Government

The UK is a constitutional monarchy that is a representative democracy, where Queen Elizabeth II is recognised as the head of state, and the leader of the majority party, the Prime Minister, currently Gordon Brown, is the head government.

View of the Houses of Parliament across the River Thames in London - Credit: visitlondonimages/ britainonview

Parliament

The three elements that make up Parliament are the Queen, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance such as the State Opening of Parliament, when the Commons are summoned by the Queen to the House of Lords. The agreement of all three elements is normally required for legislation, but that of the Queen is given as a matter of course. The main functions of Parliament are: 

  • to pass laws;
  • to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government;
  • to scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure; 
  • to debate the major issues of the day.       

Scotland has its own parliament, and Wales an elected Assembly, which sit in Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively. Both Scotland and Wales remain part of the United Kingdom and have continued representation in the Parliament at Westminster in London.

To find out more about the British Government, visit 10 Downing Street (www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page1.asp).

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