United Kingdom Politics
Conventional Long Form Name of country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital City: London Type of Government: constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm Date of Independence: April 12, 1927 National Holiday(s): the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948) Head of Government: Prime Minister David CAMERON (since 11 May 2010) Description of Executive Branch/Powers: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister. The monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister. Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: Bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords; note - membership is not fixed (788 seats; consisting of approximately 670 life peers, 92 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy - as of 1 April 2012) and House of Commons (650 seats since 2010 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: Supreme Court of the UK (established in October 2009 taking over appellate jurisdiction formerly vested in the House of Lords is the final court of appeal); Senior Courts of England and Wales (comprising the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland); Scotland's Court of Session and High Court of the Justiciary Diplomatic Representation in the U.S: Ambassador Peter John WESTMACOTT 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Orlando Diplomatic Representation from the U.S: Ambassador Louis B. SUSMAN 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE note - a new embassy is scheduled to open by the end of 2017 in the Nine Elms area of Wandsworth consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh Representative to UN: Mark Justin LYALL GRANT, SirNational Symbols: lion (Britain in general); lion (England); lion, unicorn (Scotland); dragon (Wales); harp (Northern Ireland) |
Description of Flag:blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories
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