GOVERNMENT, CONSTITUTION AND JUDICIARY OF UK

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy- that is; the head of state is a monarch with limited powers. Britain’s democratic government is based on a constitution is composed of various historical documents, laws and formal customs adopted over the years. Parliament, the legislature consists of the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the monarch also called the Crown. The House of Commons is far more influential than the House of Lords. The Prime Minister is the chief executive, who is a member of the House of Commons. Her Majesty’s government, which is commonly referred as the “government” is composed of ministers in the Cabinet, most of who are members of the House of Commons, each of which is responsible to a minister, local authorities, and public corporations. There is no separation of powers between executive and legislature because the House of Commons is involved in both the legislative and executive branches of the British Government.

The British constitution comprises of multiple documents. The Magna Carta- the written part, written in 1215; the Petition of Right, passed by Parliament in 1628. It also includes the entire body of laws enacted by Parliament, precedents established by decisions made in British courts of law, and various traditions and customs. These laws can be altered with a majority of vote. The constitution continually evolves as new laws are passed and judicial decisions are handed down. Parliament passes all the laws and is regarded as constitutional, and whenever new legislation overrides existing laws, then changes or amendments do occur. The Crown gives its royal assent to legislation.

As official Head of State, the Monarch, summons and dismisses parliament and the ministers of the Cabinet. The monarch also serves as head of the judiciary, the commander in chief of armed forces, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. The monarch appoints all judges, military officers, diplomats, and archbishops, as well as other church officers. The Prime Minister declares war and peace and concludes treaties with foreign states in the name of the Crown.

Britain has a long judicial history. The judicial system has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon period, when the monarch established local courts to provide justice for all subjects. The British legal system relies on common law, which is based on customs and decisions in previous legal cases. Unlike the United States, Britain does not have a supreme court that reviews legislation to determine its constitutionality; that responsibility falls to parliament. Britain has several layers of courts and two kinds of legal proceedings, criminal and civil. Criminal law is concerned with acts punishable by the state, such as murder. Civil law involves disputes between the parties, either individuals, organizations or companies.