All Questions
Tagged with united-kingdom government
35 questions
3
votes
3
answers
924
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Membership and offices in the Privy Council – what is the significance of the different predicates used to describe the transactions?
One of the answers to the question How does anyone know for sure who the Prime Minister is? contained a link to the list of approved orders and business transacted in the July 6, 2024 session of the ...
- 588
3
votes
2
answers
729
views
What is preventing the UK from stopping arms exports to Israel?
Recent polling has shown that a majority of the UK public supports banning arms exports to Israel. A recent YouGov poll showed that 56% of all UK voters support a ban whilst 17% are against a ban. ...
- 4,148
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
When was the last/prior time a former PM served in another (non-PM) position in the UK government?
CNN:
Sunak then announced he was bringing Cameron back to frontline politics as foreign secretary, in a stunning move that has few parallels in recent British political history.
Cameron served as ...
8
votes
1
answer
191
views
How can central government intervene when a council declares itself bankrupt?
As quoted by the Guardian and a local news website, Woking borough council is on the verge of bankruptcy (due to failed investments and financial mismanagement.) To put in context how much debt the ...
- 1,029
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How uncommon is it for a Prime Minister not to respond to an urgent question themselves?
Quite a lot has been made of Liz Truss not attending the House of Commons to answer an urgent question from the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer on her decision to replace the Chancellor of the ...
- 1,954
5
votes
1
answer
156
views
Which organization is responsible for investigating allegations of systemic discrimination within the EHRC?
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a public body, funded by the British government, which is responsible for promoting and enforcing equality and non-discrimination laws in England, ...
- 2,571
52
votes
1
answer
10k
views
Why has the UK Government moved away from "Ministry of..." names?
Traditionally, UK Government departments were named "Ministry of [blar]". For example,
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Education
In recent ...
- 601
8
votes
1
answer
333
views
UK Government's contract award ruled illegal. What are the consequences?
As widely reported (e.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57413115) the UK Government was found to have acted illegally in awarding a contract to associates of Michael Gove (the minister who ...
- 2,294
7
votes
1
answer
176
views
What obligations exist for Scottish Ministers to report meetings to the civil service?
Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon gave evidence to the committee of the Scottish Parliament examining her involvement in the inquiry into allegations against Alex Salmond. Part of that examination involved ...
- 5,845
10
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What position & power does the Church of England assume in the upper house of Lords?
Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established church of England.[3][4][5] The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior cleric, although the monarch is the ...
user33411
4
votes
2
answers
446
views
How long has the role of Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister existed in the UK?
Currently in the UK, Dominic Cummings is the Prime Minister's Chief Adviser. I am trying to learn about this position, but cannot find much information about it. How long has this position existed ...
- 43
4
votes
1
answer
679
views
Is it (still) possible to create an anonymous shell company in the UK? If not, when did they actually implement checks on that?
From "the missing Crypto Queen" (a BBC story on the OneCoin scam):
He takes the first one on the list and looks it up on the Companies House website. Everything is meant to be transparent - ...
5
votes
1
answer
550
views
Is there a summary of Johnson's government plans to defund the BBC (assuming this is correct)?
According to CNN Johnson's government
announced plans that pave the way to removing the BBC's public funding model. Johnson's government has been locking horns with the BBC virtually since he came ...
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Cabinets in USA (presidential) and UK (parliamentary) system difference? [closed]
What differences are there in the way the cabinets work between the UK, with their parliamentary system, and the USA, with their presidential system?
- 31
5
votes
1
answer
344
views
Can the United Kingdom Legislature legislate anything it wants?
This question arises from an answer to a question here regarding Parliamentary Sovereignty. If the UK Parliament was to legislate for something, assuming it didn't violate international treaties etc., ...
- 666
10
votes
2
answers
772
views
Minimum number of MPs
In recent years there has been a period of recess in the UK parliament to allow for party conferences. This year however parliament was prorogued and while this action was ultimately overturned it did ...
- 295
5
votes
3
answers
1k
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The actual purview of Her Majesty The Queen's prerogative?
In keeping up to date on Brexit, Dominic Cummings, Special Advisor to Boris Johnson - UK Prime Minister - has stated that, in the event that a motion of no confidence has passed the House of Commons, ...
- 759
3
votes
2
answers
420
views
Can Labour force a general election in the UK?
In the UK, Labour claim to want a general election, but despite the handling of Brexit, still the government coalition will not pass a no-confidence vote.
Could Labour not force the issue on Brexit, ...
- 135
6
votes
1
answer
249
views
How do the PM, Secretaries of State and the Speaker of the House of Commons help their constituents?
The Prime Minister, Secretaries of State and the Speaker of the House of Commons seem to represent their former constituency even after they become speaker. For example, the current Speaker, John ...
JJJ♦
- 39.7k
3
votes
2
answers
277
views
How has the division of power worked, between govt and parliament, in modern Britain?
In the last few months, the UK has seen what might be called an "activist parliament". There have been comments on TV/radio in the context of Brexit, that MPs have been setting their own agenda, not ...
- 7,246
12
votes
1
answer
463
views
How is Northern Ireland currently being governed with its executive vacant and its legislature suspended?
Currently, the Northern Ireland Executive is vacant while the Northern Ireland Assembly is suspended, following the resignation of deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and subsequently First ...
- 46.7k
14
votes
1
answer
307
views
What are the constitutional and broader implications of today's vote by Parliament, finding that the govt was in contempt?
According to the BBC, today's vote by the UK Parliament that finds the government in contempt, is said to have "huge" constitutional and political significance".
Setting aside the immediate issue ...
- 7,246
5
votes
1
answer
332
views
If the DUP is no longer in a "confidence and supply arrangement" can the UK Government still govern?
on Monday, the DUP abstained on the first two votes on the Finance Bill, and eight DUP lawmakers voted against the government in a third vote, on an amendment to the bill proposed by the opposition ...
- 51
5
votes
1
answer
4k
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What happens if Members of Parliament defect causing a Government to lose a majority?
If enough Members of Parliament defect causing a Government to lose their majority, is the process that the incumbent can try to form a new Government via coalition or confidence and supply? If this ...
- 10.4k
2
votes
1
answer
374
views
How does a minority government work in the UK?
In light of the exit polling, it looks like the UK will have a hung Parliament. In the event that no coalition/working relationship deal is made, am I correct in thinking that the country is then run ...
- 527
4
votes
1
answer
180
views
Does the National Assembly for Wales have to vote on the "Great Repeal Bill"?
We're aware by now that the Scottish Parliament will have to have its own vote on the "Great Repeal Bill"
Given that the reason behind Scotland having to vote on this independently seems to be based ...
- 581
6
votes
1
answer
345
views
What are the mandatory positions in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom?
I am writing a paper on various types of government structures and was trying to find out What are the mandatory positions in the cabinet of the United Kingdom. I know that every Prime minster has the ...
- 61
10
votes
1
answer
285
views
How much does being a shadow minister affect your chances of becoming a real one?
In UK, when the government is formed by opposition party, what effect does having been a shadow minister before the party switch have on becoming a real one afterwards?
I'm looking for one or more of ...
- 93.3k
12
votes
4
answers
24k
views
Can the British public request a General Election?
As some of you may know, as a result of the Panama Papers leak, David Cameron admitted that he profited from his father's Panama offshore trust.
Among much confusion and anger, some members of the ...
- 243
6
votes
1
answer
218
views
How do Northern Ireland's Assembly designations work? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
What are the implications of MLAs designating themselves as being part of a certain community? To what extent does it fulfil its intended purpose? What are its criticisms? What alternatives have been ...
- 584
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How is a budget surplus different from a negative GDP to debt percentage ratio, and does the latter automatically result in the former?
I understand the question may come across broad, I am new to government economics, but I am looking for a somewhat textbook answer. I hope you can make a rational guess, if the question seems odd, as ...
- 21
12
votes
2
answers
11k
views
Who controls the British Armed Forces?
I am trying to research this for a friend.
I understand that the Government of the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Queen is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the ...
- 123
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why do UK government ministers not vote on backbench motions?
According to the BBC:
It is convention that ministers abstain when voting takes place on a backbench MP's motion
What is the history and reasoning behind this convention? Is it therefore ...
- 251
4
votes
1
answer
835
views
What is the real role of the queen in UK in these days? [duplicate]
What is the role in the government or social of this Queen in UK in these days?
- 337
10
votes
2
answers
2k
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How does the UK welfare system compare with other wealthy European nations?
Many citizens of the UK believe that the government are too much of a "soft touch", and that it is too easy to claim state welfare for a multitude of reasons (disability, housing, childcare, job ...
- 257