How Britain is Governed

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch as its Head of the State. The monarch reigns with the support of Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not defined precisely. Everything today is done in the Queen’s name. It is her government, her armed forces, her law courts and so on. She appoints all the ministers, including the Prime Minister. Everything is done however on the advice of the elected Government. The Queen must see all Cabinet documents. She has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war and make peace.

There is no written constitution in Great Britain. The main principles of British legislation are expressed in other documents like “Magna Charta”, “Bill of Rights”.

Parliament in Great Britain has existed since 1265 and is the oldest Parliament in the world. Parliament is the supreme legislative authority in Great Britain. It consists of two Houses – the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Only the members of Commons are known as MPs – Members of Parliament. The Commons is more important of the two Houses. Each House has its leader. MPs sit on two sides of the hall; one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called “front-benchers); the back benches belong to the rank-and-file MPs (“back-benchers”). Party control is exercised by officers known as “Whips”. There are Government and Opposition Whips in both Houses of Parliament.

Duties that are common to the Whips of all parties include keeping members informed of forthcoming parliamentary business; ensuring the attendance of members and their party vote. Voting in the House of Commons is carried out under the direction of the Speaker, whose duty is to pronounce the final result. A vote is taken by means of a division. Members voting “Aye” go out of the chamber into the lobby on the right of the Speaker, while those voting “No” pass into the lobby on his left. Members’ votes are recorded by four clerks.

The House of Commons is an assembly elected by universal adult suffrage and consists of 650 members of Parliament (MPs). They hold their seats during the life of a Parliament (normally 5 years). The Party, which obtains the majority of seats in the House, is called the Government and the others – the Opposition. The head of the Government is Prime Minister. He chooses all other ministers. About 20 senior ministers form the Cabinet. The Cabinet determines government policy as a whole.

His (Her) Majesty’s Opposition is the title of the second largest party. It is the duty of the Opposition to criticize the Government and to present themselves to the nation as a possible alternative Government. The leading members of the Opposition are called the Shadow Cabinet. Leader of the Opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.

The other House of Parliament is the House of Lords. The House of Lords has more than 1,000 members. This House consists of those lords who sit by right of inheritance and those who have been given life peerages. The chairman of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor and he sits on a special seat called the Woolsack.

The division of Parliament into two Houses goes back over some 700 years when a feudal assembly assisted the King. Nowadays real political powers rest with the elected House of Commons as only this House can impose taxes and grant money to the Government.

Any MP may introduce a bill to the Parliament. Every bill has three readings at first in the House of Commons. After the third reading the bill goes before the House of Lords. If the Lords agree to the bill, it will be placed before the Queen for signature.

Exercises.

1. Suggest the Russian for:

however, to declare war, to make peace, Bill of Rights, to exist, supreme legislative authority, the governing party, control is exercised, officers, to keep members informed, to ensure the attendance, party vote, under the direction of the speaker, to pronounce, the final result, votes are recorded, a universal adult suffrage, to hold seats, to determine government policy, the leading members of the opposition, a recognized post, by right of inheritance, life peerage, to grant money to the government, MP, to introduce a bill to the Parliament, is placed before the Queen for signature.

2. Suggest the English for:

это означает, глава государства, полномочия монарха, от имени королевы, вооруженные силы, поддержка парламента, заключать договоры, палата общин, существует, переднескамеечники, под руководством Cпикера, объявить итоговый результат, главы министерств, оппозиция ее Величества, представлять себя нации, возможное альтернативное правительство, Теневой кабинет, облагать налогом, вносить законопроект, от имени королевы, назначать министров.

3. Give answers to these questions. Begin your phrase with: in answer to your question I’d like to say this; if I’m not mistaken; it’s like this; well, you see; I suppose.