Unit5: UK Politics: Political Turmoil and key issues in the British Political Sphere:
Intro:
Here are a few links and resources to find out more about the UK political system and to have a better grasp of the main political parties and leaders in the UK, not to mention the principal issues at stake right now, especially the current crisis of the Conservative Party and the various challenges the country has been faced with. This unit should help you review what you learned in Unit1 and go even further!
Survival kit:
Download this file and add whatever you think is central.
Step1: The UK Political System + Main Parties and Leaders:
A few useful resources:
- The UK political system: (cf Unit1)
Virtual tour of the House of Commons!
- 'Major' political parties:
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The Conservatives:
Kemi Badenoch (official website)
Rishi Sunak (Biography.com)
Liz Truss (Biography.com)
Boris Johnson (Biography.com)
David Cameron (Biography.com)
Theresa May (Biography.com)
2. The Labour Party:
- 'Minor' political parties:
- The Lib-Dems, or Liberal Democrats: Official Website
2. Reform UK
3. SNP: The Scottish National Party: Official website
4. DUP: The Democratic Unionist Party: Official website
5. The Green Party of England and Wales: Official Website
6. Sinn Fein: Official website
Sam's presentation on UK politics:
Step2: The Conservative Party in Shambles:
- Doc2a: The huge turnover of recent Conservative Prime Ministers; Sunak's defeat means UK will have eight living Prime Ministers (Breaking News)
- Doc2b: Analysis: The causes of the fall of UK's Conservative Party (aa.com)
- Doc2c: A Conservative identity crisis: a party under existential threat (ChamberUK)
- Doc2d: Kemi Badenoch, a controverisal leader (Newsweek)
Roundabout, merry-go-round, revolving door at Number 10:
Step3: Challenging times for the Labour Party: Coming soon:
Step4: A Country in Crisis? Coming soon
- Doc3a: The Brexit fallout: "6 Brexit problems 6 years after the EU referendum" (The Independent)
- The beginning of "The Sword in the Stone": an allegory for the current atmosphere in Britain? (0'-2'10) cfUnit1
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Go further and practice!
- Listening comprehension:
1) Listen to this episode from the Guardian's Politics Weekly podcast and note down as many things as you can.
2) Here is the latest episode.
Alex's oral presentation on UK politics from last year:
Alex was our Northern Irish assistant last year: