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Apuntes Mundos Anglofonos and Perspectiva Historica y Cultural Unit3 Political Institutions
Apuntes Mundos Anglofonos and Perspectiva Historica y Cultural Unit3 Political Institutions
Apuntes Mundos Anglofonos and Perspectiva Historica y Cultural Unit3 Political Institutions
1. Introduction
- Political history in Britain and Ireland over the past 800 years illustrates the growth of
what is now the UK and modern changes in its composition.
- Changing social conditions resulted in the growth of political parties, the extension of
the vote to adults, the development of local government and a 20th century devolution
(transfer) of some political power to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2. Political history
Early political history in the islands is the story of four geographical areas, now known
as England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and their turbulent struggles for
independent nationhood.
- The growing power of the English Parliament against the monarch in the 17th century
saw the development of more organized political parties, derived from the conflicts of
the Civil War. The Whigs and the Tories became dominant.
- The Whigs: mainly Cromwellian Protestants and gentry, who did not accept the
Catholic James II as successor to Charles II and wanted religion freedom for Protestants.
- The Tories: generally supported royalist beliefs and helped Charles II to secure
James’s right to succeed him.
- 1688. Both Tories and Whigs united to invite the Dutch Protestant William of Orange
to intervene. James fled to France and William succeeded to the throne of Britain’s first
constitutional monarch. The Bloodless or Glorious Revolution.
- Parliament’s influence grew in the early 18th century. Robert Walpole: Britain’s first
Prime Minister. But it was under William Pitt the Younger that the office of Prime
Minister really develop.
- Some monarchs tried to restore royal power (George III) BUT loss of American
colonies.
- Both Tories and Whigs against electoral reform. But increasing changes in population
and industrial development First Reform Act 1832. Later acts extended the vote to
men with properties. Working class men were allowed to vote in the late 19th century.
All males over 21 and limited categories of women over 30: 1918.
- The state and government business is carried out in the name of the monarch by the
politicians and officials of the system.
- The monarchy is the oldest institution in Britain and there is hereditary succession to
the throne, which is reserved only for Protestants. The monarchy in the UK was only
interrupted by Cromwellian rule (1653-60).
- The monarch is expected to be politically neutral, to reign but not rule (p. 95).
- A central power still possessed by the monarch is the choice and appointment of the
UK prime minister.
- For and against the monarchy.
- It is tied to the monarchy. It developed from a small group of royal advisers into
the executive branch of the monarch’s government. Today its members (such as
Cabinet Ministers) advise the monarch on the approval of government business
which does not need to pass through Parliament.
- There are 400 Privy Councillors.
- Custom, convention, precedent and detailed rules (standing orders). The House of
Commons meets every week in the afternoon. On the weekend each MP spends time in
their constituency.
- Parliament as a male club?
- The Speaker in the House of Commons.
- The proceedings of both Houses are open to the public and may be viewed from the
public and visitors’ galleries. Transactions are published daily in the Hansard.
- Creation of a UK law (see figure 4.3).
- 650 constituencies (geographical areas of the country each containing at least 66,000
voters).
- General election by secret ballot. Voting is not compulsory. Polling stations. Turnout
of voters about 70% at general elections
- The British political system has existed since the 17th century.
- The Labour Party: left-of-centre. Its ideas and geographical/social support.
- The Conservative Party: right-of-centre. Its ideas and geographical/social
support
- The Liberal Democrats (Lib/Dem) formed in 1988.
- Small parties are also represented in the House of Commons.
- Tactical voting/ hung Parliament/ coalition deal
- Sitting arrangements in the House of Commons. The backbenchers.
- The Whips: Whips are MPs or Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to
help organise their party's contribution to parliamentary business. One of their
responsibilities is making sure the maximum number of their party members
vote, and vote the way their party wants. Party discipline.
Etimology: The use of the word 'whip' within Parliament has its roots in the 18th
century hunting terminology 'whipper-in'. It refers to a huntsman's assistant who
drives straying hounds back to the main pack using a whip.
7. The UK government
9. Devolved structures
- Polls consistently reveal that British politicians and political parties do not rate
highly in public opinion. Respondents say that politicians are the least admired
group of professionals (apart from journalists) and that they never answer the
questions people put to them.
- Cronyism = favouring political supporters for public and official positions
- The 2008-2009 scandal (parliamentarians’ claims of expenses for a range of
dubious and often excessive expenses.
- Increasing political apathy, particularly among the young.
- However, MORI opinion research in 2001 showed that interest in politics had
actually remained stable in Britain for thirty years and that people had positive
attitudes to voting. People appear to be more interested in the political process
and issues than is popularly assumed.
- What seems is that there is a disconnection between voters and politicians.
QUESTIONNAIRE
6. When did all women over 21 first get the vote in England?
7. What percentage of women MPs are there in the new parliament of 2010?
10. Which power has not been devolved to Scotland & Wales?
14. How does the public find out what has happened in the Cabinet?