Institutions of the British National Government

Prime Minister & CabinetParliament

Bureaucracy and Judiciary

Westminster Model

• Westminster Model – is a democratic parliamentary system of government modeled after the political system of the United Kingdom.– Term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the

seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

British Government Overview• Britain is a unitary state with political authority

centralized in London.• Government has three branches of government

(executive, legislative, judiciary) & a bureaucracy.• Legislature (Parliament) is a bicameral system –

House of Lords & House of Commons• Parliamentary System – a system of government

where in the ministers of the executive branch are drawn from the legislature.

• Prime Minister is the head of government; Monarchy is the head of state

Prime Minister (PM)• Prime Minister– is the leader of

the majority party in Parliament– Considered to be the “first among

equals” – Head of Government– Leader of the legislative and

executive branch – no separation of powers

– Not directly elected by the people– Chooses cabinet members– Represents the party in

parliamentary elections – Lives at Number 10 Downing Street

Gordon BrownBritish Prime Minister

2007 - 2010

The Cabinet• Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and the

Ministers – head a major bureaucracy of the government.– Members are party leaders from Parliament chosen

by the Prime Minister.– Collective Responsibility – as leaders of the majority

party elected by the people, the cabinet is the center of policymaking in the British political system

Parliament• Parliament is a bicameral legislature with a

House of Commons and a House of Lords.

House of Commons

House of Lords

House of Lords• Members are either Hereditary

Peers – seats passed down through family ties; or Life Peers – people appointed to seat through distinguished service to Britain

• Minimal power/influence• Powers to delay legislation;

debate technicalities of proposed bills; add amendments to legislation (simple majority vote override by Commons)

House of Commons• Consist of Members of Parliament (MPs)– Currently 646 members

• Only ones who can become party leaders and ultimately the head of government (no outsiders)

• True policy making house of Parliament (Parliamentary Sovereignty – the principle that Parliament’s decisions are final)

• Controlled by the Prime Minister & the Majority Party

House of Commons• Party Discipline – when all members of

Parliament within a party vote together on every subject. – If party members do not support their leadership,

the government lacks legitimacy.– Majority party wants to avoid losing a vote of

confidence – a vote on a key issues.• If lost, by tradition the cabinet must resign immediately

and elections for new MPs must be held ASAP

House of Commons

Loyal Opposition Side Minority Party; left of the SpeakerMajority Party Side

right of the Speaker

Speaker of the HouseOverseer of debates; not a MP; apolitical

Prime MinisterLeader of majority party

Leader of the Opposition

Leader of minority party

Leader of the Second Opposition

Leader of 2nd minority party

Cabinet Members Shadow Cabinet

“Bac

kben

cher

s”

“Backbenchers”

House of Commons• Question Time – once a week, the Prime

Minster & cabinet must defend themselves and their policies against the opposition– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsAa9VmwOaI

&feature=related (4:22)

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpZhugomNJE (0:44)

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dziI-ms9Kc&feature=related (9:53)

British Bureaucracy • Top level bureaucrats (civil

servants) are experts in their field and make a career of government service.

• Have a great deal of input into policymaking (discretionary power) due to their expertise.

• Their job is implement policy enacted by cabinet members.

• Usually never run for office or active in party politics

Whitehall Palace in LondonBuildings where Cabinet Offices and British Bureaucracy Offices

are housed.

British Judiciary• Legal system based on

common law (focuses on precedent & interpretation)

• Law Lords – highest court, select members of the House of Lords

• Limited powers of judicial review due to the principal of parliamentary sovereignty (Parliament’s decisions are final)

• Courts may not impose rulings on Parliament, the Prime Minister or the cabinet

Royal Courts of Justice in London