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inconsistent with any modern meaning of the word “British”. Another problem is the
occasional tendency for “England” to be wrongly used as a synonym when referring to
Britain or the British Isles, especially by Americans. The Irish Parliament has actually
passed a statute prohibiting the description of the Republic of Ireland as being part of the
British Isles. The current dislike of the term “British Isles” is mostly due to mistakes by
politicians made over recent years; this was exemplified by an embarrassing and
controversal misunderstanding by the then American First Lady Nancy Reagan during an
Irish visit, when she confused Britain with the British Isles. As a result, the term is no longer
used in Irish state documents, has been abondoned in schoolbooks in the Republic of Ireland
and is being phased out of textbooks.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with executive power exercised by
a government headed by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Executive power is vested in
the monarch but in reality Her Majesty’s Government is answerable and accountable only to
the House of Commons, the lower and only directly elected house in Britain’s bicameral
Parliament. By constitutional convention, Ministers of the Crown are chosen largely from
among MPs or Members of Parliament (members of the Commons). The British system of
government has been emulated around the world because of the UK’s colonial legacy.
Nations that follow British-style parliamentarism, with an executive chosen from, and
(theoratically) answerable to the legislature, are said to operate under the Westminster
system.
The UK’s current monarch and head of state is Queen Elizabeth II who acceded to the
throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953. She has now reigned longer than any other
monarch in modern Britain, with Queen Victoria, on the throne for 63 years, coming second.
Prince Charles is heir to the throne.
The monarch’s role is mainly though not exclusively ceremonial. She has access to all
cabinet papers and is briefed weekly by the Prime Minister.
The United Kingdom monarch also reigns in 15 other sovereign countries that are
known as Commonwealth Realms. Although Britain has no political or executive power
over these independent nations, it retains influence, though longstanding close relations. In
some Commonwealth Realms the Privy Council is the highest Court of Appeal.
The British (currently UK) Parliament is bicameral, composed of the 659-member
elected House of Commons and the appointed House of Lords. Historically, the House of
Lords has featured members of the nobility who were granted seats by nature of birthright,
although this system has been abolished. Furthermore, the House of Lords Act 1999
severely curtailed the powers of the hereditary peers – only 92 out of several hundred retain
the right to sit in the House of Lords. House of Lords originally called for all of the
hereditary peers to lose their voting rights, however a compromise was reached which will
allow them to be gradually phased out. The House of Lords today consist of 26 senior
clerics of the Church of England (the “Lords Spiritual”), as well as 669 members of the
Peerage (the “Lords Temporal”). Lords Spiritual serve as long as they continue to occupy
their ecclesiastical positions, but Lords Temporal serve for life.
The British Houses of Parliament are one of the more familiar landmarks of the
world. Part of the buildings, which are open to the public, includes the original hall used by
the first parliament set up by Simon de Montfort in 1265.

2. Match the following words and word combinations to their correct meaning:
1. House of Commons A The 669 peers appointed to the House of Lords
2. Commonwealth Realm B The form of UK parliamentarism as used in whole or in part
in other countries around the world

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