The Party system of Great Britain

The British democratic system depends on political parties. At one time there were two parties: Conservative and Liberal. The Conservative (or Tory) started аs Royalists in the 17th century. By the end of the 19th century the big landowners, the bankers and the industrialists had united. The Liberals began their activities as anti-Royalists in the 17th century. In the early 19th century they represented the small industrialists. They remained strong up to the end of World War I. Lloyd George, their leader, was Prime Minister. Then they faded out. Now the Liberal Party is small, and its relations with the Conservative and Labour parties are complex. But during the first half of the 20th century the Labour Party arose to represent the interests of the working class. Despite its many and courageous fights, it soon came under the influence of imperialist ideas. The two main parties are now Conservative (sometimes called "Tory") and Labour.

When one party wins more seats than the others, it forms the Government, the others are in opposition. In 1981 there was a split in the Labour Party and the Social Democratic Party was formed. After disappointing election results in 1988, the Social Democratic Party merged with the Liberals to form a centre called the Social Democratic and Liberal Party (SDLP). But some Social Democrats continued on their own. Northern Ireland hаs its own political parties. The largest is Ulster Unionist Party which supports Northern Ireland's union with Britain. In recent years nationalist movements in Scotland and Wales have produced parties which fight for their own special interests; the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) and the Welsh Nationalist Party.

The Communist Party of Great Britain arose out of the workers' struggles during World War I in 1920. Its former chairman Harry Pollitt, was the leader of the "Hands off Russia" movement. Between the two world wars the Communist Party led the movement for disarmament and for Collective Security against fascist aggression.

It also led the workers' struggles for better living conditions and against unemployment. The Communist Party is rather small. But where its policy is known or where individual communists are known it gets support.

The United Kingdom is divided into 650 areas called constituencies. Some constituencies have a much larger voting population than others. Each constituency returns one Member of Parliament. Before an election a candidate is chosen by the local members of a party: if there is not enough local support for a party, it may decide not to have a candidate. But the two main parties almost always fight the election in every constituency. Candidates who are independent of a political party can also seek election but they rarely get a seat in Parliament. Elections in Britain are decided on a simple majority in each constituency - the candidate with the most votes is elected. And the party with the most elected members wins the election. So the number of seats in Parliament held by each political party is not directly related to the total number of votes it receives.

(Life in Britain. English Language Text Books for Foreigners. 1988. Heinemann)

Пояснение к тексту

constituency - избирательный округ

Слова и выражения для активного усвоения

to depend on – зависеть

activity – деятельность

to represent - представлять

split – раскол

influence – влияние

to merge – сливаться

to support – поддерживать

recent – недавний

to arise - возникать, происходить

to lead - руководить, возглавлять

struggle - борьба

disarmament – разоружение

election – выборы

to vote-голосовать

voting - голосование, выборы

Questions to the text.

1. What does the British democratic systems depend on?

2. What political parties of Great Britain do you know?

3. Is there any difference between the Conservative and the Labour parties?

4. What party forms the Government?

Text 6.