cabinet secretaries
  who sit in the first rows of the majority party
  side, including the PM, that are most influential
  in making policy
• Question Time/Question Hour the hour the prime
  minister and his cabinet must defend themselves
  from inquisitive attacks from the opposition
  party as well as direct inquiry from members of
  his/her own party
• Speaker of the House presides over the debates
  in Parliament, the speaker is suppose to be
  objective and often is not a member of the
  majority party. Their job is to let all speak
  without letting the debate get out of hand.
• Because of a lack of checks balances between
  branches in British politics the opposition party
  is seen as the check on the majority party
  within Parliament, this check power is best
  utilized during times of debate over policy

50
Party Discipline

• Party discipline very important in British
  politics
• If party members do not support their party
  leadership, the government may fall into crisis
• A failed vote of confidence dissolves the
  government and the prime minister calls for new
  elections.

51
Vote of Confidence

• Vote on a key issue within the party
• If the issue is not supported, the cabinet by
  tradition must resign immediately, and new
  elections for MPs must be held as soon as
  possible
• This is usually avoided by settling policy
  differences within majority party membership
• If the party loses a vote of confidence, all MPs
  lose their jobs, so there is plenty of motivation
  to vote the party line

52
Blairs Vote of Confidence

• Higher Education Bill
• Vote of confidence took place in 2005
• Bill squeaked by with an approval vote of 316 to
  311
• The bill proposed raising university fees, a
  measure criticized not only by the opposition,
  but by outspoken MPs from the Labour Party as
  well
• The vote narrowly allowed Blairs government to
  remain in control of the Commons

53
Parliamentary Powers

• Debate and refine potential legislation
• They are the only ones who may become party
  leaders and ultimately may head the government
• Scrutinize the administration of laws
• Keep communication lines open between voters and
  ministers

54
House of Lords

• Only hereditary parliamentary house in existence
  today
• Hereditary peers hold seats that have been
  passed down through family ties over the
  centuries
• Life peers people appointed to nonhereditary
  positions as a result of distinguished service to
  Britain
• Lords have gradually declined in authority over
  last 4 centuries
• The House of Lords has been reduced by half

55
Powers of the House of Lords

• Since the beginning of the 20th century the House
  of Lords only powers are
• To delay legislation
• To debate technicalities of proposed bills
• Lords may add amendments to legislation, but
  House of Commons may delete their changes by a
  simple majority vote

56
House of Lords Reform
57
Bureaucracy Civil Servants

• Hundred of thousands of civil servants in the UK
• They administer laws and deliver public services
• Most do clerical and routine work for the
  bureaucracy
• A few hundred directly advise ministers and
  oversee work of departments
• Top civil servants and bureaucrats usually stay
  with their departments, while ministers are party
  officials who move with party demands
• Therefore, top civil servants often have a great
  deal of input into policy-making

58
Judiciary Branch

• In Britain, the principle of parliamentary
  sovereignty (parliaments decisions are final)
  has limited the development of judicial review
• British courts can only determine whether
  government decisions violate the common law or
  previous acts of Parliament
• By tradition British courts cannot impose their
  rulings upon Parliament, the prime minister, or
  the cabinet
• Constitutional Reform Act of 2005 provides for
  a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take
  over the existing role of the law lords
• Most judges are not MPs and few are active in
  party politics most were educated in public
  schools and the Oxbridge connection