CMC BRITANNIQUE
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| Chapter 1: United Kingdom: Introduction | |||||||||||||||||
a) Four nations in one The UK is situated in North-West Europe it is separated from mainland by the North Sea and the English Channel. It is made up of 4 nations England, Wales (formal name principality of Wales), Scotland and Northern Ireland sometimes called Ulster (formal name Province of Northern Ireland), as well as many off-lying islands. The UK’s full official name is the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”, and it was adopted in 1927.
NOTE: we say the United Kingdom/the UK with the definite article and there is no hyphen.
The capital cities of the nations making up the UK are London for England, Cardiff for Wales, Edinburgh for Scotland and Belfast for Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland whose capital if Dublin is not a part of the UK.
England became a unified entity in the mid-tenth century. Wales, a separate kingdom at that time, was conquered by the English in 1282. England and Scotland were united under one monarch in 1603 and they agreed to permanent parliamentary union as “Great Britain” created by the Act of Union of 1707. b) Flags Each nation that makes up the UK has its own national flag. These national flags are relatively seldom seen, except during international sporting events. The national flag of the UK is called the Union Flag or the Union Jack. It’s a union of the English, Scottish and Irish flags so it is red, white and blue. The Welsh flag is not included in the Union Jack because when the first version of the flag appeared Wales was already united with England. It is thought that “Jack” comes from the term jack: a small flag flown at the bow of a ship indicating the vessel’s nationality. The colours and design of the Union Jack form the basis of various flags of British Commonwealth countries. Indeed, a small Union Jack features in the top left corner of the national flags of Australia, Fiji, New-Zealand, etc.
c) National days and celebrations England’s national day is the 23 April in honour of St. George the country’s patron saint. A story from the sixth century relates how St. George, a Christian martyr, rescued a fair maiden by slaying a terrifying fire-breathing dragon. He is thought to have died in 303 AD. Wales’s national day: St. David’s day, 1 March. Scotland: St. Andrew4s Day, 30 November. Ireland: St. Patrick’s day, 17 March.
The United Kingdom has various natural mineral resources including coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, iron ore, salt, lead and silica. The coastline of Great Britain measures 11,073 miles (17820km). More than 300 ports and harbours punctuate the indented shores of UK. The channel tunnel (Eurotunnel) was opened by Queen Elisabeth II and the French President François Mitterrand in 1994.
England has a mild climate, rarely experiencing extremes of cold or heat. The temperature seldom goes 23° Fahrenheit (F) (-5° Celsius (C) ) or above 77° F (25° C). This is partially due to the North Atlantic drift, which makes the seas surrounding England relatively warm. January is the coldest month and July the hottest one.
Mid-2017, the estimated resident population of the United Kingdom was 66.04 million according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There has been a big increase in the number of the very elderly: “the oldest old” with 1.5 million people over 85, in 2015, compared with 0.2 million in 1951. Thus, those aged 85 and over now represent 2.3% of the total population of the UK. There are more than 14,000 people aged over 100 in the UK.
Principles of the Constitution The Rule of Law: is the restriction of power by well defined and established laws. All men and women are equal before the law regardless of their position. Parliamentary Sovereignty: (consisting of elected representatives in the House of Commons, unelected members of the House of Lords and the monarch via Royal Assent) is the supreme power of the State. The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution in the form of one document that codifies all the fundamental rules.
UK’s uncodified constitution: a) Statute Law: various written Acts of Parliament b) Common Law and Case Law: c) Conventions and Customs d) European Union Law e) Authoritative Works
Statute Law: various written Acts of Parliament - The Magna Carta (Latin for “Great Charter): King John of England put on it (against his will) in 1215. It lays out the rights and liberties of sovereigns, noblemen along with ordinary men and women. - The petition of rights: it stipulates that there would be no taxation without the consent of the House of Commons. King Charles I was obliged to allow the petition to become law. - The Habeas Corpus Act: forbids arbitrary arrests and detentions. It also requires that a prisoner be brought before a judge and/or jury and that evidence be presented showing why he or she is “properly detained”. - The Bill of Rights Act: it deals with the relations between the Crown and the Parliament. It put an end to the “Divine Right of Kings”, i.e. the concept that the monarchy’s power comes from God. - The Act of Settlement: It made illegal the succession of illegitimate, adopted or Catholic persons. Thus the monarch had to be a protestant. It also stipulated that a first born son is given priority over older sisters. The discrimination aspects of the Act was annulled and withdrawn in 2011 by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government. - The Reform Acts: also known as Representation of the People Acts deal with parliamentary reform. In particular they changed voting rights, extending them to previously disenfranchised citizens. This Act allowed men over 21 to vote and property-owning women over 30. In 1969 it lowered the age of suffrage to 18, which is where it still stands today. - The Parliamentary Act: it dramatically cut the power of the House of Lords and asserted the legislative supremacy of the House of Commons.
UK POLITICAL SYSTEM The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. This means that Great Britain is governed by the Parliament and the Queen is Head of State. The legislative power in the country is exercised by the Houses of Parliament. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary and life peers and peeresses. The members of the House of Commons are elected by the people. They are elected from the constituencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The House of Commons is the real governing body of the United Kingdom. The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The government is usually formed by the political party which is supported by the majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is the majority party leader and is appointed by the Queen. The Prime Minister chooses a team of ministers; twenty of the ministers are in the Cabinet. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and the Shadow Cabinet. The two leading parties in Great Britain are the Conservative Party (the Tories) and the Labour Party. The judiciary branch of the government determines common law and is independent of both the legislative and the executive branches. There is no written constitution in Great Britain, only precedents and traditions. The press
The UK’s national daily newspapers are commonly identified as either “quality” (that is, publishing serious, news-led journalism) or “tabloid” (devoted more to populist muck-raking and celebrity/royal gossip). On the quality side are the left-leaning Guardian, broadly centrist Independent, right-leaning Times and staunchly Conservative Daily Telegraph, along with the business-minded Financial Times. All are outsold by the tabloids, led by the right-wing Sun and left-ish Daily Mirror, along with the tub-thumping, frequently xenophobic Daily Mail and Daily Express. All of these appear Monday to Saturday only. On Sundays, each gives way to a sister title from the same stable. Most are identifiable (ie Sunday Times, Independent on Sunday and so on), though the Guardian becomes the Observer – England’s oldest Sunday newspaper – and the Sun mutates into the laughably mistitled gossip-rag News of the World. You’ll also see mostly weekly local newspapers along with racks of magazines from the parochial to familiar global titles. One to look out for is the satirical bi-weekly Private Eye, which prides itself on printing the stories the rest of the press won’t touch, and on riding the consequent stream of libel suits. Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans in London should look out for the weekly free magazine TNT, which provides news from home as well as classified ads.
The UK has five terrestrial TV channels available pretty much everywhere: BBC1 and BBC2 (wwww.bbc.co.uk), ITV1 (wwww.itv .com), Channel 4 (wwww.channel4.com) and Five (wwww.five.tv). Most hotels – and a fair sprinkling of other forms of tourist accommodation – will offer cable or, more frequently, satellite channels as well.
The BBC runs five analogue radio stations. All are available nationwide, though the exact frequency varies according to your location: Radio 1 (chart and urban music; 97–99FM), Radio 2 (light pop and specialist music; 88–91FM), Radio 3 (classical music; 90–93FM), Radio 4 (current affairs and serious speech; 92–95FM) and Five Live (rolling news and sport; 693 or 909 AM). Other national stations include Classic FM (light classical music; 100–102FM), Absolute (pop music; 1215 AM plus 105.8FM in London) and TalkSport (sports phone-ins; 1053 or 1089 AM). There’s also a host of local stations in each area, both BBC (mostly speech-led) and commercial (almost entirely music-led). All these can also be picked up digitally – either online, or through a digital TV, or with a special DAB digital radio – which also gives you access to countless more digital-only stations, from classic rock to Christian worship.
EDUCATION IN THE UK The education system is divided into nursery (ages 3–4), primary education (ages 4–11), secondary education (ages 11–18) and higher education (ages 18+). Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 16, either at school or otherwise, with a child beginning primary education during the school year he or she turns 5. At the age of 16, students sit national exams at the age of 16 known as GCSES. An exam in each subject is taken so you normally leave school with 10 GCSES which are graded from A* - F. Students may then continue their secondary studies for a further two years (sixth form), leading most typically to A-level qualifications, although other qualifications and courses exist, including Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications or apprenticeships. The leaving age for compulsory education was raised to 18 by the Education and Skills Act 2008. The change will take effect in 2013 for 16-year-olds and 2015 for 17-year-olds. Public schooling and sixth form education is paid for by taxes. England also has private schools and boarding schools where students go to school and live in residency there. All public schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum, which is made up of twelve subjects. The core subjects—English, Mathematics and Science—are compulsory for all students aged 5 to 16. A range of other subjects, known as foundation subjects, are compulsory in one or more school years. They include Art & Design, Citizenship, Design & Technology, Geography, History Information & Communication Technology, Modern Foreign Languages, Music and Physical Education Higher education often begins with a three-year bachelor's degree (some courses are 4 years for example modern languages has a compulsory year abroad) Postgraduate degrees include master's degrees and PhDs that usually take at least three years. Universities require a Royal Charter in order to issue degrees, and all but one are financed by the state via tuition fees, which cost up to £9,000 a term for English, Welsh and EU students. Oxford and Cambridge are the most famous universities in England and only accept exceptional students. QUESTIONS
Religion and Beliefs
Major Celebrations/Secular Celebrations
The Family
Economy
Food
Arts, Humanities and Popular Culture
Visiting a home
Taboos
A poem to better understand the British Melting Pot The British Melting pot Take some Picts, Celts and Silures
Benjamin Zephaniah, “The British”, Wicked World !, 2000
1. settle (v.) [setl] = s’installer 2. overrun (v.) [ˌəuvəˈrʌn] = invade 3. remove (v.) [rɪˈmuːv] = take away 4. stir (v.) [stɜː] = to mix 5. blend (n.) [blend] = mixture 6. sprinkle (v.) [ˈsprɪŋkl] = saupoudrer 7. simmer (v.) [ˈsɪmə] = cook on low heat 8. bind (v.) [baɪnd] = join 9. bitter (adj.) [ˈbɪtə] = amer
The British Empire through time An 'empire' is a group of countries ruled over by a single monarch or ruling power. An empire doesn't need an 'emperor'. The British Empire comprised of Britain, the 'mother country', and the colonies, countries ruled to some degree by and from Britain. The British began to establish overseas colonies in the 16th century. By 1783, Britain had a large empire with colonies in America and the West Indies. This 'first British Empire' came to an end after the American Revolution. However, in the 19th century, the British built a second worldwide empire, based on British sea-power, made up of India and huge conquests in Africa. A snapshot of the British Empire in 1922 The British generally felt that the way they lived their lives was the right way. They believed that colonising various countries was a means of helping others to become like Britain and therefore improve. - In 1947, India and Pakistan were given independence. - In 1960, British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan admitted there was a "wind of change" in Africa. Most of Britain's African and Caribbean colonies achieved independence in the 1960s. - In 1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community and became part of a trading community based on free trade between the countries of Europe. - In 1997, Britain formally handed Hong Kong back to China.
The Commonwealth The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.4 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. The members work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace, amplify the voice of small states, and protect the environment. United Kingdom in the Commonwealth The Commonwealth, once known as the British Commonwealth of Nations, has its roots in colonialism and the British Empire. The Commonwealth has its roots in the British Empire. After some countries around the world began gaining some level of freedom from Britain, they became known as "dominions," and the leaders of dominions attended conferences beginning in 1887. In 1926, at the Imperial Conference, leaders of several countries—Australia, Canada, India, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, New Zealand, and South Africa—agreed with Britain that they were "equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations." This agreement was formalized in the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and agreed to by Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa, but declined by Australia and New Zealand; India is left out, after its relationship with Britain worsened. But it wasn't until 1949, with the London Declaration, that Commonwealth member countries were no longer required to have the British monarch as their Head of State. This decision was made after India—which joined the Commonwealth in 1947—declared that it would become a republic, but wanted to remain in the Commonwealth. The association dropped "British" from its title, becoming the Commonwealth of Nations, and its member countries were required to recognize reigning monarch King George VI as Head of the Commonwealth, rather than their Head of State. The first members of the Commonwealth of Nations were the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, and Ceylon (later Sri Lanka). (In the years between 1926 and 1949, several countries joined and left the association.)
Today the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent countries, made up of 2.4 billion people, who work together to promote shared interests. The Queen is head of state of 16 countries that are a part of the Commonwealth realm, including the UK. These include Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as several island nations in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean. These are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. In London, the UK hosts the HQ of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Foundation, Association of Commonwealth Universities, Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Commonwealth Games Federation, Commonwealth Local Government Forum and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Scholarships and fellowships are awarded by the UK to citizens of other Commonwealth countries under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.
Britain’s Contribution to the world. Sports invented and codified in Britain include Association Football (most popular sport), Cricket (worlds 2nd most popular), Rugby, Golf, Badminton, Snooker, Tennis etc. - Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players. - Cricket is believed to have been invented in South England. It’s a game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 20-metre. - William Beveridge He had a vision of social reconstruction and social progress. Beveridge's five giants
- Charles Darwin and the modern theory of evolution. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection is one of the most solid theories in science. He gave a lesson: “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” - Shakespeare: widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. “Go wisely and go slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.” Romeo and Juliet - Adam Smith's theory is based on the principle of 'Laissez-Faire' which requires that state should not impose any restriction on freedom of an individual. The theory of economic development rests on the pillars of saving, division of labour and wide extent of market. - Thomas Cook was a founding father of tourism as a commercial industry and his travel agencies continue to serve tourists. Thomas Cook was a founding father of tourism as a commercial industry and his travel agencies continue to serve tourists. David Hum, William Blake...
Brexit The result of the United Kingdom European Union Referendum of 2016 was a victory for the 'Leave' campaign, amassing a total of 51.9% of the vote. This meant that the outcome was in favour of the United Kingdom to leaving the European Union, a decision and process that has come to be known as "Brexit". Consequently, British Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29th March 2017, starting the process of the UK's exit from the EU.
What does Brexit mean? It is a word that has become used as a shorthand way of saying the UK leaving the EU - merging the words Britain and exit to get Brexit.
What is article 50? Article 50 is a plan for any country that wishes to exit the EU. It was created as part of the Treaty of Lisbon - an agreement signed up to by all EU states which became law in 2009. Before that treaty, there was no formal mechanism for a country to leave the EU. It spells out that any EU member state may decide to quit the EU, that it must notify the European Council and negotiate its withdrawal with the EU, that there are two years to reach an agreement - unless everyone agrees to extend it - and that the exiting state cannot take part in EU internal discussions about its departure.
Who wanted the UK to leave the EU? The UK Independence Party has campaigned for many years for Britain's exit from the EU. They were by about half the Conservative Party's MPs, including Boris Johnson and five members of the then Cabinet. A handful of Labour MPs and Northern Ireland party the DUP were also in favour of leaving.
What were their reasons for wanting the UK to leave? The 'Leave' campaign campaigned primarily on issues relating to sovereignty and migration. They said Britain was being held back by the EU, which they said imposed too many rules on business and charged billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return. They also cited sovereignty and democracy, and they wanted Britain to take back full control of its borders and reduce the number of people coming here to live and/or work. One of the main principles of EU membership is "free movement", which means you don't need to get a visa to go and live in another EU country. The Leave campaign also objected to the idea of "ever closer union" between EU member states and what they see as moves towards the creation of a "United States of Europe".
Who wanted the UK to stay in the EU? Then Prime Minister David Cameron was the leading voice in the Remain campaign. Sixteen members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet, including the woman who would replace him as PM, Theresa May, also backed staying in. The Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats were all in favour of staying in. US president Barack Obama also wanted Britain to remain in the EU, as did other EU nations such as France and Germany.
What were their reasons for wanting the UK to stay? The remain campaign focused on the economic impacts of leaving the EU. Those campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU said it got a big boost from membership - it makes selling things to other EU countries easier and, they argued, the flow of immigrants, most of whom are young and keen to work, fuels economic growth and helps pay for public services. They also said Britain's status in the world would be damaged by leaving and that we are more secure as part of the 28 nation club, rather than going it alone.
What was the result of the referendum ? A referendum - a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part - was held on Thursday 23 June, 2016, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Leave won by 51.9% to 48.1%. The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting.
47.5%.
Brexit and social issues: This theme is likely to continue to dominate throughout the years, giving organisations the opportunity to join the conversation and, importantly, to offer solutions. Here’s a brief rundown of 5 social issues:
1. Hate Cybercrime, hate crime and bullying all featured heavily in the media during the latter part of 2016. Increases in violent crime and hate crime were reported in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. ith the internet as the next crime frontier, the government announced £1.9bn of spending on cyber-defences, and more recently announced that it will fund research into social media hate crime with companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter also coming under pressure to remove hate speech. 2. Mental health People have to deal with the possibility of losing their job within 24 hours, losing their right to work and live across the EU. The feelings this must bring up and the effects it must have on their daily life are some issues researchers are discussing about. In some studies they found that families have been ripped apart and couples have split up. Many studies reported that Brexit wasn’t just a personal blow for EU and UK citizens; it was also a moral and emotional blow in terms of the future of the world they live in. A Mental Health Foundation poll found that 54 percent of EU citizens felt powerless, 39 percent felt insecure, and 38 percent felt worried as a result of the threat of Brexit. Brexit and economic issues There are a few clear consequences. While we do not know the shape of any EU-UK deal, the EU has potentially lost its most economically liberal member. A vote by a Member State to leave is an immense shock to the Union’s self-image, global standing and sense of durability of the European project. Dealing with complex Brexit negotiations reduces the resources available to deal with all these crisis and increases the complexity of managing these crises as they begin to feed off one another. This interaction between crises can be seen in the use by nationalist forces, such as those of the Front National in France to deploy the Brexit result in a broader attack against EU and euro zone membership. It galvanises anti-EU forces across the continent, with the prospect that the EU is indeed toppling and it will only need a few more events like the Brexit vote to end the Union.
What future awaits the UK and the European Union countriesafter Brexit? Watch the video. Read the predictions and decide which strategy of leaving the EU is it: Watch the video:
……………………………………. - the UK government will set their own rules and regulations on trade, boarders, etc. - will be beneficial for British traders who sell their goods in the UK - import and export of goods to/from the UK will be more expensive
…………………………………………… - invented by the Prime Minister Theresa May (and called after her home) - both European and British politicians aren’t in favour of it - the UK will sign a “common rule” book, and will continue on sharing some regulations with the EU - more freedom for new deals with countries from all over the world - the rights of immigrants will be protected, but there will be more control over migration - crossing the border will remain easy but there will be more control over the free movement
……………………………………………….. - Britain will continue to observe some general EU regulations. - trading and travelling abroad will remain easy - some Brits might see it as a betrayal of the referendum, because few things will change
…………………………………………………… - it might cause chaos both across the UK and the UE - possible economic crash, problems with trade, huge delays at the border, food shortages - a hard border required between the UK and Ireland
United Kingdom: Economic and political outline
Economic Overview For the latest updates on the key economic responses from governments to adress the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, please consult the IMF's policy tracking platform Policy Responses to COVID-19. The sixth-largest economy in the world, the British economy's growth has slowed since the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union (Brexit). The situation worsened in 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: GDP fell by 2.2% in the first quarter and plummeted 20.4% in the second, with a yearly loss estimated at 9.8% by the IMF, the country’s deepest recession since World War II. Despite the measures taken by the government to support the economy, business investment and household consumption collapsed. A rebound is expected by the IMF for 2021 (+5.9%) and 2022 (+3.2%), also largely due to the the much awaited last-minute trade deal signed between the UK and the European Union, finally defining the new terms of the future relationship and cooperation between the UK and the rest of the EU after Brexit. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, is provisionally applicable since 1 January 2021, after having been agreed by EU and UK negotiators on 24 December 2020. Government consumption is forecast to contribute positively to growth over the next two years; nevertheless, uncertainty remains concerning the evolution of the pandemic, with a new lockdown announced from early January 2021 as a consequence of the quick spread of a new variant of the COVID-19 virus. According to the forecast of the EU Commission, by the end of 2022 UK’s GDP is projected to still be 5% below the level of the fourth quarter of 2019.
The measures taken by the government to support employees and the self-employed helped to contain the rise of the unemployment rate, which stood at an estimated 5.4% in 2020 (up from 3.8% in the previous year). However, due to the slow recovery in 2021 and government support terminating, unemployment is expected to increase sharply in 2021 to 7.4%, before gradually easing to 6.1% in 2022 (IMF). The rate is higher for young people aged 16-24, at 14.5% in the period August-October 2020 (from 12.1% in the pre-pandemic quarter of January-March 2020 – ONS). The country’s GDP per capita (PPP) is estimated at 48,698 by the World Bank (latest data available), but the relatively solid macroeconomic performance of the United Kingdom conceals weaknesses and situations of inequality. Thus, as the IMF has emphasised, strengthening human capital is a key priority. The government's efforts to invest in infrastructure, increase the supply of housing and increase the participation of women in the labour market will also help support more sustainable and inclusive growth. Note: (e) Estimated Data Main Sectors of Industry The United Kingdom is one of the world's largest producing countries, with particularly important civil and military aerospace and pharmaceutical industries. The agricultural sector accounts for 0.6% of GDP, but is very productive, the country managing to produce enough to meet around 60% of its food demand. The primary sector employs 1% of the active population (World Bank, 2019). The main crops produced in the UK are potatoes, beets, wheat and barley. Livestock farming (especially sheep and cattle) remains a major agricultural activity. The fishing sector is also well developed but is currently suffering from the depletion of fish volumes in traditional fishing areas (the subject was a key issue of the trade deal concluded with the EU, which states that the UK will have the right to completely exclude EU boats after 2026). According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the utilised agricultural area stands at 17.5 million hectares. Nevertheless, agriculture output was severely affected by the outbreak of COVID-19: although it recorded a 6.1% increase between April and October 2020, the overall output remained 2.1% below pre-pandemic levels (ONS). The United Kingdom has considerable mineral resources. Once the 10th largest oil producer in the world with huge natural gas reserves, its production is declining rapidly. Nevertheless, groups such as British Petroleum (BP) and Shell continue to be among the world leaders in the petroleum industry. However, the industrial sector, which accounts for 17.4% of GDP and employs 18% of the working population, is not very competitive, mainly due to the low productivity. Some of the main sectors include machine tools, transport equipment and chemicals. Among the sectors with strong potential are information and communication technologies, biotechnologies, aviation, renewable energies and defence. 2020 was a hard year for the UK’s secondary sector: data from the ONS shows that at the end of October manufacturing output remained 6.6% below its February 2020 levels, same as for construction output (-6.4%)., with production industries as a whole remaining 4.4% below their February 2020 level. Source: World Bank, Latest available data.
Indicator of Economic Freedom Definition Score: 78,9/100 World Rank: 7 Regional Rank: 3
Business environment ranking Score: 7.44 World Rank: 22/82 Source: The Economist - Business Environment Rankings 2014-2018 Political Outline Current Political Leaders Queen: Elizabeth II (since February 1952). Prime Minister: Boris Johnson (since 24 July 2019), Conservative Party. Next Election Dates General elections (House of Commons): May 2, 2024 (at the latest). Current Political Context The information in this section is subject to frequent change. The latest political information on the Brexit process is available here. Boris Johnson can count on a strong majority in the Parliament; however, his popularity has been declining in 2020 because of the management of the COVID-19 health crisis, which was judged negatively by the public opinion. A Cabinet reshuffle took place in February 2020, with five ministers being replaced. Brexit continued to be one of the main subjects in the political arena, with the transition period coming to an end on 31 December 2020. A week before that date, the United Kingdom signed a trade deal with the European Union, thus erasing the possibility of a “no-deal” Brexit. Meanwhile, the UK worked on strengthening its commercial relations, signing around 60 rollover agreements (to give continuity to the deals previously covered by the EU), as well as an important trade deal with Japan, the first that differs from an existing EU deal. An FTA with the USA is also being negotiated.
Main Political Parties The three dominant parties: - Labour Party: left-wing socialist and social democratic, grew out of trade union movement in the 19th century; - Conservative Party: centre-right; believes in free-market economy, strong military and traditional cultural values; - Liberal Democrats: centrist, moderate pro-European, opposed the Iraq war and strong on civil rights. Other parties exist, such as: - The Scottish National Party (SNP): centre-left; - The UK Independence Party (UKIP: Eurosceptic, right-wing populist); - The Brexit Party: Eurosceptic Type of State The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy. It is divided into four parts called constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK is a unitary state with partial devolution of power in Scotland, Wales, and in Northern Ireland. Executive Power The Queen is the head of state. But above all she plays a symbolic and representational role. She continues to exercise three essential rights: the right to be consulted, to advise and to warn. Following legislative elections to the lower house of parliament, the leader of the majority party or coalition is usually appointed Prime Minister by the Queen to serve a five-year term. The Prime Minister is the head of government and has all executive powers, which include law enforcement and the conduct of the day-to-day affairs of the country. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Prime Minister. Legislative Power The United Kingdom has a bicameral legislative system. The parliament is made up of: the House of Lords (the upper house), whose members are appointed for life by the Queen on the proposal of the Prime Minister (the number of members varies, currently at 679), 91 hereditary peers and 26 members of the clergy. The House of Commons (lower house) has 650 seats, and its members are elected by universal suffrage, for a 5-year term. The government is directly responsible to and dependent on parliament.
Indicator of Freedom of the Press World Rank: 33/180 Source: 2019 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders
Indicator of Political Freedom Ranking: Free Political Freedom: 1/7 Civil Liberties: 1/7 Political freedom in the world (interactive map)
COVID-19 Country Response COVID-19 epidemic evolution To find out about the latest status of the COVID-19 pandemic evolution and the most up-to-date statistics on the COVID-19 disease in the United Kingdom, please visit Public Health England’s COVID-19 dashboard with the official data. More detailed information on tests and testing capacity can be found in the weekly Test and Trace publication by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Information regarding the identification of a new virus variant causing COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), called 'VUI - 202012/01', is available on the UK government website. Sanitary measures To find out about the latest public health situation in the United Kingdom and the current sanitary measures in vigour, please consult the GOV.uk’s Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do, the National Health Service’s Advice for everyone: Coronavirus (COVID-19), including the up-to-date information on the containment measures put in place and public health recommendations. Travel restrictions For information on the travel restrictions undertaken by the national authorities, please consult the portal of the UK government. Guidance for British people travelling overseas is available here.
Import & export restrictions For information on all the measures applicable to movement of goods during the period of sanitary emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak (including eventual restrictions on imports and exports, if applicable), please consult the website GOV.uk’s Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for UK businesses trading internationally and Moving goods through customs during the coronavirus (COVID-19). Economic recovery plan For information on the economic recovery scheme put in place by the UK government to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic refer to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change’s The Economic Policy Response to Covid-19 and the Bank of England’s publications and updates at Our response to Coronavirus (Covid-19). Support plan for businesses For information on the local business support scheme established by the UK government to help small and medium-sized companies to deal with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic on their activity, please consult GOV.uk’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business support webpages. The Local Government Association provides a list of the measures taken by UK authorities. Support plan for exporters The UK government provides information on the webpage "Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for UK businesses that trade internationally", the portal of the Department for International Trade and that of UK Export Finance.
Source: IMF – World Economic Outlook Database, October 2020
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| Chapter 3: UK Political System and Education | |||||||||||||||||
| Chapter 4: BRITISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY | |||||||||||||||||
| Chapter 5: The British Empire | |||||||||||||||||
| Chapter 6:Brexit |