AP Compare: United Kingdom

All are examples of attempted austerity measures by the United Kingdom, except

• Raising taxes

• Reducing funds for QUANGOs

• Eliminating the National Health Care System

• Raising university fees

The current head of government in the United Kingdom is

• King Charles III  

• Rishi Sunak  

• Jeremy Corbyn

• David Cameron

The British party system is often called a two-and-a-half party system because

• the MPs in Parliament are notoriously hard to control, and their independence counts as a sort of third party.

• the Labour Party has two unofficial wings that operate with different policy objectives.

• the House of Lords is part of the government but is not popularly elected.

• parties like the Liberal Democratic Party trail far behind the Conservative and Labour parties in electoral strength. 

In which of the following ways did Tony Blair’s policies as prime minister differ from those of Margaret Thatcher?

• He sought a cooperative but more distant relationship with the United States.

• He devolved more power to regional governments.  

• He was more accepting of his party’s status quo mode of operation.

• He moved the country away from free-market policies.

The common law system, especially as practiced in Great Britain, is based on

• a set of guidelines developed by a constitutional council

• formal legal codes

• the use of precedents to guide legal decisions      

• the idea that judges should interpret laws in ways that improve public policy

One difference between the parliamentary and presidential forms of government is that the presidential form

• makes the executive subject to a possible vote of no confidence by the legislature

• sets no fixed term of office for the executive

• ensures there will be no periods of divided government

• makes the executive electorally independent of other branches of government    

The welfare service commitments of advanced industrial democracies are most seriously threatened by

• an increase in outmigration

• the rise of separatist movements

• the aging of their populations     

• the public demand for free education

The United Kingdom has used a referendum in the past ten years to

• pass legislation dealing with immigration

• amend international trade agreements

• decide whether to leave the European Union

• ratify structural adjustment policiesd

Unitary systems differ from federal systems in that unitary systems

• are typical of presidential systems

• guarantee no constitutional authority to subnational governments    

• have a unicameral legislature

• are found only in liberal democracies

Which of the following entities are most responsible for formulating and executing policy in a parliamentary system?

• parliament & head of state

• president & cabinet

• prime minister & cabinet

• prime minister & head of state