Political Parties.

There are 70 political parties registered in UK. The most significant of them are: the Concervative, the Labour, the Liberal, the Social Democrates, National Parties of Wales and Scotland and Green Peace.

The main peculiarity of present day political life is absence of fixed political sympathies on behalf of most voters. Most respondents consider political supremacy of one and the same party undesirable – there should be a rotation. Voters in UK are comparatively active, even though the election campaign of 2001 demonstrated a growing apathy (a drop from 75 to 59.5% participation). Second significant marker is growing activity and influence of ‘minor’ parties, especially on the local scene. The third is perhaps partial merging of political platforms of the 2 main opponents – conservatives and the Labour. Briefly about them.

Conservative Party was officially organized in 1867 on the basis of political groups of the English landed aristocracy; has no official permanent programme, only pre-election manifestos. Always gives priority to private enterprise by slashing funds for the nationalised sector; introduces taxation profitable for the big companies. Expenditure for social care, culture, education is usually cut. The conservatives stand for developing private Health care and Pension funds. As to the membership in the European Union – the positions are divided within the party and the majority favours euroscepticism. In the recent political campaign of 2001, e.g. the standing slogans were “Save our Pound” and “Blair turns GB into a foreign country”.

Has no official membership cards and party dues. The leader is elected not by the annual conference, but by MPs on behalf of the party. Press organs: ‘Newsletter’, ‘Time and Tide’, ‘Politics Today’. Most prominent politicians – adherents of the conservative party: Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraely, John Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, John Major. The current political leader is M.Hovard.

The Labour was established in 1900 as a classical party of democratic reformism. Trade unions provide the main body of the membership (working class – up to 80%) and finance. The Labour favours the nationalisation of economy, a state-run health and education system, increase of social security, better housing, etc. Supports the NATO but at the same time supports detente, peace and arms control. Historically the famous labourists were Ramsay Macdonald and Harold Wilson.

The annual conference which elects the National Executive with 25 members is the highest organ of the party. There is a constant struggle between the left and the right wing of the party with a lean to the right expressed by Tony Blair, who won over his followers in favour of the support of private enterprise. There exists a joke that the difference between the Conservative and the Labour in fact is just as great as the difference between the crokodile and the alligator. The joke may be well based on fact, since 49% respondents in UK consider the political distinctions between the 2 parties insignificant.

The Liberal Party or Whigs emerged in 1870 and used to be the prime opponents of the Conservative Party. Now they say there are 2 ½ parties in UK, hinting at the current weakening of the Liberals. Still it is in the third place. Politically they have a centrist stand: favour mixed economy, demand tighter control over private income and increase of income tax; are for the development of social securities, education and health care. I legislature they vie for propotional representation, for reforming the upper Chamber (doing away with hereditary lords); makeing the lords an elected body. In terms of foreign policy they stand for Eurounion and the Nato. Famous polititians of the past: William Gladstone, David Lloyd George, Henry Asquitt. The current leader is Charles Kennedy. At elections form a block with social democrats – ‘liberal deocrats’.

The Communist Party was founded in 1920 on the basis of amalgamated socialist organisations. Should be always remembered for its ‘Hands off Russia’ movement, organisation of vigorous protest against the government’s policy of coalition with fascist; organised the British batallion of the International Brigade. Much was done for the earlier opening of the second front. Dissolved several years ago.

BRITISH STATE SYSTEM AND POLITICAL PARTIES TEST (1)

1. Interpret: ‘the legislative power of the Parliament is unlimited’. What does it mean?

2. Explain in your own words what is:

- marginal seat

- hereditary peer

- division

3. Match by arrows:

Parliament	Downing Street
Government	Westminster
Prime Minister	Whitehall

4. Translate into English: исполнительная власть, теневой кабинет, избирательный участок, поправки к проекту закона.

5. Name: -types of administrative areas in GB;

- prominent conservatives of the past.

6. Answer: What do you know about British constitution?

What are the main features of present day political life in GB?

7. Write a few words about the Liberal Party.

BRITISH STATE SYSTEM AND POLITICAL PARTIES TEST (2)

1. Interpret: ‘the British system of government differs from the USA model. In which way?

2. Explain in your own words what is:

- a life peer

- -tied vote

- safe seat

3. Match by arrows:

Parliament	Downing Street
Government	Westminster
Prime Minister	Whitehall

4.Translate into English: избирательный округ, законодательная власть, расходные статьи бюджета, парламентские каникулы.

5. Name:- stages a bill passes to become an Act.

- main political parties in GB.

6. Answer: Are there any other parliaments in UK beside Westminster?

What are the main features of present day political life in UK?

6. Write a few words about the conservative party.

In the 2010 general election held on 6 May, the Conservatives gained a plurality of seats in a hung parliament and Cameron was appointed Prime Minister on 11 May 2010, at the head of a coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. At the age of 43, Cameron became the youngest British Prime Minister since the Earl of Liverpool 198 years earlier. The Cameron Ministry is the first coalition government in the United Kingdom since the Second World War.

There are two central themes in Cameron's manifesto. The first is the redistribution of power from government to parliament. But the fashionable proposal to reduce the number of MPs would have the opposite effect, making it more difficult for parliament to scrutinise the executive. And, in our anger against the abuse of expenses, we should not forget that many MPs remain valuable intermediaries between the citizen and the state. To reduce their number would be to increase alienation from government, not reduce it. Fixed-term parliaments also have their dangers. When there is a minority government which has lost the support of the legislature, there is deadlock. Fresh elections are always preferable. The proposal in the constitutional renewal bill for dissolution to depend on a majority vote of MPs is a better way forward.

Cameron's second theme is far more fruitful. He seeks greater direct democracy to supplement representative institutions. Before the 2008 mayoral election in London, he opened up the selection process so that all voters, not just party members or supporters, could choose the Conservative candidate. He is the pioneer of the open primary in British politics. He now wants directly elected mayors in other conurbations and cities, and to widen the power given to voters under the Local Government Act 2000 so that they can decide, for example, the organisation of schools in their area. These proposals would do much to strengthen local government.

There is a third and central theme for most constitutional reformers, proportional representation for elections to the Commons. That Cameron entirely rejects. Yet Britain remains the only democracy in Europe in which a government can enjoy the full plenitude of power on just 36% of the vote, with nearly two-thirds of the voters opposed to it. Many of the worst abuses of expenses have been perpetrated by MPs in safe seats, MPs with little to fear from the voters. Under proportional representation, however, there are no safe seats. If the case for the first-past-the-post system is so strong, why not put it to the voters? A reform package that does not include proportional representation is like Hamlet without the prince. David Cameron remains opposed to the one reform that would genuinely open up the British political system.

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