Parliamentary Structure & Workings
Policy & Change
The UK Today
100
In this system of political organization, most or all of the governing power resides in a centralized government.
What is a unitary government?
100
This is a weekly period of time in which members of Parliament can ask questions to the governing members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister.
What is Question Hour?
100
This term characterizes the UK's current voting system, in which the candidate who receives a plurality vote in a district wins the seat.
What is first past the post?
200
This term describes MPs who are not in leadership positions.
What are backbenchers?
200
In developed countries, this is a support and service that is provided to people with specific qualifications.
What is the welfare state?
200
This is a term to describe the close affinity between the US and the UK since WWII.
What is the special relationship?
300
This term has only applied to the UK Parliament twice in history, including now.
What is a coalition government?
300
This occurs when the members of a parliament and the people are asked to vote on whether they support the governmental authority and agree with their actions. For Britain, it is a requirement if the party and prime minister disagree on an issue.
What is a vote of confidence?
300
This man is the leader of the Liberal-Democrats in Great Britain. He is the Deputy Prime Minister and helped with the coalition of the Conservative and Liberal-Democrat parties in 2010 along side of David Cameron.
Who is Nick Clegg?
400
This is an instruction given to MPs by party leaders telling them they must vote in a particular way.
What is a three-line-whip?
400
This was a reform adopted by the Labour party that rejected historic ties between Labour governments and the trade union movement, emphasizing instead the virtues of a partnership with business.
What is Labour's "Third Way"?
400
This was a series of coordinated suicide attacks in London by four Islamic terrorists targeting civilians using public transportation.
What is the 2005 Subway Bombing in London?
500
This term is used to describe the group that works in both Houses and checks and reports on areas ranging from the work of government departments to economic affairs.
What are select committees?
500
This is an acronym for an organization to which government has devolved power.
What is QUANGO?
500
This is an Act of Parliament of the UK that creates a public "right of access" to information and implements freedom of information in the UK on a national level.
What is the Freedom of Information Act?