Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a
hereditary monarch; Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen,
born 14 November 1948)
head of government: Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November
1990) is the leader of the party which holds the majority in the
House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
House of Lords: consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths are
hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving
and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish
peers
House of Commons: elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held
by NA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%,
Liberal Democratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total)
Conservative 336, Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24
Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party,
John MAJOR; Labor Party, Anthony (Tony) Blair; Liberal Democrats
(LD), Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND;
Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), David TRIMBLE; Democratic
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Social
Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn
Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS; Alliance Party (Northern
Ireland), John ALDERDICE
Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress;
Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer),
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN,
EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5,
G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE,
PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR,
UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-1340 FAX: [1] (202) 898-4255 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr. embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (71) 499-9000 FAX: [44] (71) 409-1637 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh