Politics of the United Kingdom facts for kids

The United Kingdom is a country that runs as a parliamentary democracy. This means people vote for representatives who then make laws in a parliament. The UK is also a constitutional monarchy, where a monarch (like Queen Elizabeth II) is the head of state, but their powers are limited by a constitution. The actual day-to-day running of the country is done by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.

The British government handles executive power, meaning they carry out the laws. This is done on behalf of the monarch. Also, devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and the Northern Ireland Executive have their own powers. Law-making power belongs to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland also have their own law-making bodies. The judiciary (the courts and judges) works independently from the government and law-makers. The highest court is the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

The UK has a multi-party system, meaning many political parties exist. However, since the 1920s, the two biggest parties have been the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. Before Labour became big, the Liberal Party was the other main party alongside the Conservatives. The way elections are held, called "first-past-the-post", usually helps these two main parties stay in power. Sometimes, governments are formed by a coalition of parties working together, or as minority governments. For example, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government from 2010 to 2015.

Northern Ireland gained some self-rule in 1920. However, due to civil unrest, the UK government took direct control in 1972. Later, in the 1990s, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland gained more powers through devolution. This means they have their own parliaments and governments. The UK government still handles matters not given to these devolved governments. In Northern Ireland, cooperation with the Republic of Ireland is also important.

Some people in Scotland want full independence from the UK. The main party that supports this is the Scottish National Party. They formed the government in Scotland in 2007 and won a majority in 2011. In 2014, there was a vote on Scottish independence, but most people voted to stay in the UK. In Northern Ireland, some parties want to unite with the Republic of Ireland. One such party, Sinn Féin, has members who refuse to take their seats in the UK Parliament because it would mean swearing loyalty to the British monarch.

The UK's constitution is not written in one single document. Instead, it's made up of traditions, laws passed by Parliament, and other rules. This system of government is known as the Westminster system. Many countries that were once part of the British Empire have adopted a similar system. The UK is also responsible for several Crown dependencies (like Jersey and Guernsey) and British Overseas Territories (like Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands).

The Crown: The Role of the Monarch

The British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state for the United Kingdom. Even though the Queen doesn't directly run the government, she holds the ultimate executive power. These powers are called royal prerogative. They allow the monarch to do many things, like issuing passports, dismissing the Prime Minister, or even declaring war. These powers are given by the monarch and can be used by ministers without needing Parliament's approval.

The Prime Minister, who leads the government, meets with the Queen every week. During these meetings, the Queen can share her thoughts, warn, or advise the Prime Minister about the government's work.

Here are some of the powers the monarch has, according to the UK's unwritten constitution:

Powers within the UK

• The power to choose and remove a Prime Minister.
• The power to choose and remove other government ministers.
• The power to call, suspend, and dissolve Parliament.
• The power to approve or reject new laws (making them valid).
• The power to appoint officers in the Armed Forces.
• The power to command the UK Armed Forces.
• The power to appoint members to the Queen's Counsel (senior lawyers).
• The power to issue and take away passports.
• The power to change sentences for crimes (like reducing a prison term).
• The power to give out honours (like knighthoods).
• The power to create organisations through a Royal Charter.

Powers with other countries

• The power to agree to and make treaties with other countries.
• The power to declare war and peace.
• The power to send the Armed Forces overseas.
• The power to recognise other countries.
• The power to send and receive diplomats.

Executive Power: Running the Country

Executive power in the UK is held by the Queen, but it is mainly carried out by Her Majesty's Government and the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The UK Government: Who's in Charge?

The monarch chooses a Prime Minister to lead Her Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party that has the most seats in the House of Commons. If no party has a clear majority, the leader of the largest party usually gets the first chance to form a coalition government.

The Prime Minister then picks other Ministers to be in the government. These ministers lead different government departments. About twenty of the most important ministers form the Cabinet. In total, about 100 ministers make up the government. All ministers must be members of Parliament or the House of Lords.

The government is part of Parliament and must answer to it. If Parliament votes against the government in a "vote of no confidence", the government might have to resign or call a new general election. In reality, political parties have "whips" who make sure their members vote according to party rules. If the government has a large majority, it's usually easy for them to pass new laws.

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet: Top Decision Makers

The Prime Minister is the most important minister in the Cabinet. They lead Cabinet meetings, choose all other government ministers, and create government policies. The Prime Minister is the real leader of the UK and uses the powers that officially belong to the monarch. Over time, the Prime Minister and Cabinet took over the daily running of the government from the monarch.

The Prime Minister is considered "first among equals" among Cabinet members. This means they are the leader, but they are supposed to make big decisions together with the other Cabinet ministers. The Cabinet includes Secretaries of State from various government departments, like the Lord High Chancellor. Cabinet meetings usually happen once a week when Parliament is working.

Government Departments and the Civil Service: Making Things Happen

The UK government has many ministries, often called departments, such as the Department for Education. Each department is led by a Government Minister, who is often a Secretary of State and a member of the Cabinet. These ministers might also have junior ministers helping them. Many government departments and ministers only deal with matters in England, as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own devolved governments.

The decisions made by ministers are put into action by the civil service. These are permanent government workers who are politically neutral. Their job is to support the government, no matter which political party is in power. Senior civil servants stay in their jobs even when a new government is elected. The main civil servant in a department is usually called a Permanent Secretary. Most civil service staff work in executive agencies, which are separate groups that report to the main departments.

The word "Whitehall" is often used to refer to the central civil service. This is because many government departments have their main offices in and around the old Royal Palace of Whitehall in London.

Devolved Governments: Local Power

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own governments and parliaments, which handle many local matters.

Scottish Government: Scotland's Own Rules

The Scottish Government is in charge of everything not specifically kept for the UK Parliament by the Scotland Act 1998. This includes things like NHS Scotland, education, justice, farming, and transport. They manage a budget of over £25 billion each year. The government is led by the First Minister of Scotland, who is helped by other ministers. The Scottish Parliament chooses the First Minister, who is then appointed by the Queen. The First Minister then chooses their own ministers, who must be approved by the Parliament.

Welsh Government: Wales's Decisions

The Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales have fewer powers than Scotland's government. However, after new laws were passed, the Assembly can now make laws in some areas. After the 2011 election, the Welsh Labour party formed the Welsh Government, led by Carwyn Jones.

Northern Ireland Executive: Governing Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly have powers similar to those in Scotland. The Northern Ireland Executive is usually led by two people: a First Minister and a depoty First Minister.

Electoral Systems: How We Vote

Different ways of voting are used in the UK:

• The first-past-the-post system is used for general elections to the House of Commons. It's also used for some local elections in England and Wales. In this system, the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don't get more than half the votes.
• The additional member system is used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the London Assembly.
• The single transferable vote system is used in Northern Ireland for their Assembly, local councils, and for electing Members of the European Parliament. It's also used in Scotland for local councils.
• The supplementary vote is used to elect directly elected mayors in England, including the mayor of London.

Using "first-past-the-post" for Parliament is unusual compared to other European countries. It often means that Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected with less than 50% of the votes if there are many candidates.

The UK's voting system often leads to a "two-party system," where two main parties dominate. The UK is sometimes called a "two-and-a-half" party system because the Labour and Conservative parties are dominant, but the Liberal Democrats used to hold a significant number of seats. This changed in the 2015 general election.

In recent general elections, a party might win only 30-40% of the public vote but get 60% of the seats in Parliament. No single party has won more than half of the popular vote since 1935.

There have been many suggestions to change the voting system for parliamentary elections. For example, in 1998, the Jenkins Commission suggested using a system called "Alternative Vote Top-up." However, no changes were made. Groups like the Electoral Reform Society continue to campaign for changes.

The 2010 general election resulted in a "hung parliament", meaning no single party had enough seats to form a government on its own. The Conservatives won the most seats but needed 20 more for a majority. So, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government, led by David Cameron. As part of their agreement, they held a referendum in May 2011 on whether to change the voting system to "Alternative Vote" (AV). The public voted against AV, so the first-past-the-post system stayed.

Political Parties: The Main Players

There are two main political parties in the United Kingdom: the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. The Scottish National Party (SNP) is also very important, especially in Scotland.

2005 election results by age group: voters for Conservative (blue), Labour (red), Lib Dem (yellow), other parties (green); and those not voting (grey).

The Conservative Party was founded in 1834, growing from the older "Tory" movement. People still often call them the Tory Party or "Tories." The Liberal Democrats, or "Lib Dems," were formed in 1988 when the Liberal Party merged with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The Liberal Party itself started in 1859 from the "Whig" movement and other groups.

The Liberal Party was one of the two dominant parties until the 1920s. Then, the Labour Party, founded in 1900, grew in popularity and took over the Liberal Party's role on the left of politics. Labour formed its first government in 1924. Since then, Labour and the Conservatives have been the main parties. The Liberal Democrats were the third-largest party until 2015, when they lost many seats. The Scottish National Party (SNP) then became the third-largest party. The SNP, founded in 1934, wants Scottish independence and has had members in Parliament since 1967. They currently lead a minority government in the Scottish Parliament.

Other smaller parties also have seats in Parliament:

• Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, has had members in Parliament since 1974. They are the third-largest party in the National Assembly for Wales.
• In Northern Ireland, all 18 MPs are from parties that only run in Northern Ireland. These include the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Sinn Féin, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin MPs do not take their seats in the UK Parliament because they refuse to swear loyalty to the British monarch.

In the most recent general election in 2015, the Conservatives won a majority of seats and formed the government.

Conservatives (Tories): The Right-Leaning Party

The Conservative Party won the most seats in the 2015 general election, with 330 MPs. This was enough for them to form a government on their own, the first time since 1992.

The Conservative party's history goes back to 1662. They are still often called "Tories." The name "Tory" came from a debate in the late 1600s about whether a Catholic should be allowed to become king. The Tories were against excluding him. The Whigs, their rivals, supported the exclusion. Both names were originally insults.

Historically, Tories were linked to smaller landowners and the Church of England, while Whigs were more connected to trade, wealth, and religious tolerance.

After 1815, the Tories changed under Robert Peel. He was an industrialist, not a landowner, and he created a new "Conservative" idea: fixing problems while keeping what was good.

The Conservatives were in power for 18 years from 1979 to 1997, first under Margaret Thatcher, the UK's first female Prime Minister, and then under John Major. They lost many seats in the 1997 election.

In 2008, the Conservative Party made an agreement with the Ulster Unionist Party to run together in some elections.

After 13 years as the main opposition party, the Conservatives returned to power in 2010 as part of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. In 2015, they won a majority on their own. In 2016, David Cameron resigned, and Theresa May became the second female Prime Minister from the Conservative Party.

The party has always been very focused on keeping the United Kingdom together, which is why their full name is the Conservative & Unionist Party. They often oppose more power for devolved governments and strongly support the UK staying united.

Labour: The Left-Leaning Party

The Labour Party won the second-largest number of seats in the House of Commons in the 2015 general election, with 232 MPs.

The Labour Party started in 1900. After World War I, it became the main party on the left, replacing the Liberal Party. Labour formed its first government in 1924.

After World War II, Labour had a big victory in the 1945 election. Throughout the rest of the 20th century, Labour and Conservative governments took turns. Labour had long periods out of power, from 1951-1964 and 1979-1997.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Conservative governments under Margaret Thatcher and John Major brought in policies like privatization (selling state-owned companies) and reducing the power of trade unions. This period is often called "Thatcherism."

After their 1979 defeat, Labour elected Michael Foot as leader. He tried to bring in more radical policies. In 1981, some moderate Labour MPs left to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This split Labour and made it harder for them to win elections for a decade. The SDP teamed up with the Liberal Party.

The SDP eventually merged with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988.

Labour lost the 1983 election badly. Neil Kinnock became leader and tried to make the party more moderate. Despite his efforts, Labour lost the 1987 and 1992 elections. John Smith then became leader.

Tony Blair became Labour leader after John Smith's death in 1994. He moved the party more towards the "centre" and continued some of Margaret Thatcher's policies. This helped Labour win a huge victory in the 1997 General Election, ending 18 years of Conservative rule. Some people say Labour changed from a democratic socialist party to a social democratic party during this time.

Some Labour MPs also stand as joint Labour and Co-operative candidates because of a long-standing agreement with the Co-op Party.

Scottish National Party: For Scotland's Future

The Scottish National Party (SNP) won the third-largest number of seats in the House of Commons in the 2015 general election. They won 56 out of 59 seats in Scotland, getting 50% of the votes there. This was a huge increase from their 6 seats in 2010.

The SNP has had members in Parliament since 1967. After the 2007 Scottish elections, the SNP became the largest party in the Scottish Parliament and formed a minority government with Alex Salmond as First Minister. In the 2011 Scottish election, the SNP won enough seats to form a majority government, which was a first since Scotland got its own parliament in 1999.

Members of the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru (the Welsh nationalist party) work together as one group in the UK Parliament.

Liberal Democrats: The Centrist Voice

The Liberal Democrats won 8 MPs in the 2015 general election.

The Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 by combining the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party. Their roots go back to the Whigs and other reform groups that formed the Liberal Party. The term 'Liberal Party' was first officially used in 1868. The Liberal Party was a main government party in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Liberal Democrats focus on things like changing the voting system for general elections, replacing the House of Lords with an elected Senate, and having fixed five-year parliaments. They also support fairness and social mobility. In the coalition government, they pushed for funding for schools to help poorer students. They also supported same-sex marriage and increasing the amount of money people can earn before paying income tax.

Northern Ireland Parties: Diverse Views

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had 8 MPs elected in 2015. Founded in 1971 by Ian Paisley, it is now the larger of the two main unionist parties in Northern Ireland. Other Northern Ireland parties with MPs include the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, and Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin MPs refuse to take their seats in the UK Parliament.

Plaid Cymru: Wales's Voice

Plaid Cymru has had members in Parliament since 1974 and had 3 MPs elected in the 2015 general election. After the 2007 Welsh Assembly elections, they joined Labour in a coalition government. However, after the 2011 elections, they became the third-largest party and are now an opposition party in Wales.

Other Parties in Parliament

The Green Party of England and Wales kept its only MP, Caroline Lucas, in the 2015 General Election. They also have seats in the European Parliament and local councils.

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) has one MP and many seats in the European Parliament. They also have members in the House of Lords and local councils. UKIP has become more popular, getting the third-largest share of votes in the 2015 General Election and the most votes in the 2014 European elections. UKIP mainly campaigns for reducing immigration and for the UK to leave the EU.

The Respect party, a left-wing group, had a single MP, George Galloway, from 2005-2010 and again from 2012-2015.

Sometimes, there are a few Independent politicians in Parliament who don't belong to any party. This usually happens when an MP leaves their party. The only independent MP in the current Parliament is Sylvia Hermon.

Non-Parliamentary Political Parties

Many other UK political parties exist but usually don't win seats in Parliament.

The Scottish Green Party has 6 members in the Scottish Parliament and local councillors. The Green Party (Ireland) has one member in the Northern Ireland Assembly and local councillors.

The British National Party (BNP) used to have two seats in the European Parliament but now has none.

The Libertarian Party was founded in 2008 and has won some local council seats.

The English Democrats want a parliament for England and have some local councillors.

Other parties include the Socialist Labour Party (UK), the Communist Party of Britain, the Socialist Party (England and Wales), the Socialist Workers Party, the Scottish Socialist Party, the Liberal Party, Mebyon Kernow (a Cornish nationalist party), and the Pirate Party UK.

Some parties only run in specific local areas. The Official Monster Raving Loony Party was founded in 1983. They are known for having very funny and unusual ideas in their plans, often to make fun of real-life politics.

Current Political Situation

After winning the most seats and votes in the 2015 general election, the Conservatives, first under David Cameron and now under Theresa May, are still ahead of the Labour Party, which has been led by Jeremy Corbyn since September 2015. The SNP remains strong in Scotland.

However, a big vote on whether the UK should stay in the European Union, called by David Cameron, led to his resignation. This brought in a new Prime Minister, Theresa May, and caused disagreements about Europe within the Conservative party.

The EU referendum campaign also caused problems for the Labour Party. Many Labour MPs voted against their leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and many ministers resigned from his team. This led to a new leadership election within the Labour Party.

After the vote to leave the European Union, Nigel Farage resigned as leader of UKIP. The Green Party also held a leadership contest, and Jonathan Bartley and Caroline Lucas were jointly elected as co-leaders in September 2016. Lucas is the party's only MP.

Party Membership: Who Belongs?

All political parties have membership programs. These allow people to get involved and influence the party's policies, especially at a local level. About 1% of British voters are members of a political party. This is lower than in most other European countries. Party membership has been decreasing since the 1950s. For example, in 1951, the Conservative Party had 2.2 million members, and in 1952, the Labour Party had 1 million members.

Here are the membership numbers for parties with more than 5,000 members:

Membership numbers for the four main Northern Ireland parties (DUP, UUP, SDLP, and Sinn Féin) are not easily available. In 1997, it was estimated that the UUP had 10-12,000 members and the DUP had 5,000 members.

European Union: A Past Connection

The United Kingdom first joined the European Economic Community in January 1973. This later became the European Union (EU). UK citizens used to elect 73 members to represent them in the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg.

People in the UK have long debated whether the country should be more closely linked with the EU or have less to do with it. Those against closer ties are called "Eurosceptics", and those who support it are called "Europhiles." Both major parties have had disagreements over this issue.

The strong performance of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) since 2004 changed the discussion about the UK's relationship with the EU.

In June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a referendum. After the vote, there was much discussion about how and when the UK would leave the EU.

International Organizations: Working with the World

The UK is part of many international groups and organizations. This shows how the UK works with other countries around the world.

Images for kids

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  A chart showing how the UK political system is organised.

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  The Palace of Westminster, where the UK Parliament meets.

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  The Scottish Parliament Building in Holyrood, Edinburgh, where the Scottish Parliament meets.

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  Inside the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

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  The Senedd building in Cardiff Bay, Wales.

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  The Siambr, the debating chamber of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).

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  Parliament Buildings in Stormont, Belfast, where the Northern Ireland Assembly meets.

See also

In Spanish: Política del Reino Unido para niños