PoliticsinUKandUS.docVIP

Politics in UK and US Facts The United Kingdom Windsor Castle is a principal official residence of the Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. It has a history over 900 years. It is situated in the municipal borough of Windsor, or New Windsor, England, about 35 km west of London. Constitution Britain is one of the two countries without written constitutions. It is a combination of many different documents and traditions, basically the following four: statue Law (Great Charter, Bills of Rights, Statute of Westminster etc.), common law, conventions and EU laws. Three-power system According to the British law, the United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy—that is, the head of state is a monarch with limited powers. Britain was the first country in the world that established its state on the basis of three power system. The government holds the administrative or executive power; the parliament exerts the law-making power, i.e. the legislature; the court has the only power to implement the stipulated laws, i.e. jurisdiction. Legislature—Parliament Parliament, the legislature, consists of the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the monarch, also called the Crown. The Commons has 646 elected Members of Parliament (MPs), who represent local constituencies. The House of Lords is made up of: 92 hereditary and 600 life peers and peeresses; the two archbishops; the 24 most senior bishops of the established Church of England. The center of parliamentary power is the House of Commons. The proposals for new laws are called bills, and nearly all important bills, are introduced by the Government. According to very ancient practice, a bill must have three readings there. Administrative—Government The Government is formed by the party with majority support in the House of Commons. The Queen appoints its leader as Prime Minister. As head of the Government the Prime Minister appoints about 100 ministers. The second largest party forms the official Opposition, with i