United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland

Flag Description

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 colours (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories.

Election type: Parliamentary

Election date: 5 May 2005

Number of registered voters: 44 180 243 (as at December 2004)

Compulsory voting: No

Government

Type: Constitutional Monarchy

Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

Party in Government: Labour Party

Head of Government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May 1997)

Branches: Executive—Monarch (head of state), Prime Minister (head of government) and Cabinet.

Legislative—a bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy); and the House of Commons (659 seats). Members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier. Also includes the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and Northern Ireland Assembly.

Judicial—magistrates' courts, county courts, high courts, appellate courts, House of Lords.

Political parties:Great Britain—Conservative and Unionist Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats. Scotland—Scottish National Party. Wales—Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales). Northern Ireland—Ulster Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Fein, Alliance Party, and other smaller parties.

Suffrage: universal at 18

BBC News Election 2005 gives information on the election night, full results in detail, pictures, maps, analysis of Tony Blair’s historic third term, Tory leader Michael Howard’s departure and many updates.

For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.

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Last reviewed 22 September, 2005 by the Parliamentary Library Web Manager
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