The British Political System

Extract

[...] The British Political System DEFINITIONS act of parliament; law by P. which received Royal Assent beneficiary: person who received benefit or gain profit from something. discretion (/prudence); ability to adapt action to circumstances. damages; monetary compensation equity: part of the common law system that provides remedies other than damages. binding: requiring lower courts to follow earlier decisions. case law; corpus of judicial decisions civil law: general system of law based on the Corpus Juris Civilis + need to be distinguished from Common Law claimant/plaintiff; person who first lodges complaint in civil case litigant: person who engaged a lawsuit. [...]

[...] through the Civil List PM. = leader of the majority party in the H. of C. + form a government ALL ASKED BY M. + The House of Lords Act; 1999 abolished hereditary peerage (H. of L.=peers / H. of C. =election) 2 major systems of law; Roman system (=basis of modern system + relies on organized and fixed legal codes) and English common law system (=based on judicial precedent and development through court decisions) common law = 2 different manners; 1. [...]

[...] legislation, EU. legislation CUSTOM: during Anglo-Saxon period was the Conqueror = foundation of the actual system (1066) BEFORE=no unified body =local unwritten customs used to punish ppl. =to establish methods and admin. W. the C. appointed « itinerant justices » =examine local practices NOW =established pattern of behavior to be considered as law need to be reasonable and in existence since « time immemorial » = fixed by statute in 1275 CASE LAW: often called « judge-made law » =law as established by the outcome of former cases + doctrine of precedent governs dev. [...]

[...] + also a minister Question Time: regular period set aside for ministers to respond to questions from MPs. Shadow Cabinet: counterpart cabinet set up by the Opposition mirroring the cabinet in power. speaker/s; presiding members of both Houses. standing committee; grp. of MPs which analyze + review bills House of Commons & House of Lords, Habeas Corpus, Bill of Rights, Magna Carta PARLIAMENT Royal Assent MPs bill; private bill, public bill motion peers committee (=grp. of MPs) Lord Chancellor speaker Westminster backbench + oldest representative assemblies in the W. + meets in Westminster the two H. [...]

[...] not structured in 3 separate branches (like US.) = interactions between powers are numerous P. and the Executive) reforms to establish clearer division between judicial and legislative power, Supreme Court of the UK. (10.2008) + review of Lord Chancellor functions + British Monarchy =Head of State of the UK. + British territories + Cw. countries its power =royal prerogatives = symbolic =ceremonial functioning + representing Britain when foreign officials visit the country = not exercised by the M. but by minister EX; power to dissolve P. by the M. on the advice of PM. [...]