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A revolutionary republic of the post-war era, the Union of Britain has developed a unique political system in the form of a synthesis of centuries-old English democratic tradition and the modernising influence of the syndicalist orthodoxy. Much of the British legal and political system is rooted in ancient English common law with contemporary modifications to adapt the 20th century. The following article describes various elements of the Union's governance and its political culture.
Political System and Governance[]
The Union of Britain is a Federal Republic governed within the framework of a "syndicalist democracy" in which the Trade Union Congress - the lower house of the combined Federal Congress - is Sovereign. Executive power is exercised by the British Government, on behalf of and by the consent of the TUC, and the regional governments across the constituent nations of England, Scotland and Wales. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Federal Congress of the Union of Britain, the Trade Union Congress and the Federal Assembly, as well as in the regional congresses. The constitution of the Union of Britain is uncodified, being made up of constitutional conventions, statutes and other elements drawn from both pre-revolutionary British and contemporary legislation.
Executive[]
The Executive branch of government is constituted by the Executive Committee of the Trade Union Congress, the highest authority of the Congress. Following each general election, the TUC elects a Chairman of the Executive Committee, understood by convention to be the leader of the largest party, who functions as the Head of State with this nomination being confirmed by the Assembly. The Chairman appoints a Deputy Chair, the de facto Head of Government, the Cabinet, Under-Secretaries and other miscellaneous positions that form the British Government. The Deputy Chair, Ministers and Under-Secretaries can be a member of any party affiliation but must hold seats within the Trade Union Congress. Codified powers for the Chairman are vague though they do reserve the power to appoint and dismiss ministers to the Cabinet, lead government policy and call a snap election with the consent of the TUC. The Chairman and their cabinet are automatically dismissed if the TUC passes a vote of no confidence in the Chairman. If the Chairman is incapacitated or outside of the country, the Deputy Chair de jure rules as interim until the Chairman can re-assume leadership or a new Chairman has been appointed. The Chairman's official London residence is in the Whitehall Executive Apartments and his countryside residence, is located at Chequers, Buckinghamshire.
Acting as the official head of government is the Deputy Chair of the Executive Committee & General Secretary of the TUC who acts as the Chairman's second-in-command. The Deputy Chair's actual role is vague but it's most defined powers are charged with "maintaining order and discipline within the Executive Committee" and serving as interim leader if the Chairman is not present. The Deputy Chair is primarily concerned with the affairs of the Federal Congress, acting as the Chairman's liaison with the President of the TUC and is responsible for furthering government policy and bills within the TUC. The Deputy also has major powers presiding over the intelligence service and chairs the Central Intelligence Committee, the Union's domestic intelligence service and oversight body. The Director of the CIC reports directly to the Deputy Chair, with the latter responsible for providing security assessments to the cabinet and the Intelligence Select Committee. The Deputy Chair can be dismissed by the Chairman and is automatically dismissed if the government resigns following a vote of no confidence. Like their superior, the Deputy Chair is also granted an official residence; their London apartments are located at Admiralty Arch and and their countryside residence is based out of Dorneywood House, Buckinghamshire.
The Executive Committee itself, often simply referred to as the Cabinet, is the collection of Ministers of state that head various ministries with specific responsibilities and form the primary basis for the government. They are appointed by the Chairman and aid the Chairman in appointing Under-Secretaries to assist with their offices and liaise with the backbenches in the Federal Congress. In keeping with tradition, the Chairman is theoretically primus inter pares - the first among equals - among their Cabinet colleagues. While the Chairman holds the most senior office and are expected to lead decision-making, they are theoretically nevertheless bound to make executive decisions in a collective fashion with the other Cabinet ministers. Cabinet meetings are typically held weekly, while the Federal Congress is in session or if an emergency meeting has been called. Implementation of a Minister's decisions are carried out by a permanent politically neutral organisation known as the Civil Service. Its constitutional role is to support the Government of the day regardless of which political party or faction is in power. Unlike some other democracies, senior civil servants remain in post upon a change of Government. Administrative management of a ministry is led by a senior civil servant known as a Permanent Secretary.
Legislature[]
The Federal Congress of Great Britain is the national legislative body in the Union of Britain and the government is drawn from and answerable to it. However, only the Trade Union Congress is sovereign and a Chairman - and Deputy Chair - must be drawn from the Trade Union Congress. The Federal Congress is bicameral, consisting of the Trade Union Congress, which represents all sanctioned Trade Unions, and the Council Assembly, comprised of delegates elected from Regional Councils. There are also regional congresses for the constituent provinces of the Union that have a degree of legislative power over their geographic area.
Trade Union Congress[]
General Council of the TUC, date unknown
The Trade Union Congress, is sovereign - as ratified by the Supreme Court in 1932 - and is the dominant house in the bicameral framework of the legislature. It is presided over by the President of the TUC, the equivalent of the Speaker, who is charged with upholding: "order and good conduct among this house", the tabling of votes and certain other legislative responsibilities. As established by Representation of the People Act 1926, the Trade Union Congress is charged with the nomination and election of the Chairman, and by extension the Executive Committee. Likewise, the Trade Union Congress is also charged with scrutinising the Committee's conduct and if it loses confidence within the Chairman or Committee, one tenth of the house can proclaim their intent to trigger a vote of no confidence. If the government loses, the Committee is dissolved and the TUC must elect a new Chairman. If a new government is unable to be formed, the President of the TUC is appointed interim head of state and is empowered to call new elections, no further away than one month.
Nominally the TUC is administrated by the General Council of the TUC - a body of senior TUC members elected by their Trade Union Groups. The General Council is nominally chaired by the President of the TUC but in their absence, the Council is chaired by their Deputy, the Vice-President of the TUC. In contrast to the Executive Committee which leads the TUC and is delegated to handle the affairs of state, the General Council is charged with the 'running' of the TUC and legislation. In practical terms, this refers to two distinct responsibilities: the administration of the political process such as through the Orders system and process of Final Assent but also advising the executive on its constitutional powers and responsibilities.
The Trade Union Congress' primary role in governance is the promulgation and voting on all legislation. Only members of the TUC are permitted to introduce bills, though Councillors can engage in a "act-by-proxy" by procuring a willing sponsor in the TUC. Much legislation relates to public and private bills - bills that affect the nation or a constituent as a whole and bills that affect an individual or organisation respectively - though hybrid bills also exist as do other minor forms of legislating such as Private Member Bills, legislation brought in by a backbencher, among others. As the TUC is heavily modeled on the prior parliamentary process, the Chairman and members of the government are expected and obligated to defend their legislation and take questions by representatives on the floor of the house. Standing Committees and select committees, also exist within the house and are charged with the scrutiny of legislation and various areas of government. Once a bill has passed the TUC, it enters the Council Assembly for further proposed amendments and scrutiny. If it is "rejected" by the Council, it is returned to the TUC for amendments and debate though the TUC can choose to ignore these requests if it deems the original bill satisfactory. Once it has passed both houses, the bill becomes law and codified as an Act of Congress.
The Trade Union Congress' national seat is located at the Albert Hall in South Kensington, London. When the Federal Congress is held in joint session, the Hall is also used. The surrounding buildings on the plaza house the offices of the TUC representatives and their staff as well as lodgings for the President of the TUC. The President of the TUC is elected annually at the start of each year though and cannot be the President for two terms consecutively. The current President of the TUC is Alf Purcell with his term set to expire on the 5th January, 1936. Elections to the TUC occur every 5-years by Single-Transferable Vote to "dual-constituencies", of an industrial (union) and geographic nature.
| Year | Name | Union | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | William Pickles | National Amalgamated Society of House and Ship Painters | Independent Labour | |
| 1901 | C. W. Bowerman | London Society of Compositors | Labour | |
| 1902 | W. C. Steadman | River Thames Barge Builders Trades Union | Lib-Lab | |
| 1903 | W. Boyd Hornidge | National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives | Lib-Lab | |
| 1904 | Richard Bell | Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants | Liberal | |
| 1905 | James Sexton | National Union of Dock Labourers | Independent Labour | |
| 1906 | D. C. Cummings | United Society of Boilermakers | Independent Labour | |
| 1907 | Alfred Gill | Bolton Cotton Spinners Association | Labour | |
| 1908 | David Shackleton | Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers | Labour | |
| 1909 | ||||
| 1910 | James Haslam | Miners Federation of Great Britain | Labour | |
| 1911 | William Mullin | Amalgamated Association of Card and Blowing Room Operatives | Labour | |
| 1912 | Will Thorne | National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers | Labour | |
| 1913 | William John Davis | Amalgamated Society of Brassworkers | Labour | |
| 1915 | James Seddon | National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks | Labour | |
| 1916 | Harry Gosling | National Transport Workers Federation | Labour | |
| 1917 | John Hill | United Society of Boilermakers | Labour | |
| 1918 | John William Ogden | Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers | Labour | |
| 1919 | G. H. Stuart-Bunning | Postmen's Federation | Independent Labour | |
| 1920 | Jimmy Thomas | National Union of Railwaymen | Labour | |
| 1921 | Edward L. Poulton | National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives | Lib-Lab | |
| 1922 | Robert Barrie Walker | National Union of Agricultural Workers | Labour | |
| 1923 | Joe Williams | Musicians Union | Labour | |
| 1924 | Alonzo Swales | Amalgamated Engineering Union | Independent Labour | |
| 1925 | ||||
| 1926 | Arthur Pugh | Iron and Steel Trades Confederation | Labour | |
| 1927 | Ben Turner | National Union of Textile Workers | Labour | |
| 1928 | James Milner | National Society of Legal Professionals | Independent Labour | |
| 1929 | Barnet Kenyon | Miners Federation of Great Britain | Liberal | |
| 1930 | John Beard | Transport and General Workers Union | Labour | |
| 1931 | Robert Smilie | Miners Federation of Great Britain | Labour | |
| 1932 | John Bromley | Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen | Labour | |
| 1933 | Alexander Walkden | Railway Clerks' Association | Labour | |
| 1934 | Andrew Conley | National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers | Labour | |
| 1935 (i) | Alf Purcell | National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association | Labour | |
| 1935 (ii) | William Kean | National Union of Gold, Silver and Allied Trades | Labour | |
Federal Assembly[]
The Assembly of Federal Councils - largely referred to as the Council Assembly - acts as the upper chamber of the Federal Congress and is the weaker house in the bicameral framework of the legislature. As established by the Representation of the People Act 1933, the Council is charged with advising the TUC on matters of state - particularly but not limited to regional issues - and providing additional scrutiny to bills that have passed the TUC. Due to the far-reaching damage caused by the 1932 Parliamentary Crisis it was decided that the new chamber would need to be prevented from "holding the nation to ransom" and as such the Council is limited to a largely advisory role. Nevertheless, it does maintain the power to propose amendments and corrections - often acknowledged and adopted by the TUC - and can in limited circumstances block legislation. While these can be overturned by the TUC, the event of a veto (or an overturning) are unusual but have been known to happen on occasion. This veto can only be used sparingly and has limited abilities with the TUC able to overturn such a block.
The Council does not participate in votes of no confidence as it can neither trigger one nor can it vote in one. However, the Council does have some limited participation in the election of a new Chairman in that one half of the Council must approve the TUC's selection. If the Council rejects this Chairman then the TUC must elect a new Chair. If the two chambers reach an impasse, a special mechanism is utilised in which if a TUC candidate can garner two thirds of support from the house, the Council is bypassed altogether. This process is nevertheless considered a political formality with the Council expected to be unlikely to ever oppose the election of the TUC's nominated candidate. In its life it has only ever confirmed the one Chairman when it retroactively (and ceremonially) confirmed the appointment of Chairman Tom Mann's Second Ministry by unanimous vote.
The Council' national seat is located at the Central Hall in Westminster, London, the noted former seat of the Council's predecessor: the Provincial Parliament. When the Federal Congress is held in joint session, the Councillors sit in the upper circle of Albert Hall. The building hosts the offices of the Councillors and lodgings for the Speaker. The Speaker of the Council is elected for a three year term and can serve only two terms. The current and only Speaker of the Council is Hubert Beaumont. Elections to the Council occur every 3-years on a staggered list by Single-Transferable Vote to constituencies formed out of each region's 'federal wards'. Each year, one third of the legislature is in election, in line with local elections.
| Speakers of the Provincial Parliament & Federal Council | ||||||
| From | Until | Name | Party | Constituency | Presidency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 1930 | Herbert Dunnico | Labour | North West Durham | William Graham | |
| 1931 | 1932 | John Henry Whitley | Liberal | Richmond | TBA | |
| Parliament Disbanded - Federal Council Established | ||||||
| Jan 1933 | Dec 1933 | John Henry Whitley | Independent | Yorkshire | TBA | |
| 1934 | Present | Hubert Beaumont | Labour | Yorkshire | TBA | |
Judiciary & Constitutional Law[]
The Judiciary of the Union of Britain is separated into two legal systems: that of England and Wales and that of Scotland. Only the judges of the Supreme Court of the Union of Britain have jurisdiction over the entirety of Great Britain but judgments only apply directly to the jurisdiction from which a case originates. England & Wales and Scotland maintain their own legal systems and court hierarchies, with the Solicitor-General of the government and Advocate-General aiding in the provisions for English and Scottish Law respectively. Judicial independence is guaranteed in both legal systems, and representatives are sworn to uphold this independence of the legal system.
Richard Haldane - first President of the Supreme Court
The republic maintains an uncodified constitution, with the structure of the state and the republic safeguarded by those Basic Laws that were ratified in the Constitutional Convention. Much of the legal code and constitution remains spread across other documents. Both jurisdictions maintain their Common Law legal traditions, drawing upon centuries of ancient statutes and precedent. It has given rise to the popular myth that Magna Carta remains in-law though this is not entirely without truth as four of the 63 original clauses are extant and remain a part of the British Constitution. Richard Haldane SC, is considered the Godfather of the new legal system, and was the primary founder of the Supreme Court. He would go on to the chair the court as its first President, and helped codify that the Court was the highest body on constitutional law. Despite calls from a minority of delegates to adopt a modernised "civil code", it has been heavily argued that the maintenance of common law would better serve Britain and maintains legal continuity. This has been instrumental in arguing that the Union of Britain is not a wholly new polity but rather the legal continuation of the United Kingdom, and has often been marked as the modern upholding of ancient English liberties that have persisted since Anglo-Saxon rule.
The Supreme Court, as established in 1926, was one of the elements introduced to the legal system though it was not entirely without precedent. Rather, the Court assumed the responsibilities of the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary - the Law Lords - who formed the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. This Committee had functioned as the court of last resort and the highest judicial body in the land, though with Parliament's abolition these were transferred to the new Court. New judges were selected from among sitting KCs, Judges and Law Lords that had remained in the Union, mainly Liberal or Labour affiliated and selected by a special commission, chaired by Haldane. All sitting judges are listed below and sitting judges are in bold:
Charles Cripps - Incumbent President of the Supreme Court
Presidents of the Supreme Court[]
- Richard Haldane (1927 - 1928)
- John Sankey (1928 - 1931)
- Charles Cripps (1931 - Present)
Justices of the Supreme Court[]
- Richard Haldane (1927 - 1928)
- John Sankey (1927 - )
- James Melville (1927 - 1931)
- John Hamilton (1927 - 1933)
- Henry McCardie (1927 - 1934)
- Charles Cripps (1928 - )
- Rayner Goddard (1931 - )
- John Charles Fenton (1933 - )
- Neville Laski (1934 - )
(Bold indicates incumbent Justices)
Changes[]
- Upon Haldane's death in 1928, Charles Cripps is raised to the bench while John Sankey is elected President of the Supreme Court.
- Following John Melville's death in 1931. Rayner Goddard is raised to the bench.
- After John Sankey resigned as President of the Court in early 1932. Cripps was elected President of the Court.
- Hamilton resigned in 1933. As a result, John Charles Fenton raised to the bench.
- McCardie committed suicide in 1934. Neville Laski was then raised to the bench,
List of current judges[]
The most recent to join the court is Neville Laski, who joined in 1934 to take the place of Henry McCardie. In order of seniority, they are as follows:
| Portrait | Name | Born | Raised to the bench |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Charles Cripps
(President) |
3 October 1852
(age 83) |
1928 |
|
John Sankey | 26 October 1866
(age 69) |
1927 |
|
Rayner Goddard | 10 April 1877
(age 58) |
1931 |
|
John Charles Fenton | 5 May 1880
(age 55) |
1933 |
|
Neville Laski | 18 December 1890
(age 45) |
1934 |
Cabinet Positions[]
WIP
Regional Governance[]
As a federation, the Union of Britain devolves a degree of sub-national governance to twelve states, known officially as the Regions of Great Britain. The regions are afforded certain local powers though this largely relates towards supervising local Provinces within the region and scrutinising the conduct of or providing advice to the national government on matters within their region. The Chairs of Scotland and Wales also sit as members of the Cabinet, the Chairs of the English regions make up the English Council, the President of which sits in the Cabinet. Details on the Regions is listed below:
Map of Britain C. 1935
| Name | Capital | Status | Governor</nowiki> |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | N/A | Capital Territory | Emil Davies |
| Scotland | Edinburgh | Federal Nation | Harry McShane |
| Wales | Cardiff | Federal Nation | Arthur Horner |
| Northumbria | Newcastle | Federal Region | Ebby Edwards |
| Lancashire | Manchester | Federal Region | Jack Munro |
| Yorkshire | Leeds | Federal Region | Ben Turner |
| East Midlands | Leicester | Federal Region | Teddy Peacock |
| West Midlands | Birmingham | Federal Region | C.G. Spragg |
| East Anglia | Cambridge | Federal Region | Bill Holmes |
| Home Provinces | Brighton | Federal Region | Jack Tanner |
| West Country | Plymouth | Federal Region | Harold Hayman |
| Wessex | Southampton | Federal Region | James Lunnon |
| Isle of Man | Douglas | Autonomous Territory | Alfred J. Teare |
| Channel Islands | St Helier (Jersey) | Autonomous Territory | Ned Moignard |
| St. Helena | Jamestown | Overseas Territory | Arthur Jones |
Background & Reforms[]
WIP
Federal Regions[]
Leeds City Hall, seat of the Yorkshire Congress
As a federal republic, twelve constituent states make up the Union, known as Federal Regions. Modeled after their national counterparts, each Region is afforded a degree of devolved powers and elects a Chairman, who presides over the regional legislature known as a Congress. Such legislatures are limited in their exact powers and largely act more as supervisory bodies in between local and national administrative units but they can pass by-laws on devolved matters, conduct regional projects and raise limited taxation. These laws hold jurisdiction only in their region and must fall within the boundaries of national laws. Likewise, these laws can also be annulled or overridden by the Federal Congress via superior legislation or in the courts if deemed illegal. The powers and status of the regions are guaranteed in the basic law of the Union, establishing the framework for the Regions and their place within government.
Unlike their national counterpart, the Chairman of a regional TUC does not preside over an Executive Committee but instead appoints a body of advisors to chair committees of the Regional Congress that they preside over, called a Council. These committees largely scrutinise various public services and have powers to preside over projects within their jurisdiction, raising local taxation if necessary. Unlike national ministries, the regional committees have little real powers over their subordinate areas, often owing to these services reporting directly to a ministry. Instead, these committees are usually charged with overseeing funding; the allocation of resources; local scrutiny and advising the central government on local variables to be accounted for. To assist the Chairs of these committees, regional branches of the civil service are established to oversee the administration of the regional government in conjunction with their local counterparts. To assist with advising national government, special provisions allow select regional Chairman to sit on the Executive Committee unless they elect to choose a proxy to sit in their place. The Scottish and Welsh Chairmen are automatically designated the positions of Secretary-of-State for Scotland and Wales respectively. English regional Chairmen sit on the national English Council, to coordinate on all-England affairs and provide advice to the government on issues that affect all of England. The Council then elects a member to represent England in the government, as the Secretary-of-State for England.
Chairman of the Regional Council
The executive of a region, and Chair of the regional TUC. A regional Chairman generally presides over their home region and is charged with overseeing the day-to-day affairs of the regional administration and has final oversight on all decisions made. Likewise, a Chairman is responsible for the appointment of professional civil servants, the Chief Secretaries, to head provincial and municipal governments within their region. A regional Chair is elected from among the regional TUC - on the basis that he can command a majority within that TUC - and appoints members of his Council from the TUC. Like the national counterpart, the Chairman can be subject to a vote of no confidence if 1/5th of the TUC votes in favour of carrying the motion. The Chairman of a region also holds numerous ceremonial roles corresponding to ancient local customs that have been delegated away from sovereign authority or other defunct offices such as the appointing Sheriffs.
Vice Chair of the Regional Council
The regional Chair’s deputy. Unlike the national counterpart, a regional chair carries an entirely different role and is not the General-Secretary of their respective TUC, instead being heavily limited in their powers with a clear delineation of authority. Rather the Vice Chair is responsible for secretarial duties for the Council and the Chair such as minute-taking, record keeping and organising Council meetings. The Vice Chair additionally serves as the primary liaison between the Council and the TUC members. Likewise, the Vice Chair serves as the Chairman’s substitute if he is incapacitated or unable to be present. Often considered lacking in prestige, the post does grant the holder a degree of sway over the Council's affairs and the Chairman themselves due to these secretarial responsibilities. The Vice Chair - with the approval of the Chairman - may designate a proxy to act on their behalf, usually a civil servant, and as such the office has at times been handed to local dignitaries and notables, allowing it to serve in a more ceremonial than political position.
Commissioner to the Council Treasury
The de facto financial office for the local region, the Commissioner to the Council Treasury is de jure tasked with recording and maintaining the upkeep of the Council, though in reality this extends to overseeing the region's financial policy and the levying of regional taxes and customs. With oversight over local funds, the office maintains power over local spending and projects, with the Commissioner having the power to allocate funds on behalf of the Chairman. The Commissioner likewise has some limited powers to scrutinise the affairs of higher ministries in the region on issues that participate in the local economic sphere such as agriculture or industry.
Chair of the Health & Sanitation Committee
The region's administrator for local health affairs and the NHS. The Chair of this committee is charged with both the public health and environmental health of their region, charged with liaising with the Ministry of Health and local health boards in regards to NHS upkeep and provision within the region. Likewise, the Committee is expected to liaise with the Lunacy Control Board and has limited oversight over the administration of local sanatoriums and asylums. The committee also handles affairs relating to local sanitation, water purity, animal welfare and pollution controls. In reality, the Committee has very limited powers and largely exists to advise on local health affairs and sanitation concerns rather than carrying out its own policies.
Chair of the Utilities & Transport Committee
The region's administrator for local utilities, communications and public transport. The committee Chair is left to largely liaise with their national counterparts for communications and services such as water, electric and telegraphs, etc. and holds only limited scrutiny powers, simply advising on potential issues or affairs for the region. However, the Chair does have wide reaching powers and oversight over regional and local public transport; dictating affairs to municipal governments; allocating funds to municipal transport boards and organising the general administration and affairs of transport vectors within the local region. Likewise, all classified roads within the are under the purview of the Committee, all unclassified roads are managed by the Province.
Chair of the Education & Public Assistance Committee
The region's administrator for local welfare and education policy. The committee Chair in reality has very little say over these affairs due to education and welfare policy being decided and controlled at a national level. Rather, the committee Chair is charged with the implementation and administration of this policy at a local level, such as overseeing regional school and education institutions and the provision of welfare payments and pensions. Alongside these duties, the committee is also charged with preserving the general welfare of citizens and handling affairs such as child adoption, the provision of orphanages and welfare for the blind and deaf.
Chair of the Regional Militia Board
A largely ceremonial and powerless position, the Regional Militia Board is de jure charged with the scrutiny and administration of military affairs within their region but de facto this is largely handled by the military itself. Rather, in practice the Militia Board coordinates with the respective military departments on issues such as the provision and quartering of soldiers, the construction and upkeep of military bases and other administrative affairs. The primary area of oversight for the Militia Board is the provision and administration of local Home Guard units though in practice this largely amounts to simply implementing directives from the War Office and providing funds, armaments and equipment to local units. The Chair of Board is nominally the commanding officer for all regional units.
Solicitor-General to the Council
A well-rounded and one of the few important roles in the regional council's, the Solicitor-General to the Council advises the Council on legal and affairs and is nominally charged with the supervision and administration of the regional Circuit Courts, though this is in practice largely handled by the Ministry of Justice. The Solicitor-General also holds a minor degree of scrutiny over the local police and fire services, with larger oversight over protective services in the region, coroners and licensing or regulations in the region. In Scotland, the title is different, instead referred to as the Advocate-General to the Council of Scotland.
Autonomous & Overseas Territories[]
An oft-overlooked part of the federal framework is the existence of the Autonomous & Overseas Territories: constituent entities that exist outside the regular scope of regional devolution due to their geographic location or unique circumstances. As of 1935, two Autonomous Territories and one Overseas Territory are currently recognised: the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands & St. Helena respectively.
Municipal & Local Government[]
Background[]
Newcastle Town Hall
Following the passage of the Local Government Act 1927, the system of sub-regional and municipal governance was majorly reformed from its prior incarnation has had been established in 1888 and 1894. In Local Government Commission established by the new government, it was reported that the old system of local governance was proving unfit for purpose. Previously, a two-tier system existed in which administrative counties were divided into many small urban and rural districts as well as county boroughs. Some urban districts had a population of just a few hundred and did not have the resources to deliver modern local government functions; others had been devestated by the economic downturn and civil war, now lacking the rates to provide services to meet demand. Similarly, there were a number of rural districts created in 1894 that had small and irregular areas or were oversized. In some areas parish councils were located in one county but were administered by rural district in another. Likewise, some rural districts were geographically separated from their administrating county leading to the awkward arrangement of services.
Furthermore, the Commision reported that the functions and purpose of the local administrations was now in doubt. The rapidly increasing role of government, particularly in the areas of health, welfare and public assistance saw responsobilities that had previously been carried out by the local county now taken over by the national government. This now faced the local councils with the issues of being made obsolete or unable to provide services due to their byzantine nature. The Local Government Commission originally composed two proposals for consideration: maintaining a two-tier system of upper and lower councils but restructuring and reorganising its makeup. Or, more controversially, the creation of a single-tier system based off of the previously existing "County Boroughs" used in large towns. This would afford the Council the powers of a District and County while being mapped to a large population than a district. Neither system garnered much support among the government but it was ultimately decided to opt for the two-tier system. While this was regarded as the "less" radical option, it nevertheless began one of the most sweeping reforms to local government in British history and dramatically changed the functions of local government which at this point had become increasingly byzantine and split across the nations of Britain. While England & Wales were uniform, Scotland maintained its own system of various "Burgh" types that had been legislated on separately, providing another headache for the commission.
Prior to the passage of the Acts, the system of municipal governance in England & Wales was organised by the Local Government 1888 (which established the first County Councils) and the Local Government Act 1894 which established the two tier-system of urban and rural districts. In Scotland, it was organised by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 to account for the unique system in the nation. At this time, the old system was a byzantine and confusing web of various types of municipality. At the basic level, were Urban and Rural Districts - covering small towns and their surrounding rural areas respectively - both having limited self-government and sharing power with the Administrative County (County Council) though Urban Districts had slightly more powers, oversight and funding. Elsewhere existed "County Boroughs" which were towns, boroughs and cities independent of the Administrative County and formed a single-tier of governance. To complicate the system even further, existed the presence of County Corporations and Municipal Boroughs. The County Corporations & Boroughs were a Medieval institution conferred by Royal Charter upon towns and cities deemed important enough to govern themselves outside of their county. Later on, the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 was passed to provide a uniform standard for local governance, reforming the historic entities into the new standard. But by the 1920s any special repsonsibilities or privileges had since been lost and many Corporations and Municipal Boroughs had been converted into County Boroughs leaving the titles as purely ceremonial. The situation was complicated yet again as many larger Urban Districts felt "Municipal Borough" held more prestige and so petitioned for the title. Many of them were granted it, despite the fact it held no powers except, awkwardly, in some cases allowing the council to manage primary education.
Modernisation[]
The Local Government Act 1927, passed in the summer of that year and began the process of reforming the prior system. The largest of the reforms was the abolition of the term "County" - due to its noble connotations - and a switch to the term "Province" as a modern alternative. Urban, Rural and Administrative Counties were abolished and reorganised, as were County Boroughs. In their place, Administrative Counties became Provinces - sometimes called Provincial Boroughs - and underneath, Urban and Rural Districts simply became District Boroughs. The term Municipal Borough was re-used to refer to the old County Boroughs who carried over many of the same powers. County Corporations were not formally abolished but renamed Town Corporations (or City, in respect to their size) if they could prove their prior position via a Charter or Prescription. The Corporations had no powers outside of ceremony such as their unique name; appointing of their own Sheriffs and the ability to elect a Mayor, who would preside over a small council of Alderman to carry out local ceremonies and the like. Many towns that had formally been "Municipal Boroughs" lost their special statues and some were merged with neighboring rural districts though this was rare. Many of the districts retained their separate geographic and administrative positions but were granted the same powers and status in respect of each other. Parish Councils also risked abolition but were narrowly saved after successful lobbying and instead were renamed "Civic Councils" formally though the term Parish Council was still regarded as an acceptable, if antiquated term and many of their borders were redrawn to account for other boundary changes.
Furthermore, the Act made sweeping changes to the powers of the various Councils and their administration. Per ongoing reforms to the government, local government responsibilities were transferred from the Ministry of Health to the Home Office, as the latter had now been placed in charge of the democratic process and other internal affairs. Some boundaries were redrawn to account for population shifts, others to rectify geographic and administrative anomalies. New provisions were implemented outlining a process on how Councils could seek to rectify boundaries issues either via the intervention of the Home Office or between themselves. The councils themselves were given more autonomy to work between themselves such as solving boundary disputes, procuring land outside their area and forming joint committees to work on common interests. Furthermore, it permitted that a district could seek to become a Municipal Borough if it held over a population of 75,000 and met any other relevant criteria, as stipulated by the Home Office. In further laws overhauling the system, Registration Counties and Districts were formally abolished with their services being brought in line with the standard Provincial borders. All registrar and record services were passed over to the Provincial Borough or Municipal Borough. Finally, in one of the most radical changes the Poor Law Unions were abolished, as were the Board of Guardians. Their duties were either taken over by national government services or the Public Assistance committees of the Region.
While the main changes had focused on heavily reorganizing the system as it was in England and Wales, Scotland was also in the process of undergoing its own major reorganisation as stipulated in the Act. Like in England and Wales, Scotland was governed by a complex system of local governance based on the ancient Burghs and the stipulations of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 which had founded Scotland's counties. However, those burghs whose population had been 7,000 or more in the 1881 census or were a Royal Burgh were exempt from the control of their county leading to a disparity in governance. As was happening elsewhere in the country, this system was entirely abolished but with provisions to account for Scots' Law and Scotland's unique institutions. Nevertheless, the office of Commissioner of Supply and the Scottish Poor Law administrations were wholly abolished by the act. In reorganising local government, the Counties (which followed the Scottish shires) were abolished and replaced with Provincial Burghs as they were in England and Wales. All other Burghs were formally abolished and turned into Town Burghs or District Burghs, mirroring their Southern counterparts with each Town Burgh electing a Provost rather than a Mayor. Royal Burghs were renamed Corporation Burghs, granting them similar ceremonial rights to their English and Welsh counterparts. As a final exception, the four largest Royal Burghs of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow were made "Provincial Cities" allowing them to be governed by a City Corporation, hold the combined powers of both a Burgh & Province and be granted some autonomy from the Regional government.
London[]
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Organisation & Responsibilities[]
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