THE UK SYSTEM OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

UNIT 2.

THE UK SYSTEM OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

TEXT The System of Government of the United Kingdom

Vocabulary

1. to run a country – управлять страной

2. to raise finance – обеспечивать финансирование, привлекать средства

3. statutory law – право, выраженное в законах, статутное право, писаный закон

4. common law – общее право, неписаный закон, обязательность которого основывается на всеобщем признании

5. universal suffrage – всеобщее избирательное право

6. parliamentary constituency – избирательный округ по выборам в парламент

7. the Royal Proclamation – официальное сообщение по общему вопросу

8. to alter the constitution – изменить конституцию

9. an absolute monarchy – абсолютная/неограниченная монархия

10. revision – пересмотр

11. to remain responsible to smb – оставаться ответственным перед кем-то

1. Просмотрите текст и озаглавьте каждый абзац, используя следующие заголовки. UK Government. General Elections. Introduction. Cabinet Government. Judiciary. Parties. Parliament.

The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. The constitution is uncodified, being made up of constitutional conventions and various elements of statutory law. The Monarch is Head of State and the Prime Minister is the head of Government. The Sovereign formally appoints the Prime Minister, who, by convention, is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons. Other ministers are appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister. They make up the Government and act as political heads of the various Government Departments. The UK has a cabinet Government. They meet weekly to run the country, while the British Parliament is in session. The UK Cabinet has collective responsibility for decision-making. no Cabinet minister can oppose it. Although the executive power is exercised by Her Majesty’s Government, all the ministers remain responsible to the UK Parliament.

The UK Parliament is the United Kingdom’s supreme legislative body. The main function of Parliament is to pass laws and raise finance through taxation. It consists of the Queen and the two chambers of Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is a representative body consisting of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) elected by a system of universal suffrage. The House of Lords is not elected. It is not allowed to amend in any way certain bills passed by the House of Commons and has limited powers of revision or delay over others.

Great Britain has a long judicial history. The judiciary is an independent body. The United Kingdom doesn’t have a single unified judicial system. Today the UK has three distinct systems of law: English law, Northern Ireland law and Law of Scotland. Both English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law are based on common-law principles. The essence of common law is that law is made by judges sitting in courts, applying their common sense and knowledge of legal precedent to the facts before them.

Law of Scotland, a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles, is applied in Scotland. For electoral purposes Britain is divided into parliamentary constituencies. General elections must be called within five years. They are held following a dissolution of Parliament. The Prime Minister asks the Monarch to dissolve Parliament by Royal Proclamation. Traditionally the date of general elections is not fixed in advance, and the time is chosen by the governing party to maximize political advantages. Voting is by secret ballot and takes place on Polling Day. Since 1935 every general election has been held on a Thursday by universal suffrage. The voters in the United Kingdom also elect members of the European Parliament on a broadly proportional system of voting.

The UK is sometimes called a “two-and-a-half” party system, because parliamentary politics is dominated by the Labour Party and Conservative Party, with the Liberal Democrats holding a significant number of seats (but still less than Labour and the Conservatives) and several small parties. The party in power requires the support of the people it governs. Without this most basic requirement, a government will find it hard to function effectively. If a party loses an election, it will confirm the right of the victorious party to exercise power. It will not deny its right to govern.

2. Прочитайте текст и закончите предложения в соответствии с содержанием текста.

1. The constitution of the United Kingdom is made up of … .

2. The Executive power is exercised by … .

3. The United Kingdom’s supreme legislative body is … .

4. The United Kingdom doesn’t have a single unified judicial system … .

5. The essence of common law is … .

6. For electoral purposes Britain is divided into … .

7. General elections take place on … .

8. The UK is a multi-party system and it is sometimes called a two-and-a-half party system … .

3. Выразите согласие/несогласие, используя следующие речевые модели.

Model:

 a) I quite/completely/fully/entirely agree, that’s right.

b) I disagree, I can’t agree, I don’t think so, it’s wrong/false, on the contrary. 1. The United Kingdom is both a constitutional monarchy and a democracy.

2. The British Constitution is written. It is set out in an official handbook which anyone can buy and study.

3. Though the Monarch is Head of State but in practice the Queen reigns, she doesn’t rule.

4. The Queen, the Lords and the Commons form the Parliament. It means that they all act together.

5. The House of Lords is a very powerful body.

6. The House of Commons is directly elected by the people of Britain and general elections must take place at least every five years.

7. The UK exists under a “one-party system” because parliamentary politics is dominated by the Conservative Party only.

4. Укажите, какие предложения содержат информацию из текста.

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy.

2. The Queen stands outside the Government as a symbol of country’s unity.

3. The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister who is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons.

4. The Prime Minister is the Queen’s chief adviser and his opinions shape the whole of Government policy.

5. Although the executive power is exercised by Her Majesty’s Government, all the ministers remain responsible to the UK Parliament.

6. The UK doesn’t have a single unified system. Today the UK has three distinct systems of law.

7. According to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 the House of Lords was replaced as the final court of appeal on civil cases within the United Kingdom on October 1, 2009, by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

8. General elections are held following dissolution of Parliament. The Prime Minister asks the Monarch to dissolve Parliament by Royal Proclamation.

9. Britain has a two-party system. Each of the parties represented in the House of Commons maintains its own organization within Parliament in order to keep its members informed about parliamentary business and to maintain its parliamentary voting strength.

10. If a party loses an election, it will confirm the right of the victorious party to exercise power.

5. Ответьте на одиннадцать “What” вопросов по содержанию текста.

1. What is the United Kingdom?

2. In what way is the British Constitution different from the constitutions of many other countries?

3. What makes up the Government?

4. What is the role of the UK Cabinet Government?

5. What kind of body is the UK Parliament?

6. What two main duties does the Parliament perform?

7. What does the UK Parliament consist of?

8. What is the judiciary?

9. What systems of law does the UK have?

10. What is Britain divided into for electoral purposes?

11. What parties is parliamentary policies dominated by?

6. Соотнесите словосочетания с их определениями.

1) constitutional convention

2) to run a country

3) statutory law

4) common law

5) universal suffrage

6) the Royal Proclamation

a) a public or official announcement dealing with a matter of great importance, having the status of a king or queen

b) the right of almost all adults to vote in political elections

c) the part of English law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent

d) to rule a country e) an informal and unmodified procedural agreement

f) a group of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body

7) parliamentary constituency g) a law established by legislative enactment

7. Передайте содержание текста “The system of Government of the United Kingdom”, отметив следующее.

– What the United Kingdom is;

– Who is Head of State and the head of Government;

– Who exercises the executive power;

– What the United Kingdom’s supreme legislative body is;

– What the judiciary is;

– When general elections are held;

– Why the UK is sometimes called a “two-and-a-half” party system.