By: Daniella Jade Lowe
How does democracy work in the UK?
The United Kingdom (UK) is a democracy. In the UK there are too many people to all discuss all the decisions about how the country is run. Therefore, representatives are elected to make decisions.
Representatives include Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and local councillors.
The UK Parliament meets in Westminster, London. It has three parts:
The Crown- the Queen – Head of State, approves laws The House of Lords – Check proposed laws, make amendments The House of Commons – Debate proposals and make laws
When did the UK become a democracy?
Britain did not become a democracy until the Representation of the People Acts of 1918 and 1928 that gave the vote to all men and women over the age of 21.
Is UK a representative democracy?
Nearly all modern Western-style democracies are types of representative democracies; for example, the United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, France is a unitary semi-presidential republic, and the United States is a federal presidential republic.
How do democracies work?
Democracy is government in which power and civic responsibility are exercised by all adult citizens, directly, or through their democratically elected representatives. Democracy rests upon the principles of majority rule and individual rights. … Fair, frequent, and well-managed elections are essential in a democracy.
Democracy and Disability
Only 6 British MPs identify as disabled. In a world where 1 in 7 people have a disability, this lack of representation is a serious threat to the inclusion of disabled people in UK policy matters.
The UK Parliament has been a vocal promoter of disability inclusion and the leave no one behind agenda. There are several All Party Parliamentary Groups focused on disability and of the 0.7% of GNI ringfenced for international development, disability is a priority issue. https://www.add.org.uk/disability-and-democracy-uk
The Purple Vote Campaign in Wales hope to do the same.
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