Everything I've forgotten, plus a few other bits.
As I'm sure you're aware, our Prime Minister, or PM, is the Conservative, Theresa May.
She got the top job after David Cameron stepped down, following the public's decision to 'leave' in the EU referendum. Normally, to find a new party leader/PM, there is a formal election process; the candidates campaign across the party, then all members are allowed to vote for their choice.
However, in the running for the PM everyone just sort of dropped out, or was eliminated, way before the elctions. Boris Johnson (a favoured candidate) withdrew before it even started; his political ally Michael Gove declared his intention to compete against him. Liam Fox was eliminated as he didn't have enough support, then Stephen Crabb withdrew. Gove was eliminated in the second round- he didn't have enough supporters either - leaving just Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May. The media put a lot of pressure on Leadsom after she made some controversial remarks, and she pulled out too. This led to May, the only competitor left, being chosen as PM. All this happened in the space of 17 days.
Normally, however, a Prime Minister becomes a Prime Minister through a General Election - when every registered voter has one vote to choose the person that they want to represent their area and become an MP (although most voters just vote for an MP depending on which party they're part of).
The country is split into 650 zones, called constituencies, and each one is represented by an MP. If the UKIP candidate wanted to become Prime Minister (you see the joke I made there?), they would have to have the majority of constituencies (326) so that they can vote new laws through Parliament.
In the 2015 General Election, the Conservatives won outright, but with a slender majority. This means that if some Conservative MPs oppose a bill, it only takes a few of them voting with opposition MPs to stop it being passed. (Remember, everyone in Parliament can vote on a law, and Labour and Conservatives normally vote against each other).
But...and here's the clincher...what if you don't win a majority?
He (on the right) is Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. On the left, as I hope you'd know, is David Cameron; the former Conservative leader and ex-PM.
The problem?
In the 2010 election, there was a 'Hung Parliament'. This is when no party has a clear majority because the votes are so widely distributed. No-one could legally form a government, and if a solution wasn't found then there would be repeated elections until a majority was reached.
The solution?
The Conservatives had the most votes, (307) and if they could ally with another smaller party - say, the Liberal Democrats - they'd have a majority. This is known as a 'Coalition' and it last happened in WWII. The Lib Dems had 57 seats; it could work. But Labour were sniffing around, and were open to allying with SNP (Scottish National Party) and the Lib Dems - this would've given them a majority too.
And?
It took just four days to thrash out a deal with the Tories; Labour's leader, Gordon Brown, wasn't desirable for the Lib Dems. A few minor pledges had to be dropped, but negotiations were largely peaceful and set the tone for the five years to come, and I can now stop writing.
And that brings us full circle! Kind of. Hopefully. Potentially.
Ideally, you now know Britain's main political parties, how Parliament functions, and the way elections work. You can talk at length about UKIP's shortcomings *cough* of which there are many *cough*, discuss the intricacies of passing law, and question Theresa May's legitimacy as Prime Minister.
As always, give improvements, suggestions, or ideas in the comments below. After Christmas, we'll be looking at war in Yemen. Not strictly political, but then again, neither is Donald Trump.
Merry Christmas!
As I'm sure you're aware, our Prime Minister, or PM, is the Conservative, Theresa May.She got the top job after David Cameron stepped down, following the public's decision to 'leave' in the EU referendum. Normally, to find a new party leader/PM, there is a formal election process; the candidates campaign across the party, then all members are allowed to vote for their choice.
 |
| Crabb (top left), Gove (bottom left) May (bottom middle), Fox (bottom right), and Leadsom (top right). Lovely door for sale (top middle). |
However, in the running for the PM everyone just sort of dropped out, or was eliminated, way before the elctions. Boris Johnson (a favoured candidate) withdrew before it even started; his political ally Michael Gove declared his intention to compete against him. Liam Fox was eliminated as he didn't have enough support, then Stephen Crabb withdrew. Gove was eliminated in the second round- he didn't have enough supporters either - leaving just Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May. The media put a lot of pressure on Leadsom after she made some controversial remarks, and she pulled out too. This led to May, the only competitor left, being chosen as PM. All this happened in the space of 17 days.
 |
| The 2015 election results. The conservatives have a slim majority. |
The country is split into 650 zones, called constituencies, and each one is represented by an MP. If the UKIP candidate wanted to become Prime Minister (you see the joke I made there?), they would have to have the majority of constituencies (326) so that they can vote new laws through Parliament.
In the 2015 General Election, the Conservatives won outright, but with a slender majority. This means that if some Conservative MPs oppose a bill, it only takes a few of them voting with opposition MPs to stop it being passed. (Remember, everyone in Parliament can vote on a law, and Labour and Conservatives normally vote against each other).
But...and here's the clincher...what if you don't win a majority?
He (on the right) is Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. On the left, as I hope you'd know, is David Cameron; the former Conservative leader and ex-PM.
The problem?
In the 2010 election, there was a 'Hung Parliament'. This is when no party has a clear majority because the votes are so widely distributed. No-one could legally form a government, and if a solution wasn't found then there would be repeated elections until a majority was reached.
The solution?
The Conservatives had the most votes, (307) and if they could ally with another smaller party - say, the Liberal Democrats - they'd have a majority. This is known as a 'Coalition' and it last happened in WWII. The Lib Dems had 57 seats; it could work. But Labour were sniffing around, and were open to allying with SNP (Scottish National Party) and the Lib Dems - this would've given them a majority too.
And?
It took just four days to thrash out a deal with the Tories; Labour's leader, Gordon Brown, wasn't desirable for the Lib Dems. A few minor pledges had to be dropped, but negotiations were largely peaceful and set the tone for the five years to come, and I can now stop writing.
And that brings us full circle! Kind of. Hopefully. Potentially.
Ideally, you now know Britain's main political parties, how Parliament functions, and the way elections work. You can talk at length about UKIP's shortcomings *cough* of which there are many *cough*, discuss the intricacies of passing law, and question Theresa May's legitimacy as Prime Minister.
As always, give improvements, suggestions, or ideas in the comments below. After Christmas, we'll be looking at war in Yemen. Not strictly political, but then again, neither is Donald Trump.
Merry Christmas!
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