The UK Government, the Law and Your Role

The British Constitution

Unlike most countries, the UK has no single written constitution. Its constitutional rules are spread across Acts of Parliament, common law and unwritten conventions.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The monarch (King Charles III) is the head of state, but real political power lies with Parliament and an elected government.

The monarch's role

• Opens each new session of Parliament (the State Opening).
• Meets the Prime Minister weekly.
• Plays no part in active politics — must remain politically neutral.
• Acts as head of the Commonwealth (a voluntary association of 56 mostly former British Empire countries).

The government

Parliament

Parliament has two chambers — the House of Commonsand the House of Lords — plus the monarch.

House of Commons

• Made up of Members of Parliament (MPs).
• MPs are elected by the public.
• Each MP represents a constituency (about 70,000 voters).
• The more powerful of the two chambers.

House of Lords

• Members are not elected — they are appointed.
• Includes life peers, hereditary peers and some senior Church of England bishops.
• Reviews legislation passed by the Commons and can suggest amendments.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

• The Prime Minister (PM) is normally the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons.
• The PM lives at 10 Downing Street, London. There's also a country residence at Chequers.
• The PM appoints about 20 senior MPs to be ministers in charge of departments — the Cabinet.
• Important cabinet posts include the Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance), Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary.

The Opposition

The largest party not in government becomes the Opposition. Its leader is the Leader of the Opposition and appoints a Shadow Cabinet to challenge the government.

The Speaker

The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs debates and keeps order. The Speaker is politically neutral once in post.

Elections

• General election at least every 5 years. The minimum voting age is 18.
• If an MP dies or resigns, a by-election is held in that constituency.
• Voting is by secret ballot.
• To vote you must be on the electoral register.

Devolved governments

Power over many matters has been transferred from the UK Parliament to bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:

• Scottish Parliament — Holyrood, Edinburgh (1999). Has power to make laws and vary income tax.
• Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — Cardiff (1999, gained law-making powers in 2011).
• Northern Ireland Assembly — Stormont, Belfast (1998, established by the Good Friday Agreement).

England is governed directly by the UK Parliament. Local councils handle local services everywhere (rubbish, schools, planning, social services), funded by central government grants and Council Tax.

The Civil Service

Civil servants are politically neutral officials who support the government in developing and implementing its policies. They keep their jobs when governments change.

The UK and international institutions

• The Commonwealth — 56 member states, voluntary association.
• United Nations (UN) — UK is one of 5 permanent members of the Security Council.
• NATO — North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a mutual defence alliance.
• Council of Europe — protects human rights in Europe (responsible for the European Convention on Human Rights). The UK is still a member.
• The European Union — the UK voted to leave in 2016 and formally left on 31 January 2020.

Respecting the law

The law applies to everyone equally — including the government. Key points of UK law that come up in the test:

• Forced marriage is a criminal offence.
• Female genital mutilation (FGM) is illegal.
• Discrimination — the Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination on grounds including age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy.
• Domestic violence is a serious crime and victims can seek help from the police and other organisations.

Age limits to remember

The role of the courts

Criminal courts

• Magistrates' Courts (in Scotland: Justice of the Peace Courts) — minor offences. Magistrates are unpaid volunteers.
• Crown Court (Scotland: Sheriff Courtand High Court of Justiciary) — serious offences such as murder. Heard before a judge and jury.
• Youth Courts — for those aged 10-17.

Juries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have 12 members. In Scotland, 15. Anyone on the electoral register aged 18-75 may be called for jury service.

Civil courts

• County Courts deal with civil disputes — debts, personal injury, family matters, divorce.
• Small claims under £10,000 can be brought without a lawyer through the small claims procedure.

The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeal in the UK.

Judges

Judges enforce the rule of law and ensure trials are fair. They are independent of the government.

The police

• Protect life and property, keep order, prevent and detect crime.
• Police are independent of the government.
• The police must obey the law, and can be sued or prosecuted if they break the law or use excessive force.
• Police and Crime Commissioners are elected to oversee local police forces in some regions.

Your role in the community

• Be a good neighbour — respect others, recycle, care for the environment.
• Vote and stand for office; sign petitions; contact your MP.
• Volunteer — help charities, schools or local organisations.
• Become a school governor — volunteers who help run schools.
• Serve on a jury when called.
• Look after your area: don't drop litter; collect dog waste; help to keep your street clean.

Driving

To drive a car you need:

• A valid driving licence (minimum age 17 for a car)
• Insurance
• The vehicle to be taxed and have a valid MOT certificate (if over 3 years old)