Die britische Westminsterdemokratie

The Westminster model of British democracy has changed profoundly. Parliament has difficulties to find its new role. The House of Lords reform remains controversial. The House of Commons had problems to regain respect in the eyes of the voters in the aftermath of numerous scandals, though it strengthened its capacities to control the national government. Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair succeeded in transforming cabinet government in Britain into a kind of presidential rule. David Cameron had to cope with the new format of coalition government. Institutional change included devolution policies. They were supposed to keep the UK together. It turned out, however, that they created new problems. The political consensus in Northern Ireland is fragile. Scotland wants independence, and the “English question” has not been answered yet. This volume analyses these challenges in depth and with a background of thirty years research on the UK.