The government of Great Britain

Who governs Britain? When the media talk about ‘the government’ they usually mean one of two things. The term ‘the government’ can be used to refer to all of the politicians who have been appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister to help run government departments (there are several politicians in each department) or to take on various other special responsibilities, such as managing the activities of Parliament. There are normally about a hundred members of ‘the government’ in this sense. Although there are various ranks, each with their own titles, members of the government are usually known as ‘ministers’. All ministers come from the ranks of Parliament, most of them from the House of Commons. Unlike in the USA and some other countries in Europe, it is rare for a person from outside Parliament to become a minister. And when this does happen, the person concerned is quickly found a seat in one of the two Houses.

The other meaning of the term ‘the government’ is more limited. It refers only to the most powerful of these politicians, namely the Prime Minister and the other members of the cabinet. There are usually about twenty people in the cabinet, though there are no rules about this. Most of them are the heads of the government departments.

Partly as a result of the electoral system, Britain, unlike much of western Europe, normally has ‘single-party government’. In other words, all members of the government belong to the same political party. Traditionally, British politicians have regarded coalition government with several parties involved as a bad idea.

Since the formation of modern political parties in the nineteenth century, Britain has had a total of only twenty-one years of coalition governments (1915-1922 and 1931-1945). Even when, for brief periods in the 1970s, no single party had a majority of seats in the House of Commons, no coalition was formed. There was a ‘minority government’ instead.

The habit of single-party government has helped to establish the tradition known as collective responsibility. That is, every member of the government, however junior, shares the responsibility for every policy made by the government. This is true even if, as is often the case, he or she did not play any part in making it. Of course, individual government members may hold different opinions, but they are expected to keep these private. By convention, no member of the government can criticize government policy in public. Any member who does so must resign.

Vocabulary

1. govern v – управлять, править

2. politician n – политик

3. refertov – (зд.) относиться к

4. monarch n – монарх

5. responsibility n – ответственность, поручение

6. rankn – (зд.) служебное положение

7. singlepartygovernment - однопартийное правительство

8. coalition n – коалиция

9. minority / majoritypartygovernment – правительство партии меньшинства / большинства

10. resignv – уйти в отставку

11. run v – (зд.) управлять

12. criticize v – критиковать

13. manage v – управлять, руководить

Assignments to Text 1

I.Practice the pronounciation of the following words:

- politician, coalition, responsibility, the House of Commons, majority, minority, junior, private, electoral, monarch, media

- to refer, to criticize, to govern, to manage, to involve, to happen, to concern, to resign

II. Form the nouns and adjectives from the following verbs, using suffixes:-ment, -tion, -ive

- to govern

- to appoint

- to limit

- to elect

- to involve

- to form

- to resign

- to collect

III. Translate the following sentences from the text into Russian. Define the type of clauses. Pay attention to the Tense and the Voice of the verbs:

1. The term “the government” can be used to refer to all of the politicians who have been appointed by the monarch to help run government departments.

2. Although there are various ranks, each with their own titles members of the government are usually known as “ministers”.

3. Unlike in the USA and in some other countries in Europe, it is rare for a person outside Parliament to become a minister.

4. The habit of single-party government has helped to establish the tradition known as collective responsibility.

5. Individual government members may hold different opinions, but they are expected to keep these private.

6. Partly as a result of the electoral system, Britain, unlike much of western Europe, normally has ‘single-party government’.

7. Since the formation of modern political parties in the nineteenth century, Britain has had a total of twenty-one years of coalition government.

8. By convention, no member of the government can criticize government policy in public.

9. And when this does happen, the person concerned is quickly found a seat in one of the two Houses.

IV. Open the brackets using the verbs in proper tense and voice according to the text (according to the text):

1. The other meaning of the term ‘the government’ (to be) more limited.

2. There (to be) normally about a hundred members of ‘the government’.

3. British politicians (to regard) coalition government as a bad idea.

4. The person concerned (to find) quickly a seat in one of the two Houses.

5. Even when, for brief periods of time, no single party had a majority of seats in the House of Commons, no coalition (to form).

6. There (to be) a ‘minority government’ instead a coalition one.

7. Who (to govern) Britain?

8. All members of the government (to belong) to the same political party.

9. The term ‘the government’ (can, to use) to refer to all of the politicians who (to appoint) by the monarch.

10. The habit of single-party government (to help) to establish the tradition known as collective responsibility.

V.Find the English equivalents in the text to the following Russian words and word combinations:

1. относится к политикам, кто …

2. управлять департаментами

3. деятельность парламента

4. влиятельные политики

5. место ( в парламенте)

6. средства массовой информации

7. выборная система

8. критиковать

9. публично

10. главы департаментов

11. в отличие от США

12. придерживаться различных мнений

13. формировать коалицию

14. уйти в отставку

VI. Insert prepositions if necessary:

1. The term ‘the government’ can be used to refer … all of the politicians who have been appointed … the monarch.

2. Who governs … Britain?

3. … the formation … modern political parties in the 19-th century, Britain has had a total … only twenty-one years of coalition governments.

4. Every member of the government shares the responsibility … every policy made … the government.

5. No member of the government can criticize government policy … public.

6. All members of the government belong … the same political party.

7. All ministers come … the ranks of Parliament, most … them … the House of Commons.

8. When the media talk … ‘the government’ they usually mean … one of two things.

9. Unlike … the USA and in some other countries … Europe, it is rare … a person … outside Parliament to become a minister.

10. Every member of the government did not play any part … making policies made … the government.

VII. Match the following words to form word combinations from the text:

1. Various 2. Powerful 3. The heads of 4. Single-party 5. Political 6. “miniority” 7. collective 8. a majority of 9. electoral 10. different

a. seats b. special responsibilities c. government d. party e. government f. responsibility g. government departments h. politicians i. opinions j. system

VIII. Answer the following questions:

1. What do the media mean when they talk about ‘the government’?

2. Who can the term ‘the government’ be referred to?

3. How many members of ‘the government’ are there in this sense?

4. Where do all ministers usually come from?

5. What happens when a person from outside Parliament becomes a minister?

6. Why is the other meaning of the term ‘the government’ more limited?

7. Who are the most powerful of these politicians?

8. Does Britain normally have ‘single-party government’?

9. Were there any periods of coalition governments in British history?

10. Who shares the responsibility for every policy made by the government?

IX. Say whether the following statements are true or false.

1. The term ‘the government’ usually has one meaning when the media talk about it.

2. All ministers come from the ranks of Parliament.

3. It is usual for a person from outside Parliament to become a minister.

4. The other meaning of the term ‘the government’ is more limited.

5. There are strict rules about the number of members in the cabinet.

6. Usually most of the cabinet members are the heads of the government departments.

7. British politicians have regarded coalition government a good idea.

8. In British history there are long periods of coalition governments.

9. By convention no member of the government can criticize government politicy in public.

10. Members of the government do not share the responsibility for every policy made by the government.

X. Read the following definitions of the words. Find the corresponding words in the text:

- a position in a series of different levels

- a temporary alliance, especially of two or more political parties in order to form a government

- a government comprising members of only one party

- to give up a job or a position

- to be in charge of smth.

- something for which a person is responsible

- the group of people who are in charge of the public affairs of a country

- to choose a person for a job

- a person who is involved in politics

XI. Find a “key-sentence” in each paragraph.

XII. Give a summary of the text. Try to answer to the question ‘Who governs Britain?’

XIII. Translate into English:

1. Термин «правительство» может быть применен к влиятельным политикам, назначаемым монархом для управления департаментами.

2. Большинство министров, как правило, являются членами парламента, в основном палаты общин.

3. Самые влиятельные политики во главе с премьер-министром формируют кабинет.

4. В однопартийном правительстве все его члены принадлежат одной и той же политической партии.

5. Британские политики не признают коалиционное правительство.

6. Коллективная ответственность в британском правительстве означает, что каждый ее член разделяет ответственность за любое решение своих коллег.

7. Любой член правительства, публично критикующий его политику, должен уйти в отставку.

8. Начиная с 19-го века коалиционное правительство в Великобритании существовало в общей сложности 21 год.

9. Bеликобритания вследствие избирательной системы и в отличие от большинства стран Западной Европы обычно имеет однопартийное правительство.

10. Кто управляет Великобританией?

XIV. Topics for discussion: