The British ElectorateThe British Electorate

during collectivist years, during collectivist years, single issue single issue shaped how shaped how British voters viewed the political world: British voters viewed the political world: social classsocial class

significance of conservative victory, ’79?significance of conservative victory, ’79?

vote against radicalism and chaos of the Labour vote against radicalism and chaos of the Labour government?government?

first step in a more lasting realignment?first step in a more lasting realignment?

Interest groupsInterest groups

many groups (national to local), but little many groups (national to local), but little influence and little lobbyinginfluence and little lobbying

groups with most influence: TUC/Labour and groups with most influence: TUC/Labour and CBI/ConservativeCBI/Conservative

allall governments need to consult with interest governments need to consult with interest groups: information and expertisegroups: information and expertise

The British and American StatesThe British and American States

featurefeature UKUK USAUSAConstitutionConstitution unwrittenunwritten

fused powersfused powers

writtenwrittenfederalfederalseparation of separation of powerspowers

ExecutiveExecutive dominantdominantrecruited from recruited from ParliamentParliament

power to persuadepower to persuaderecruited from recruited from everywhereeverywhere

LegislatureLegislature mostly debatemostly debateparty votingparty voting

law makinglaw makingparty or coalition party or coalition votingvoting

Monarchy and LordsMonarchy and Lords lots of visibility, little impactlots of visibility, little impact

pre 1958, all Lords were pre 1958, all Lords were hereditary peershereditary peers or members or members of senior clergy and judiciaryof senior clergy and judiciary

1999: Parliament, with support of Lords, stripped all 1999: Parliament, with support of Lords, stripped all but 92 self-selected hereditary peers of membershipbut 92 self-selected hereditary peers of membership

law Lords: Britain’s highest court of appeals, law Lords: Britain’s highest court of appeals, butbut cannot rule on constitutionality of acts of Parliamentcannot rule on constitutionality of acts of Parliament

Parliamentary SovereigntyParliamentary Sovereignty

the House of Commons: the body that determines who the House of Commons: the body that determines who governs and which laws to passgoverns and which laws to pass

does this make it sovereign?does this make it sovereign?

House of Commons is House of Commons is not not the major influence on most the major influence on most policy issuespolicy issues

instead, real influence lies with majority party leadership instead, real influence lies with majority party leadership and certain non-elected bodiesand certain non-elected bodies

also, courts have never had a policy-making rolealso, courts have never had a policy-making role

House of CommonsHouse of Commons 646 MPs, representing single-members districts, 646 MPs, representing single-members districts,

elected in first-part-the-post electionselected in first-part-the-post elections

MPs are not expected to represent their constituents’ MPs are not expected to represent their constituents’ interestsinterests

they do not even have to live in the districts they they do not even have to live in the districts they representrepresent

‘‘virtual’ representationvirtual’ representation

Parliamentary Party: the key to the British stateParliamentary Party: the key to the British state

leader of the majority party becomes PM, can [almost leader of the majority party becomes PM, can [almost always] count on support of party colleaguesalways] count on support of party colleagues

head of the largest minority party becomes leader of head of the largest minority party becomes leader of the oppositionthe opposition

appoints a appoints a shadow cabinet shadow cabinet to monitor and criticizeto monitor and criticize

backbenchersbackbenchers: seats reserved for MPs who are not : seats reserved for MPs who are not part of the leadership part of the leadership

PM selects the cabinet and other junior ministers (all PM selects the cabinet and other junior ministers (all MPs) (about 70)MPs) (about 70)

all but two cabinet members chosen from House of all but two cabinet members chosen from House of CommonsCommons

cabinet ministers appointed based on their position in cabinet ministers appointed based on their position in party’s power structureparty’s power structure

less likely than American counterparts to be experts less likely than American counterparts to be experts

in area they supervisein area they supervise

cabinet governed by principle of cabinet governed by principle of collective responsibilitycollective responsibility

cabinet remains in office as long as the netire government cabinet remains in office as long as the netire government retains support of its parliamentary majorityretains support of its parliamentary majority

individual ministers must publicly support all cabinet individual ministers must publicly support all cabinet decisions decisions or resignor resign

cabinet introduces all major legislationcabinet introduces all major legislation

new legislation usually introduced only after extensive new legislation usually introduced only after extensive period of study and debate and publication of government period of study and debate and publication of government white paperwhite paper

cabinet introduces all major legislationcabinet introduces all major legislation

Parliamentary debate: extensive, acrimonious, meaninglessParliamentary debate: extensive, acrimonious, meaningless

‘‘cabinet government’: possibly becoming a mythcabinet government’: possibly becoming a myth

realistically, Britain has government by PM , bureaucracy realistically, Britain has government by PM , bureaucracy and other nonelected bodies (QUANGOs)and other nonelected bodies (QUANGOs)

Public Policy: The Thatcher RevolutionPublic Policy: The Thatcher Revolution

Thatcher: ‘the politics of conviction”Thatcher: ‘the politics of conviction”

produced dramatic changes in British economic lifeproduced dramatic changes in British economic life

goal: sharply reduce the role of the state : wide-ranging goal: sharply reduce the role of the state : wide-ranging privatizationprivatization

pro:pro: saved economy, brought inflation and unemployment saved economy, brought inflation and unemployment under control, energized the private sectorunder control, energized the private sector

con: con: widened the gap between rich and poor, allowed widened the gap between rich and poor, allowed public services to deterioratepublic services to deteriorate

Thatcher, cont.Thatcher, cont. privatization was popular in the short termprivatization was popular in the short term

provided a needed infusion of capital to governmentprovided a needed infusion of capital to government

also tried to strengthen role of market forces: cut government also tried to strengthen role of market forces: cut government subsidies to industry, reduce ‘redundant’ labor, reduce taxes on subsidies to industry, reduce ‘redundant’ labor, reduce taxes on wealthywealthy

other centerpiece of Thatcher revolution: roll back the welfare stateother centerpiece of Thatcher revolution: roll back the welfare state

problem: unlike nationalized industries, social sevices programs were problem: unlike nationalized industries, social sevices programs were very popular – resistance to cut backsvery popular – resistance to cut backs

The Blair RevolutionThe Blair Revolution

originally, Labour committed to nationalization of the ‘commanding originally, Labour committed to nationalization of the ‘commanding heights’ of the economy, and planned to put much of the rest under heights’ of the economy, and planned to put much of the rest under government controlgovernment control

pass benefits to working class, create a more equal and just societypass benefits to working class, create a more equal and just society

little effect on public policy before 1945little effect on public policy before 1945

later, set up planning boards nationalized dozens of key industries, later, set up planning boards nationalized dozens of key industries, especially unprofitable public servicesespecially unprofitable public services

Blair, cont.Blair, cont. by 60s, nationalized industries required massive subsidies, and bad by 60s, nationalized industries required massive subsidies, and bad

planning left unions more powerful than everplanning left unions more powerful than ever welfare state (especially NHS)became more and more expensivewelfare state (especially NHS)became more and more expensive pro: pro: combined best aspects of socialism and market economycombined best aspects of socialism and market economy con con : ‘Thatcher lite”: ‘Thatcher lite” Blair government able to redirect a lot of money to poor and to public Blair government able to redirect a lot of money to poor and to public

servicesservices Partly enabled by booming ecoomyPartly enabled by booming ecoomy Other important policy changes: welfare-to-work; cost of living Other important policy changes: welfare-to-work; cost of living

increases for poor retirees; increase in minimum wage; increased increases for poor retirees; increase in minimum wage; increased income of bottom 2/5income of bottom 2/5thth with no impact on wealthy with no impact on wealthy

Most ly occurred during 1Most ly occurred during 1stst Blair government, when popularity was Blair government, when popularity was highhigh

Britain Britain isis part of the EU, whose decisions have great part of the EU, whose decisions have great impact on British economyimpact on British economy

issues:issues:

should England join the European Monetary Union should England join the European Monetary Union and abandon the pound for the euro? and abandon the pound for the euro?

should England ratify the second draft constitution should England ratify the second draft constitution for the EU, which would be one step closer to a for the EU, which would be one step closer to a united states of Europe?united states of Europe?

(2) (2) IRAQIRAQ

first Gulf War uncontroversial: invasion of Kuwait was a clear first Gulf War uncontroversial: invasion of Kuwait was a clear violation of international lawviolation of international law

support for USA after 9/11 acceptablesupport for USA after 9/11 acceptable

second Iraq war more problematic : Blair stood behind the second Iraq war more problematic : Blair stood behind the countries’ “special relationship” and took identical positionscountries’ “special relationship” and took identical positions

dire domestic political implicationsdire domestic political implications

feedbackfeedback TV and radio in Britain: very different from those in USTV and radio in Britain: very different from those in US

Centralized, professional mediaCentralized, professional media BBC and independent broadcasters offer thorough political BBC and independent broadcasters offer thorough political

coveragecoverage

most political information comes from national newspapers most political information comes from national newspapers

some quality reporting, many tabloidssome quality reporting, many tabloids

many local papers with little national news and little influencemany local papers with little national news and little influence

TV: little local newsTV: little local news