Politics of the United Kingdom (including Scotland) The political system of the United Kingdom is based on constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. Executive power is carried out by Her Majesty's Government, on behalf of and by the consent of the monarch, as well as by the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales, and the executive of Northern Ireland. Legislative power is given to both the government and the two chambers of the UK Parliament – the House of Commons and the House of Lords – as well as to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies. The UK is a constitutional monarchy with the monarch as the head of state. Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution. The constitution is a set of rules that are used to help run the country. The UK has an unwritten constitution. The Queen has mostly ceremonial duties under the UK constitution. Most constitutional monarchies use a parliamentary system in which the monarch has strictly ceremonial duties. Devolved governments in the UK Llywodraeth Cynulliard Cymru Welsh Assembly Government Northern Ireland Assembly Holyrood Westminster Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the parliament of the United Kingdom, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies. How a law is made in the UK parliament: Reserved and devolved matters Reserved matters are issues where the power to make laws has been kept by the UK Parliament in London. Devolved matters are issues where the power to make laws has been devolved (transferred) from the UK Parliament. The reserved matters include: constitutional matters UK foreign policy defence national security trade and industry employment law social security gambling and the National Lottery data protection drug laws energy – coal, gas, oil, electricity and nuclear energy elections The devolved matters include: health education local government social work housing planning tourism economic development agriculture, forestry and fishing sport and the arts Coalition government – May 2010 Prime Minister: David Cameron (Conservative Party) Deputy Prime Minister: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat Party) Scottish Parliament – May 2011 Government SNP (68) Opposition parties Lab (37) Con (15) Lib Dem (5) Green (2) Ind (1) Presiding Officer PO (1) Members of Parliament (MPs) • House of Commons • 650 • first past the post (FPTP) Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) • Holyrood • 129 • additional member system (AMS) Local councils in Scotland • 32 • single transferable vote (STV)