Government.

The Government includes the Cabinet, the Civil Service and the local authorities. One of the characteristic features of British government is that the highest executive authority (the Cabinet) is a part of the highest legislative authority (Parliament). In this respect, the British form of government differs from the American model. In the USA the executive branch of government (The President and the Cabinet) is separated from the legislative branch (the Congress), while in GB they are overlapping.

The party which wins most seats at a general election, or which has support of the majority of MP in the House of Commons, usually forms the government. On occasion when no party succeeds in winning an overall majority of seats, a minority government or a coalition may be formed. The leading position in the Cabinet came naturally to be associated with the Treasury.

The PM informs the Queen of the general business in the Government, presides over the Cabinet and is responsible for the allocation of functions among ministers. Appointing members of Parliamentary Committees PM can coordinate the country’s legislature. Choosing people for the positions of the bishops of the Church of England PM can influence religious policies of the state. Appointing the members of the Statutory Boards PM can influence the work of nationalized industries.

The current PM is Tony Blair, Labour. As to what makes his position recognisable: he is for proportional representation and he is proponent of the Euro.He is against abolition of monarchy. During the course of his previous election he almost succeeded in bringing peace to Ulster and initiated a breakthrough in relations with Argentina – which hremained strained after the Folklend conflict. Even though his rating is considerably high, he is criticised for insufficient support to farmers after severe losses of the stock, he is criticised for not having improved medical service in GB. In the field of education, the Labour has not done anything yet to reduce student-staff ratio. And most severely still he is blamed for having entangled the country into the Iraqui conflict which is considered a gross swindlery. All in all, he is very popular in Europe and stands a fair chance of being elected President of Europe, a post about to be introduced in 2006.

Ministers in charge of government departments who are usually in the Cabinet, are known as ‘Secretaries of State ‘ or may have a traditional title: ‘The Chancellor’, ‘The Exchecker’, ‘The President of the Board of Trade’. The opposition forms the so-called ‘shadow Cabinet’.

The Cabinet meets on a weekly basis in a special Cabinet room at the London residence of PM, Number 10 Downing Street. Their main functions are: to govern the state according to the policy indicated by the Parliament, to coordinate the work of all elements of Government and to ensure progressive development of all spheres of life in the country. It is interesting that the Cabinet as an institution is not recognized by any law even now. Technically it is an informal committee of Privy Councillors.

A modern British Government consists of over 90 people, of whom about 30 are heads of departments, the rest are their assistants. Non-departmental ministers (without portfolio) e.g. Lord Privy Seal and other holders of trade offices - Ministers of State – are subordinate to governmental departments with heavy work and much travelling. It is also a title aplicable for the heads of departments not represented in the Cabinet (Departments of Sport, Public Transport, Housing Construction and so on.)

In order to function normally, the Government needs some permanent officials, not dependable on the results of elections. In England they are called civil servants. That is why the Government is often referred to as Whitehall – the London street where the offices of the Civil Service are situated. ¾ of those who enter the Civil service are recruited by a severe open competitive examination from the most able university graduates; ¼ are promoted.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20