British System of Government

Official name: anglictina/the-united-kingdom/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: the government/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: united kingdom">united kingdom">The United Kingdom of britain/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: great britain">Great Britain and Northern Ireland Political system: Constitutional monarchy without a written constitution; there are Acts of Parliaments and conventions

Executive power of the state

There are two heads of the country:

• 1. the official head - the monarch (today queen affleck-biography/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: biography">biography/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: elizabeth">Elizabeth II from the house of Windsor, she has been queen since 1952)
• she can act only on the advice of her ministers and she is not responsible (/she doesn't bear responsibility) for the deed, the ministers are responsible
• Her majesty the Queen

• 2. the real head - the prime minister (today Tony Blair) and the Cabinet - the seat of the PM and C is 10, Downing Street

the Cabinet

• about 20 seniors ministers selected by prime minister personally
• Cabinet and prime minister have brief sessions at least one a week regularly and there is no voting, the final decision is up to the prime minister
• (the 1st PM of GB - Robert Walpole, 1721)

• the modern government is arranged in about 15 departments (ministerstvá) with ministerial head - the minister with the title "The Secretary of State for…"
• every Secretary of State has 2 or 3 "Ministers of State for…" - their are second in importance, in hierarchy
• The Secretary of State for finance = "Chancellor of Exchequer" - archaic title, seat: 11, Downing Street

Law-making power of the state

• the highest low-making body of Britain is the British Parliament

1215 - Magna Charta Libertatum (The Great Charter of Liberties)

• for the 1st time is stated that the king is not above the law
• it was signed by John the Lackland from the house of Plantagenet

• the 1st sitting of parliament was in 1295 - 1st parliament was held under the king Edward I
• in 17107 - the Scottish parliament was abolished (abolishment of), now the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh is again

Parliament consists of:

• 1. The House of Lords (about 900) - members have hereditary right
• life peers - they are given that title for great achievements and it is only for that person
• 26 Lords Spiritual - the Church of England, Anglican Church - archbishops and bishops)

2.