England (Royal Prerogative)

From Alternative History

England is a country in Europe, consisting of the southern part of the island of Britain, bordered to the north by Scotland. The region of Wales is an integral part of England, though it has its own culture and language that are beginning to surface after several centuries of repression. England is a world superpower and controls a large empire, consisting of English Canada, Kingsland,Jamaica, British Guiana, South Africa, Kenya, Rhodesia and a number of smaller territories, mostly islands, in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the Caribbean Sea.

[edit] History

See: Timeline of English History (Royal Prerogative)

[edit] Government

England is governed according to the Oxford Accords, which is a document laying out the powers of the Sovereign and the powers of Parliament. The King is Head of State, Commander of the Armed Forces and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The King has the power to declare war, seize land, and a vast array of other powers seldom exercised. Nevertheless, the King maintains a very strong role in government and most decisions require his approval. Some monarchs have chosen to be less actively involved in government - the incumbent monarch, King William VI, takes a less active role than his predecessor, King Henry X. The King appoints a Lord Chancellor as his first minister and liason to Parliament. Parliament consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In theory both are equal, though in practice, historically the House of Lords has wielded more influence. In contemporary times, however, the power of the House of Commons is becoming more prominent. Parliament alone has the power to levy taxes and raise revenue - for this reason it is essential Parliament and the monarch remain on good terms. The King appoints one Minister of State to be his representative in the House of Commons while the Lord Chancellor represents him in the House of Lords. This post of Commons leader is usually combined with the offices of Lord Privy Seal and First Lord of the Treasury, and often with other offices of state such as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs or Chancellor of the Exchequer as well. It should be noted that as Parliament is an elected body, the party that controls Parliament changes, and this has often led to conflict with the King and the Lord Chancellor.
The current Lord Chancellor is the Duke of Suffolk, who replaced Lord Mandelson in 2004. The present Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal and First Lord of the Treasury is the Hon. Sir Menzies Campbell.