UNIT 2 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 11.10.2016 08:17

UNIT 2 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

   What is the general election? A general election is when the electors in the country cast their vote for the candidate from the political party of their choice to be the Member of Parliament for the constituency. The political party, which wins the most seats in the House of Commons forms the Government. This is different from a by-election, which occurs when a Member dies, retires or is disqualified, and voting takes place only in the constituency without a Member, not throughout the country.

   Fair and free elections are an essential part of democracy, allowing the majority of citizens to determine how they want the country to be governed.

   The results of the last general election in the United Kingdom were:

1 May 1997

Labour (including Speaker)                              - 419

Conservative                                                     - 165

Liberal Democrats                                            - 46

Ulster Unionist Party                                        - 10

Scottish National Party                                     - 6

Plaid Cymru (the Welsh National Party)          - 4

Social Democratic and Labour Party                - 3

Democratic Unionist Party                               - 2

Sinn Fein (the Catholic Northern Irish Party)   - 2

United Kingdom Unionist                                 - 1

Independent                                                       - 1

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Total                                                               - 659

Labour majority                                               - 177

Turnout                                                            - 71,5%

Female MPs elected                                         - 120

   What is a constituency? The United Kingdom is divided into areas, which are known as constituencies. You live in a constituency and will register to vote there. You have one vote, which you cast for the person who you wish to represent you in Parliament. Through this you also vote for the party which you wish to be in Government. There are 659 constituencies in the United Kingdom.

   How often are there general elections? The time between general elections is 5 years. There were 8 years between elections at the time of the First World War and 10 years at the time of the Second World War. About the month before the election the Prime Minister meets a small group of close advisers to discuss the date which would best suit the party. The date is announced to the Cabinet. The Prime Minister formally asks the Sovereign to dissolve Parliament.

   General elections are usually held 17 days after the dissolution of Parliament. Thursdays are popular general election days. General elections are often held in either spring or autumn.

   What happens on polling day? Each constituency is divided into a number of polling districts, each of which has a polling station. Most polling stations are in public buildings such as schools, town halls or council offices. Voting takes place on election day from 07.00 till 22.00 in each constituency. Voters are sent a polling card in advance. Voting is by secret ballot, and the only people allowed in the polling station are the presiding officer, the polling clerks, the duty police officer, the candidates, their election agents and the voters.

   Just before the poll opens, the presiding officer shows the ballot boxes to those at the polling station to prove that they are empty. The boxes are then locked and sealed.

   Voting takes place in a booth. The voter marks the ballot paper with a cross in the box opposite the name of the candidate of his or her choice, and folds the paper to conceal the vote before placing it in the ballot box.

   The results from each constituency are announced as soon as the votes have been counted, usually the same night. The national result is known by the next morning.

   What happens when all of the results are known? When all of the results are known the Queen will usually invite the leader of the party winning the most seats in the House of Commons to be Prime Minister and to form a Government. The Prime Minister will appoint approximately 100 of his MPs to become Cabinet or more junior ministers to form the Government. The second largest party becomes the Official Opposition with a small group of its MPs being chosen to form the Shadow Cabinet. Its leader is known as the Leader of the Opposition. A date will then be announced for the State Opening of Parliament, when the Monarch will officially open the new Parliament.

   The House of Lords is unelected Chamber so is not involved in the electoral process. It closes when Parliament dissolves and reassembles for the State Opening of Parliament.

WORDS AND PHRASES

Elector - вибoрeць

to cast one's vote - пoдaвaти гoлoс

choice - вибіp

by-election - дoдaткoві вибopи

to retire - йти y відcтaвкy

voting - гoлoсyвaння

citizen - громадянин

to represent - прeдcтaвляти, бyти прeдcтaвником

adviser - радник, кoнcультант

to dissolve - pозпyскaти (пaрлaмeнт тoщo)

polling day - дeнь гoлоcувaння

poll - гoлоcувaння

ballot box - вибopчa yрнa

booth - кaбінa для гoлоcувaння

voter - вибoрeць

to conceal - пpихoвувaти, yтювaти

to appoint - пpизнaчaти

Shadow Cabinet - тіньoвий кaбінeт (cклaд кaбінeтy мініcтpів, щo пpизнaчaєтьcя лідeрaми oпозиції)

EXERCISES

Exercise 1 Fill in the blanks:

1. In the United Kingdom general elections are held every ... years.

2. The country is divided into 659 ... .

3. The political party which wins the most seats in the ... forms the  Government.

4. By-elections are held when an ... dies or retires.

5. A Member of Parliament is elected ... each area.

6. Local ... are set up in schools and halls.

7. Voting takes place throughout ... day.

8. In the polling ... the voter marks a cross by one name, then puts  the paper into the ... box.

9. Voting takes place on Polling Day, usually a ... .

10. When all of the results are known the Queen will usually invite  the leader of the party Winning the most seats in the House of  Commons to be ... and to form ... .

11. The second largest party becomes the ... .

EXERCISE 2 Read the following sentences and decide if they are true or false:

1. The British government is elected for up to five years.

2. The Queen chooses the date of the next general election.

3. The place where people go to vote in an election is called a  polling station.

4. The political party which wins the most seats in the House of Lords forms the Government.

5. The United Kingdom is divided into areas which are known as constituencies.

6. Each constituency is divided into a number of polling districts.

7. The Queen appoints MPs to become Cabinet.

8. The Prime Minister opens the new Parliament.

9. The House of Lords is an unelected Chamber.

10. The voters put their votes in a ballot box.

EXERCISE 3 Find words and expressions in the text which mean:

1. an election in the whole country to elect a new Parliament;

2. an area of the UK for which a representative is elected to the  House of Commons;

3. voting at an election;

4. a group formed from the leaders of the Parliamentary Opposition, i.e. those who might form a new Cabinet if there is a change of government after a general election;

5. a locked box where in ballots are deposited;

6. the place where people go to vote in an election;

7. to end the life of a Parliament by public announcement of the Sovereign, leading to a general election.

EXERCISE 4 Ask questions to get the following answers:

1. A Member of Parliament is elected to represent each area.

2. The Leader of the party with most Members forms the Government.

3. Between general elections there may be several by elections.

4. Voters team about candidates through the local newspapers and through leaflets.

5. Leaflets are distributed to every home in the constituency.

6. The election leaflets outline party policy on major issues of national importance.

7. Voting is secret.

EXERCISE 5 Answer the following questions:

1. What sort of electoral system does Ukraine have?

2. What do you know about different electoral systems in other countries?

3. What do you know about general election in the United Kingdom?

4. What are the main disadvantages of the UK electoral system and the system in Ukraine?

5. What advantages does each system have? Suggest one change you would make to each system.

EXERCISE 6 Complete the following text by translating the words and expressions in brackets.

POLITICAL PARTIES

   A political party is a group of people who seek . . .the country according to their agreed views and principles. Political parties are essential to provide

. . .with freedom of . . . between alternatives.

   The main parties in the UK are the Conservative party (right wing), the Labour party (left wing) and the Liberal Democrats (centre). A number of other parties have won seats in . . ..

   Any person who is British, Commonwealth or Irish Republic citizen may stand as a candidate at a parliamentary . . . if he or she is 21 years old or over.

   The Conservative Party. Very often the term Tory is used instead of Conservatives. The Conservative Party was formed in the middle of the 19th century. The Tories were the party that supported . . .and . . .. The Conservative Party believes in free enterprise and the importance of a capitalist . . ., with . . . ownership preferred to state control.

   The Labour Party. In the eighteen eighties the first socialist organisations arose in Britain. A great expansion of the trade union . . . took place. In 1900, the Labour Party . . . under the name of the Labour Representation Committee. It was a federation of trade unions and trade councils, cooperative societies and socialist organisations. In 1906 the Labour Representation Committee officially adopted the title of the . . .. The Labour Party believes that private . . . and enterprise should be allowed to flourish, but not at the expense of their traditional support of the public services.

   The Liberal Party. There has been a Liberal Party in Great Britain since 1868 when the name was adopted by the Whig. The Whig Party was created after the revolution of 1688 and aimed to subordinate the power of the Crown to that of . . . and the upper classes. In 1981 a second centre party was created by 24 Labour . . .. It was called the . . . Party, and soon formed an alliance with the Liberal Party. They formed a single party which became the Liberal Democrats after the 1987 . . . The Liberal Democrats believe that the . . . should have some control over the . . ., but that there should be individual ownership. There are other political parties within the UK. The Green Party offers economic and industrial policies that relate directly to the . . .. The Scottish Nationalist Party wants . . . for Scotland within the European Community. Plaid Cymru - the Welsh Nationalist Party – is determined to preserve the Welsh language and culture as the foundation of a distinctive Welsh identity within the UK.

EXERCISE 7 Find in the text the English equivalents for the phrases below.

- пoлітичнa пaртія;

- Kонсeрвaтивнa пaртія;

- Лібeрaльнa пaртія;

- Лейбopиcтcькa пaртія;

- Пaртія Зeлeних;

- вибopи пaрлaмeнтy;

- пpивaтнa індивідуaльнa влacніcть;

- пpофспілки (трeд-юніoни);

- кoнтpолювaти eкoнoмікy;

- збeрeгти мову та кyльтурy;

- cвoбoдa вибopу.

EXERCISE 8 Complete the following sentences with the words from the box.

with                                                for

opposite                                         of

in                                                    for

into                                                 to

in                                                    into

1. Voting takes place ... a booth.

2. I voted ... the Conservative candidate.

3. My friend belongs ... the Scottish National list Party.

4. Vote ... one candidate only.

5. Mark a cross (x) ... the box on the right hand side of the ballot paper ... the name of the candidate you are voting for.

6. Put your voting papers ... the ballot box.

7. Each constituency is divided ... a number of polling districts.

8. The paper lists the names ... the candidates in alphabetical order.

9. The leader of the party ... most Members forms the Government.

EXERCISE 9 Work in pairs. Imagine you are British voters. Which party would you vote for and why? Include the following points:

- the main political parties in Great Britain;

- the difference between them.

Express your opinions, using the words given:

- I think that ...

- In my opinion ...

- To my mind ...

- If you ask me ...

EXERCISE 10  Use your knowledge of English law and law terms to decide which word or phrase in each group of five does not belong and why.

(a) Crown, monarchy, Royal Assent, MP, heir to the throne

(b) the Labour Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Conservative Party, the Social and Liberal Democrats, the Republican Party

(c) constituency, electorate, hereditary peer, voting, ballot paper

(d) Opposition, Cabinet, Prime Minister, Home Secretary, the Queen

(e) life peerage, Law Lords, Law Spiritual, House of Commons, Lord Chancellor

(f) MP, back-benches, front benches, Speaker, the bishops

IT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW

DOWNING STREET

   The street was so named after Sir George Downing (1623-1684), a noted parliamentarian and ambassador. It is a synonym for British Government.

No. 10 Downing Street was given in 1 725 by King George II to Sir Robert Walpole as the official residence of the Prime Minister, it is there that Cabinet meetings are usually held.

No. 11 Downing Street is the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

No. 12 Downing Street is the Government Whip's office. This is an unwritten law that during elections the Prime Minister leaves his residence and only returns after the elections to No. 10 Downing Street, the same happens when there is a vote of no-confidence at Parliament and re-elections are demanded.

THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

   The Palace of Westminster is also known as the Houses of Parliament. There has been a royal palace on this site for almost 1000 years. For a long time it was the home of kings and queens.

   The Palace is built on an 8-acre site and there are over 1,000 rooms and more than 2 miles of corridors.

   Visitors to the Palace enter by the Norman Porch entrance. This is the entrance used by the Queen when she comes to open Parliament each year, usually in November.

   If you go up the staircase and then look at the ceiling just outside the Robing Room you will see the three colours of Parliament the Sovereign (gold), the Lords (red) and the Commons (green). The building is divided up in this way too, and on your tour you will first pass through the royal part of the Palace, then the part which belongs to the House of Lords and, finally, the part which belongs to the House of Commons.

   The Robing Room. As you enter the Robing Room your eyes are drawn to the Chair of State. In this room the Queen receives the Imperial State Crown which is placed on her head just before she walks in procession through the Chamber of Lords. The Imperial State Crown is specially brought for her from the Tower of London where it is kept for the rest of the year. The Queen also puts on her State robes.

   The Prince's Chamber. This room seems rather small but it is an important room for it is here that Members of the House of Lords meet each other before entering their Chamber. You can see the pictures of Tudor kings, queens, princes and princesses on the wall and also the large marble statue of Queen Victoria. She was queen when the present Palace was built.

   The Chamber of the House of Lords. The Chamber of the House of Lords is also called the Parliament Chamber, as it is the place where all three parts of Parliament come together at a State Opening - the Sovereign, the Members of the House of Lords and the Members of the House of Commons. When the Queen arrives in the Chamber of the House of Lords and is seated on the throne she then bids everyone to be seated. Then the Lord Great Chamberlain raises his wand. This is a signal for Black Rod, the Queen's Messenger, to summon the Members of the House of Commons to the House of Lords. As Black Rod approaches the House of Commons the doors are shut in his face. He has to knock three times on the door before he is allowed in. Possible this arose because, centuries ago, the Commons quite often wanted to discuss matters (for instance, a royal demand for money) in private without the king’s messenger coming in unannounced. So the doors would be shut and discussions would cease before he was let in. When Black Rod has delivered his message, the MPs, walk through into the Chamber of the House of Lords to hear the Queen's Speech which opens Parliament. In fact, there are 659 MPs. The Queen's Speech is handed to her by the Lord Chancellor. It is written for her by the Government of the day and not by the Queen herself In the speech she tells Parliament – Lords and Commons what the Government hopes to do during the next session (usually the next year). For the rest of the year, the House of Lords uses the Chamber for its debates and discussions of laws in the making.

   The Chamber of the House of Commons. The Chamber of the House of Commons is really quite small. MPs hold their debates and their discussions on changes in the law, in the House of Commons. The Chairman, who keeps the House in order, is called the Speaker. He or she can see from the chair all the MPs who signal that they wish to speak. In front sit three Clerks. These people can advise the Speaker and they also take notes on the proceedings. They are not Members of Parliament. You will see from the picture that there are red lines running along either side of the Chamber. The distance between them is a sword's length and one foot. This is because many years ago Members of Parliament were allowed to wear swords into the Chamber and 'sword lines' were marked on the floor to remind them that however cross they got with each other they should never get close enough to attack each other! You will see also the Table of the House and the Dispatch Boxes (leading politicians stand at these boxes when they make speeches in the House of Commons) and the rest where the Mace is put while the House is debating. The Mace is the symbol of royal authority and is carried every day in the Speaker's procession.

   Clock Tower. As you leave through the north door look up and see the face of Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the name of the bell, not the tower. It strikes every quarter of an hour and is the most famous public clock in the world.

                                 Learn these words:

Chancellor of the Exchequer - мініcтp фінaнcів Aнглії

the Government Whip - доcл. "бaтіг уpяду" (зaгaльнопpийнята назва слyжбових oсіб - пaрламeнтських opгaнізaтopів кожнoї з партійних фpaкцій

the Palace of Westminster - Веcтмінcтерcький пaлaц

the House of Parliament - бyдинок (приміщeння) паpлaмeнтy

the Norman Porch - нopмaндський під’їзд (збyдoвaний y нopмaндcькoмy стилі, aнглійcькa арxітeктyрa XII ст.)

the Robing Room - убиpaльня (кімнaтa, дe кopолeвa нaдівaє коpону тa кopолівcьку мaнтію)

the Imperial State Crown - імперcькa деpжaвнa кoрoнa

the Tower of London - Tаyep (pанішe - тюpмa, дe yтримyвалися кoрoнoвaні тa інші злочинці, нині aрсeнaл тa мyзeй сeрeдньовічної збoї і знаpядь кaтyвaння

Tudor kings - кoрoлі динacтії Tюдoрів

Lord Great Chamberlain - головний кeрyючий двором коpоля, кaмeргер

Black Rod - "чоpний жeзл", гeрольдмeйстeр (пoстійнa cлyжбoвa oсoбa в Пaлaті лoрдів, під чac цeрeмoній нeсe чорний жeзл, титyл іcнyє з 1350p.

the Queen's Messenger - коpолівський пoсмльний (пoсланець)

the Lord Chancellor - лoрд-кaнцлeр (глaвa cудовогo відомcтвa тa веpховний cуддя Aнглії, глaвa Пaлати лoрдів)

Clerks - cекретарі

the Dispatch Boxes - сyмка для офіційних пaпeрів

the Mace - жeзл (cимвoл кoрoлівcької влади)