Political system

Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. Officially the head of the state is a king or a queen. The power of the monarch is not absolute but constitutional. The monarch acts only on the advice of ministers.

The hereditary principle upon which the monarchy is founded is strictly observed. The monarch, be it a king or a queen, is the head of the executive body, an integral part of the legislature, the head of the judicial body, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the crown, the head of the Established Church of England and the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Notes:

1. the Established Church – англиканская церковь

2. the British Commonwealth of Nations – Британское содружество (наций)

Answer the questions.

1. Who is the official head of the state of Great Britain?

2. What does the hereditary principle mean?

3. Who is the commander-in-chief of the British armed forces?

The Constitution

Practically speaking, there is no written constitution in Great Britain. The term “English Constitution” means leading principles, conventions and laws, many of which have been existed for centuries, though they have undergone modifications and extensions in agreement with the advance of civilization. These principles are expressed in such documents of major importance as Magna Charta, a famous document in English history agreed upon in 1215 by King John and barons, which set certain limits on royal power and which was later regarded as a law stating basic civil rights; Habeas Corpus Act, a law passed in 1679, which guarantees to a person arrested the right to appear in Court of Justice so that the jury should decide whether he is guilty or not guilty; the Bill of Rights, an act of Parliament passed in 1689, which confirmed certain rights of people; laws deciding the succession of the royal family, and a number of constitutional acts, separate laws and agreements.

Notes:

1. Magna Charta – Великая хартия вольностей

2. Habeas Corpus Act – Хабеас Корпус (английский закон 1679 г. о неприкосновенности личности)

3. theBillofRights– билль о правах

Answer the questions.

1. Is there a written constitution in Great Britain?

2. What does the term “English Constitution” mean?

3. When was Magna Charta signed?

4. What did Magna Charta set limits on?

5. When was Habeas Corpus Act passed?

6. When did Parliament pass the Bill of Rights?

Political Parties

The two main political parties of Great Britain are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. The Conservative Party (otherwise called the Tory Party) is right-wing, tending to be opposed to great and sudden changes in the established order of society. It is against state control of industry.

The Labour Party, sometimes called the Socialists, has a close association with Trade Unions, although it is now not as left-wing as it used to be. It has many supporters, especially among working-class and middle-class people.

Notes:

1. the Conservative Party – Консервативная партия

2. the Labour Party – Лейбористская партия

3. Tory – партия Тори

4. Trade Unions – профсоюзы

Answer the questions.

1. Which are the two main political parties in Great Britain?

2. What is another name of the Conservative Party?

3. How can the general policy of the Conservative Party be described?

4. What is the Labour Party sometimes called?

5. Where does the Labour Party have the majority of supporters?

7. Speaking.

   1. Name (or write)interesting facts you have learnt about the political system of the United Kingdom, especially those different from the Russian ones.

1. Draw a scheme of the political system in the UK and compare it with the political system in the US and Russia. Find similarities and differences in these political systems.

2. Comment on the statements.

1. British Parliament is one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world.

2. The political systems of Great Britain and of our country are different.

3. The functions of the Parliament in different countries have much in common.

4. Having a monarch has its advantages and disadvantages.

5. Some members of the British Royal family are best known in Russia, others are not.

6. Western democracies are really democratic.