英語報刊閱讀Labour begins fight for its heartlands

Labourbeginsfightforitsheartlands

WhatarethemajortwopartiesintheUK?TheLabourPartyandtheConservativePartyarecompetingforGeneralElection.What’snameoftheBritishsystemofgovernment?TheBritishsystemofgovernmentisknownasconstitutionalmonarchy.TheUnitedKingdomisaparliamentarydemocracy,basedonuniversalsuffrage.ItisalsoaconstitutionalmonarchyinwhichministersgoverninthenameoftheSovereign（Monarch）,whoisbothHeadofStateandHeadoftheGovernment.

TheMonarchWhoistheQueenoftheU.K?TheQueen'stitleintheUnitedKingdomis“ElizabeththeSecond”(1926-)ascendthethrone

in1952(enthronement

登基典禮）InherroleasMonarch,theQueenisheadoftheexecutiveandplaysanintegralpartinthelegislature.Sheheadsthejudiciaryandisboththecommander-in-chiefofalltheArmedForcesoftheCrownand“supremegovernor”oftheestablishedChurchofEngland.QueenapprovestheappointmentofMinistersandtheformationofacabinet;QueengivesherassenttoBillsbeforetheybecomelaw;Queenconcludestreatiesanddeclareswar;shedeliverQueen’sSpeech(similartoStateoftheUnionMessage)Queenhasnorealpower,sheactsonlyonwhatparliamentandcabinetwanthertodo.WhyBritishPeopleliketokeepMonarchy?MostBritishpeopleregardtheMonarchyasalong-establishedtraditiontheywouldbemostunwillingtolose.TheMonarchyistheonlyunchangeablesymbolofBritainitself.Politicianscomeandgoaccordingtoelectionswonorlost,andatanygivenmomenteverypoliticianalwayshadmanydeterminedopponentsamongthosewhodonotbelongtohisownparty.ButtheMonarchisalwaysthere,abovepartyquarrels,representingthenationasawhole,andleadingdignityandsignificanttoallthingsdoneinhername.

SuccessionSuccessiontothethroneisalsoregulatedbyParliamentActsandcommonlawrules.Thefirstcandidateforthethroneisthefirstsonborntoareigningmonarch.HistitleisPrinceofWales.Ifhediesyoungwithoutdescendants,oneofhisbrothersorsisterswillbechosenaccordingtotheestablishedrule.TheprincipleisthatthesonsoftheSovereignandtheirdescendantshaveprecedenceoverdaughterswhilethedaughterstakeprecedenceovertheSovereign’sbrothers.The'consort'ofaKingtakesherhusband'srankandstyle,becomingQueen.TheQueen’shusbandcangettitleknownastheDukeofEdinburgh.OrderofsuccessiontothethronePrinceCharlesPrinceWilliamPrinceHarryWhatbranchesdoesU.KCentralGovernmentinclude?TheCentralGovernmentincludestheMonarch,Parliament,andtheCabinet.ParliamentTherearethreepartsofParliament?theelectedHouseofCommons（thelowerHouse）

theappointedHouseofLords

（theUpperHouse）andtheSovereign（monarch）.Althoughoutwardlyseparated,thethreebranchesareinterdependent.Theyareallinvolvedintheprocessoflegislation.Theagreementofallthreeisnormallyneededtopasslaws,butthatoftheSovereignisgivenasamatterofcourse.HouseofCommonsTheHouseofCommonsconsistsof659electedMPs（membersofparliament).ThemembersinthisHouseareelectedatintervalsofnotmorethanfiveyears.ThefirsttaskofanewlyelectedHouseofCommonsistoelectedaSpeaker

(DeputySpeaker)Thespeaker’smainfunctionistoactasthespokesmanoftheHouseinitsrelationshipwiththeSovereign.ThefunctionsoftheHouseofCommonsincludethreeaspects.Function1:criticalfunction.ThehouseofCommonshastoscrutinizeandcriticizetheactivitiesofthegovernment.Itcanmakeagovernmentresignbypassingamotionofnoconfidence.Function2:legislativefunction.AlmostalltheimportantBillsaremoved

bytheCabinetortheHouseofCommons.BeforeaBillissenttotheUpperHouse,itmustpassthroughtheprocessof“ThreeReadings”TheFirstReadingisapureformality,thetitleoftheBillbeingreadoutandanordermadeforittobeprintedandpublished.Onthesecondreadingthegeneralprinciplesareconsidered，andiftheoppositionisopposedtotheBillinitsentirety,itwillmoveitsrejectionatthisstage.ABillisconsideredinverygreatdetailatthisstage.FinallytheThirdReadinggivesanopportunityfortheHousetolookattheBillaswholebeforesendingittotheotherHouse,whereitgoesthroughlargelythesameprocesses,afterwhichitreceivestheRoyalassent.AnyamendmentstoaBillafterithasgonethroughoneHousehavetobesentbacktotheotherHouseforconsiderationandapproval.AftertheQueengivesassenttotheBill,itisineffectandiscalledanAct.Function3:ThethirdfunctionoftheHouseofCommonsisthatithasthepowertosupervisetheGovernment’sfinancialaspect.TheHouseofCommonsshouldcheckthegovernmentintheEstimatesandtheBudgetandcontrolitsexpenditure.HouseofLordsThemembershipoftheHouseofLordsiscomposedofhereditarypeersandlifepeers

andbishops.Apeerisaduke,marquis,earl,viscountandbaron.Alifepeer(thetitlecannotbeinherited)iscreatedbytheGovernmentundertheLifePeerageActin1958ThebishopintheUpperHouseareknownastheLordsSpiritual.AllothermembersarethelordsTemporal.Themembersreceivenosalarybutmayclaimanattendanceallowance

of16poundsperday.

Until1911theLordsenjoyedvirtuallythesamepowerastheCommons.

Thentheirrightsare

limitedtodelaybillsfortwoyears.TheParliamentAct1949reducedthistooneyear.InmostcasestheBillwillbepassedifitispresentedtotheUpperHouseasecondtimeafteroneyearwhethertheyagreeornot.TheHouseoftheLords,althoughrestrictedinitspowers,canstillserveausefulpurpose.Itsdebatingisoftenofaveryhighstandard,anditoftenputsforwardusefulamendmentwhicharelateracceptedbytheCommons.Somebillsofnon－controversialnatureareactuallyintroducedintheHouseofLords,thisrelievingtheCommonssomeofitswork..AfterretiringfromtheHouseofCommonstheQueenmadeMrs.Thatcheralifepeer.Apartfromthis,theHouseofLordshadspecialjudicialfunction.Itisthefinalcourtofappealincivilcasesandcriminalcases,exceptcriminalcasesinScotland,whicharedealtwithbytheHighCourtofJusticiaryAbillpassedbytheLowerHousehadtogototheUpperHouseforitsapprovalbeforeitissignedintolawbytheQueen.TheCabinetThePrimeMinistermayappointupto20ministerstositintheCabinet;thesemayincludebothdepartmentalandnon-departmentalministers.TheCabinetbalancesministers'individualdutieswiththeircollectiveresponsibilityasmembersoftheGovernmentandtakesthefinaldecisionsonallgovernmentpolicy.TheCabinetpracticescollectiveresponsibilitieswhichmeanstheCabinetmembersmustactunanimouslyonallmatters.IfaCabinetmemberrefusetoacceptthecollectivedecision,hehastoresignhisposition.PrimeMinisterThePrimeMinisteristhepartyleaderofmajoritypartyoftheHouseofcommons.ThePrimeMinister'suniquepositionofauthoritycomesfrommajoritysupportintheHouseofCommonsandfromthepowertoappointanddismissministers.Bymodernconvention,thePrimeMinisteralwayssitsintheCommons.ThePrimeMinisterpresidesovertheCabinet,isresponsibleforallocatingfunctionsamongministersandhasregularmeetingswithTheQueentoinformherofthegeneralbusinessoftheGovernment.ThePrimeMinisterrepresentstheUnitedKingdomatmajorinternationaleventsTwoMajorParties:TheConservativeParty/TheLabourPartyTheConservativePartyItcanalsobenamedas?TheConservativeParty(theTories,theconservatives)Supporters?supportedbymostofland-ownersandbusinessmen.Politicalviews?OneofthecentralcharacteristicsofConservativesisabeliefin“privateenterprise”Theyareparticularlyopposedtonationalization.Conservativealsotendtobelieveinagoverningclass.Certainkindsofpeoplewithcertainbackgroundshaveatraditionofgoverningandthereforeanaturalaptitudeforit.TheLabourParty:ThelabourParty,whomtheiropponentsprefertocalltheSocialists,isacomparativelynewparty,havingformeditsfirstgovernmentin1924.ItiswiththeworkingclassthattheLabourPartyisparticularlyassociated.Politicalview:ThecentralbeliefoftheLabourPartyisthatbusinesscannotbetrustedtoservethebestinterestsofthecommunity.theLabourPartybelievesinthesupervisionofindustrybythegovernment,andincertainindustriescompletenatinalisation,whichmeanspublicownershipinsteadofprivateenterprise.theLabourPartydonotbelievecertainpeoplehaveanaturalrighttogovernandtoenjoyspecialprivileges.Theybelieveinequalopportunityforeverybody.GeneralElectionsGeneralelectionsareheldatintervalsoffiveyears.AParliamenthasamaximumdurationoffiveyears,butnotallParliamentsservetheirfullterm.Accordingtothesurveyoffocusgroup,theGovernmentcan,andoftendoes,decidetoholdoneatanearlierdate.TheSovereigndissolvesParliamentandcallsforaGeneralElectionontheadviceofthePrimeMinister.Intimesofnationalemergency,suchasthetwoWorldWars,generalelectionscanbepostponed,butthisisveryrare.TheUnitedKingdomisdividedinto649

constituencies

(electoraldistricts)ofnearlyequalpopulation.EachconstituencyistoelectonememberofParliamentEverymanandwomanaged18oroverhastherighttovote.Mostvotingtakesplaceinpollingstations,butanycitizeneligibletovoteinGreatBritaincanapplyondemandtovotebypost（postalvote)(oneman，onevote，onevalue).Thecandidatewhoreceivesthelargestnumberofvotesiselectedevenifthevotesarelessthanhalfofthetotal(simplemajority,

first-past-the-postsystemU.Swinner-take-allsystem)Thetwomajorpartieshavetheirlocalorganizationineveryconstituency.Thetasksofthelocalpartyorganizationistochoosethecandidateofthepartyandhelphimwithhiselectioncampaign.CandidatesBritishcitizens,andresidentcitizensofotherCommonwealthcountriesandtheRepublicofIreland,maybeelectedasMembersofParliament(MPs)providedthattheyareaged21oroverandarenotdisqualified.Activesupportersresorttoallkindsofdevicestohelptheircandidate.Themostinterestingmethodis“canvassing”Enthusiasticsupportersgofromhousetohouse,askingpeopleforwhomtheyintendtovote.Thegeneralelectionisheldonthesamedayalloverthecountry,butvotingisnotcompulsory.Thecandidatewhogetsmostvoteswinstheelection.Assoonasthegeneralelectionarepublished,everybodyknowswhichpartywillgovernBritainforthenextfewyears.IftheGovernmentwinsamajorityoftheseatsinParliament,thereisnoneedtomakechanges.Ifitfailstowinamajority,thePrimeMinisterconcedeshisparty’sdefeatandresignsatonce.TheQueenthenautomaticallyappointstheleaderofthenewmajorityparty

PrimeMinisterandempowershimtoorganizeanewgovernmentforthenextfiveyears.TheformerGovernmenthadtoassumetheroleoftheOppositionPartywhichcanonlyformits“shadowcabinet”

LanguagePointsMonetaristfinancialpolicies:貨幣政策privatization:私有化deputyPrimeMinister:副首相l(xiāng)ocalcouncil:地方（行政）議會counciltax

家庭稅polltax:人頭稅Itfailedtofieldcandidatesinsomemetropolitanwardslastyear.field:(ofapoliticalparty)putupin(acandidate)tostandinanelection.e.g.fieldanarmyofcampaignworkers.ward:adivisionofacityortown,especiallyanelectoraldistrict,foradministrativeandrepresentativepurposesTheliberalDemocrat自由民主黨LibDem“Thetheme…willbethatweneedtoworkmorewithourEuropeanpartnersratherthankowtowingtoMrBush,”hesaid.Kowtow:toshowserviledeference;fawnPoliticalTerms(U.K)

Back-bencher:Aback–bencherissomeonewhodoesnothaveapositionofimportanceintheparliament.InthehouseofCommonsthemembersofparliamentwhoareministersinthegovernmentorareleadersoftheoppositionpartiessitsonthefrontbenches.Everyoneelsesitsonthebackbenches.By-election:Aby-electionisaspecialelectionheldtofillavacantseatintheHoseofCommons.EverytimeamemberoftheHouseofCommonsdiesorresignstheremustbeaby-electiontofilltheseat.Sinceby-electionsareheldbetweenthegeneralelectionstheyareseenasimportantindicatorsofhowwellthepartiesaredoingwiththeelectorate.e.g.TheTorieshopetogainaseatintomorrow’sby-electioninLiverpool.CollectiveministerialresponsibilityAccordingtotheprincipleofcollectiveministerialresponsibility,alltheministersinagovernmentareresponsiblefortheactionsofindividualministers.e.g.WhilethedisasterwasthefaultofDefenseMinister,thePrimeMinisterfeltobligedtoresign—citingtheprincipleofcollectiveministerialresponsibility.Devolution:Devolutionreferstotheshiftingpowerfromthecentralgovernmenttoregionalorlocalgovernments.Historically,mostpowerintheUnitedKingdomhasbeencentralizedinLondon.Inrecentyearstherehadbeenatrendtodevolvemorepowertotheregionalandlocalgovernments.Dissolution:DissolutionreferstothedissolvingoftheHouseofCommonsinpreparationforageneralelection.Usually,itisthePrimeMinisterwhorequeststhePalacetodissolvetheparliamentandthecallforanewelectionofmemberstotheHouseofCommons.e.g.IfthePrimeMinisterlosesthevoteofconfidenceitwillleadtodissolution.Divisionlobbies:

Whenmembersofthehousesofparliamentvotetheywalkintooneoftwolobbies—a“yes”lobbyora“no”lobby.Thus,ahouse“divides”intotwogroups—onegroupdisappearingintothelobbyononesideofthechamberandtheothergroupdisappearingintothelobbyontheothersideofthecham