State and Local Government

in the UK. Political Parties

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Tarasova Valeria

04001906
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1. Party system in the UK Parliament

The main parties:

• the Tories the Conservative Party

• the Whigs the Liberal Party.

Wales and Scotland have their own nationalist parties:

• the Scottish National Party.
• Plaid Cymru (The Party of Wales)

The Conservative Party is on the political right and the

Labour Party on the left.
The Liberal Democrats are generally closer to Labour in their
opinions than to the Conservatives.
 On health
On Brexit On immigration On the economy
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Boost the economy by
Provide an extra £20.5 bn
reducing taxes for all,
The Conservatives In favour Reduce immigration a year for the health
including the wealthy.
service
Reduce bureaucracy.
Reduce taxes for 95% of
the population, but
Keep the immigration that increase them for the top
Provide an extra £26 bn a
Labour Call for new referendum is vital for parts of the 5%. Renationalise parts of
year for the health service
British economy the economy, notably the
railways. Abolish tuition
fees for university students

Boost the economy by

stopping Brexit; (almost all Provide an extra £6 bn a
Keep Free movement of
Liberal Democrats Against economic forecasts show year paid for by an
people within the EU
that Brexit will damage the increase in income tax
British economy)
Boost the economy by
stopping Brexit; take
increasingly radical Take back some parts of
measures to combat the NHS currently
Keep Free movement of
The Green party Against climate change and operated by private
people within the EU
improve the environment. contractors, and inject
Renationalise some public public money as needed.
services now in private
hands.
No major policies
Reduce immigration to announced. But reduce
The Brexit party In favour Unclear
50,000 a year foreign aid by 50% and
abolish inheritance tax
 Right-wing or
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conservative parties

Developed from the Tories

Voters: the richer sections of the society
 A majority of party members are in favor of a Money: donations from business people
revision of the terms of Britain's membership of the
European Union, and the holding of a referendum
on withdrawal. But other Conservatives, including
industrial and business leaders, are strongly pro-
European.

 The Conservative Party is made up of local

Associations which play a major role in the
selection of candidates and the appointment of the
party leader
 The parties of the Left
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Formed in the beginning of the XXth

century
Traditional views: stand for equality, for
 The Labour Party is made up of
weaker people in the society, more
local parties (Constituency Labour government involvement in the economy
Parties), most British trade unions Voters: working class, middle-class
intelligentsia
and other associations.
Money: more than half from trade unions
 These structures send delegates
to party conferences, depending on
the number of their members
 Parties of the centre
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Developed in 1980s
a mixture of social conservatives and
social democrats
Traditional views: in favour of the
EU, giving more powers to local
government, reform of the electoral
system
Voters: mainly the middle class
Money: private donations
.
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 Scottish Nationalist Party
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 Currently the most important political party in Scotland, and the

party in power in the Scottish Parliament

 organized a referendum on Scottish independence in autumn

2014.

 the party describes itself as moderate and left of centre.

 The basic unit of organization is the local branch

 the party does not disclose membership figures

 Party members are heavily involved in fund-raising activities.

 Scotland as an independent country - equal to the very best.

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 to the maintenance of Northern Ireland within the United

Kingdom, but not to Britain remaining in the European
Union

 Its constituency spans rural communities in Northern

Ireland and inner-city working-class areas

 The DUP staunchly supports union with Britain.

 The DUP is organized at local, constituency, and

province-wide levels.

 The Executive Committee—which contains five members

from each British parliamentary constituency as well as
party leaders and delegates from the party’s university
and youth organizations

 to achieve long-term political stability to deliver a peaceful

and prosperous future for the people of the country.
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2. Structure of the Local Government in the UK, its
functions.

 In most of England, there are 2 tiers county and district –

with responsibility for council services split between them.

 In total there are 343 local authorities in England made up of

5 different types:
-county councils
-district councils
-unitary authorities
-metropolitan districts
-London boroughs
 Local governmental bodies are a mixture of one-tier and
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two-tier systems:
County councils
County functions include:
• social services;
• education;
• public health;
• roads and other transport;
• registration of births,
• deaths and marriages;
• libraries;
• trading standards and
consumer protection;
• waste disposal;
• emergency planning.
District councils
District functions include:
 administering elections;
 community safety;
 coastal protection;
 collecting council tax and business rates;
 housing;
 environmental health;
 licensing; parking;
 planning;
 sports, leisure centres, parks and recreation;
 waste collection and street cleaning.
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Metropolitan county
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There are six metropolitan counties, divided into metropolitan districts, which cover large urban areas
outside London. They were created in In 1986 their county councils were abolished.

Shire county

 Shire counties or non –metropolitan counties were also created in 1974.

 They are 34 and they are divided into non-metropolitan districts. They cover much of the country,
though mainly the rural areas.

Unitary Authority

 Unitary authorities were created in the 1990s and are single-tier authorities which combine the
functions of county and district councils. There are 47 of them.

 A unitary authority is responsible for all local government functions within its area. This is opposed
to a two-tier system where local government functions are divided between different authorities.

 Typically unitary authorities cover large towns or cities.

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Greater London

 Greater London was created in 1965 and it is

divided into the City of London and 32 London
Boroughs.

 The tiny City of London at its centre is often called

"the City" or "the Square Mile" and forms the main
financial district.

 London is the only English region with a directly

elected mayor and an elected regional assembly
which together comprise the Greater London
Authority (the "GLA"), which oversees transport, the
fire brigade and economic development.
District level
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 it refers to an administrative area with its own elected council.

 All Boroughs and Cities, and a very few Districts, are led by a
Mayor elected by the Council: in most cases, it is a ceremonial
role.

 After the most recent local government reform, the mayor is a

directly elected Mayor: he/she takes most of the policy
decisions instead of the Council.

Metropolitan district

 Metropolitan districts (or metropolitan boroughs) are a

subdivision of a metropolitan county.

 function similar to other unitary authorities.


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Arrangement
Non-metropolitan counties/Non- waste management, education,
metropolitan districts
Unitary
authorities
Metropolitan boroughs
Greater London/London
boroughs
Combined authorities/
constituent authorities
Functions
Upper tier authority Lower tier authority
housing, waste collection, council
libraries, social services, tax collection, local planning,
transport, strategic planning, licensing, cemeteries and
consumer protection, police, fire crematoria
housing, waste management, waste collection, council tax collection,
education, libraries, social services, transport, planning, consumer
protection, licensing, cemeteries and crematoria†, police and fire
come under shire councils
housing, waste collection, council tax collection, education, libraries,
social services, transport, local planning, consumer protection,
licensing, police, fire, cemeteries and crematoria†
transport, strategic planning, housing, waste collection, council
regional development, police, fire tax collection, education, libraries,
social services, local planning,
consumer protection, licensing,
cemeteries and crematoria†
transport, economic development, Dependent on type and combined
regeneration & various (depends authority arrangement
on devolution deal)