Comments on: Learning the political game http://americaninbritain.com/learning-the-political-game Views from across the Herring Pond Sun, 01 Aug 2010 10:33:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Josh http://americaninbritain.com/learning-the-political-game#comment-225 Josh Wed, 20 May 2009 23:06:52 +0000 http://americaninbritain.com/?p=312#comment-225 The EU is basically there for trade, it was originally set up in the 50s for coal and steel trade and to prevent any more big European wars. The current purpose of the EU is to make travel, trade and agriculture easy between member states and to wield abit more power as one entity. The debate about further integration really comes down to the fear that the UK will loose its sovereignty if it gets closer to the EU, supporters say its good for the economy to be more integrated. The reason the UK hasnt addopted the eurozone currency is because historically the pound has been much stronger than the euro although in the current crisis it doesnt look like it will stay that way for much longer! The thing to remember about politics in the UK is that it is a very old system and is therefore very confusing hehe, so dont worry if it seems ridiculous or complicated! Its also worth pointing out that at any time, Westminster can disolve the Scotish, Welsh or Northern Irish assemblies/parliaments by passing an Act of Parliament, they are not sovereign bodies they simply have devolved power granted to them by Westminster. Hope that helps! The EU is basically there for trade, it was originally set up in the 50s for coal and steel trade and to prevent any more big European wars. The current purpose of the EU is to make travel, trade and agriculture easy between member states and to wield abit more power as one entity. The debate about further integration really comes down to the fear that the UK will loose its sovereignty if it gets closer to the EU, supporters say its good for the economy to be more integrated. The reason the UK hasnt addopted the eurozone currency is because historically the pound has been much stronger than the euro although in the current crisis it doesnt look like it will stay that way for much longer!

The thing to remember about politics in the UK is that it is a very old system and is therefore very confusing hehe, so dont worry if it seems ridiculous or complicated! Its also worth pointing out that at any time, Westminster can disolve the Scotish, Welsh or Northern Irish assemblies/parliaments by passing an Act of Parliament, they are not sovereign bodies they simply have devolved power granted to them by Westminster.

Hope that helps!

]]> By: Yank http://americaninbritain.com/learning-the-political-game#comment-164 Yank Tue, 05 May 2009 19:12:05 +0000 http://americaninbritain.com/?p=312#comment-164 Thank you for the political lesson. That was useful, but I won't be able to vote. I find it funny that EU citizens can come here and vote for local elections. I realise that the outcome affects them, but in the US, you can't be a resident/citizen of one state and vote in another state unless you give up your residency in the first state. <abbr><em>Yank’s last blog post.<a href="http://americaninbritain.com/?p=416" rel="nofollow">A traditional British Mayday Fayre</a></abbr></em> Thank you for the political lesson. That was useful, but I won’t be able to vote. I find it funny that EU citizens can come here and vote for local elections. I realise that the outcome affects them, but in the US, you can’t be a resident/citizen of one state and vote in another state unless you give up your residency in the first state.

Yank’s last blog post.A traditional British Mayday Fayre

]]> By: Edward Rhodes http://americaninbritain.com/learning-the-political-game#comment-160 Edward Rhodes Tue, 05 May 2009 12:56:19 +0000 http://americaninbritain.com/?p=312#comment-160 Hello. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own Parliaments (or Assemblies) with differing relations to the UK Parliament. There is no English Parliament, the Parliament in Westminster is both the UK Parliament and the English Parliament. Its power over Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland varies according to the extent of devolution in each of the other 'nations'. There have been proposals for English Regional Assemblies, or an English Parliament, but these have, so far, come to nothing. The whole system is, as you can see, very asymmetric and confusing. Prior to 1999 there was only the UK Parliament in London (although Northern Ireland had a Parliament from partition in 1922 to the early 70s). In terms of the timing of general elections, the Queen dissolves Parliament and calls a new general election when advised to do so by the Prime Minister or if the government loses a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons (which last happened in 1979). A general election must take place every five years regardless of whether the Prime Minister wants it or not (the next one must occur before June 2010). The only exception to this last rule is that both Houses can extend the life of a Parliament by one year at a time during wartime (this has only happened during the two World Wars), however, this would normally require a cross-party wartime coalition government to be formed. Normally at least three weeks notice is given of an election to allow for campaigning. All UK and Irish citizens can vote in parliamentary general elections in the UK. All EU citizens can vote in European Parliament elections anywhere in the EU. UK and EU (and possibly some Commonwealth) citizens can register and vote in local elections. I hope that this helps. Edward Hello.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own Parliaments (or Assemblies) with differing relations to the UK Parliament.

There is no English Parliament, the Parliament in Westminster is both the UK Parliament and the English Parliament. Its power over Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland varies according to the extent of devolution in each of the other ‘nations’.

There have been proposals for English Regional Assemblies, or an English Parliament, but these have, so far, come to nothing.

The whole system is, as you can see, very asymmetric and confusing. Prior to 1999 there was only the UK Parliament in London (although Northern Ireland had a Parliament from partition in 1922 to the early 70s).

In terms of the timing of general elections, the Queen dissolves Parliament and calls a new general election when advised to do so by the Prime Minister or if the government loses a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons (which last happened in 1979). A general election must take place every five years regardless of whether the Prime Minister wants it or not (the next one must occur before June 2010). The only exception to this last rule is that both Houses can extend the life of a Parliament by one year at a time during wartime (this has only happened during the two World Wars), however, this would normally require a cross-party wartime coalition government to be formed. Normally at least three weeks notice is given of an election to allow for campaigning.

All UK and Irish citizens can vote in parliamentary general elections in the UK. All EU citizens can vote in European Parliament elections anywhere in the EU. UK and EU (and possibly some Commonwealth) citizens can register and vote in local elections.

I hope that this helps.

Edward

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