Who's in charge, The Queen or The Prime minister?

Question

When the stuff hits the fan who has the final word,who has the most power and who over-rules who?

Answer 1

~I think it's the PM

Answer 2

The queen, ultimately. The PM works under her. What a hooch.

Answer 3

the prime minister in the name of the queen. all acts of governement are carried out in the name of the monarch. the queen doesn't really excerise her power. monarchs have the power to deny royal assent which is like a veto. its hasn't been used since queen anne i believe.

Answer 4

The government is top dog,,

Answer 5

Hello,The Magna Carta was signed in 1215 relinquishing the power of Kings and Queens to sole rule of the country,  ps see Magna Carta on Y@hoo.

Answer 6

If I remember correctly, I think that queen can over rule the PM.

Answer 7

In theory the Queen is in charge.

In practice it is the PM.

All of what appears to be in the gift of the queen is just rubber-stamping recommendations made by No 10. e.g. Knighthoods, OBEs, etc...

Answer 8

Technically, it's the queen. But if she were to excercise this power its doubtful that parliment would accept it. Royalty is largely a formality in the UK now.

Answer 9

The Queen will generally rubber stamp anything that the PM places in front of her, unless she feels the legislation will harm the country.

However, until she signs-off on the bill, it does NOT become Law.

So, although she is a "figurehead" monarch, SHE holds more power than the PM. The main issue is that with the British Monarchy, the King/Queen REIGNS, but Parliament RULES...albeit in the NAME of the King/Queen!

Answer 10

Neither its the super powers that have the last say trouble is no one really knows who they are unless you cross them

Answer 11

The political power lies with the Prime Minister. The Queen acts as an advisory head of state.Her job is mostly ceremonial,unless Parliament requires her to do more--like cast a tie-breaking vote.

From http://www.royal.gov/uk

"The Queen is Head of State in the United Kingdom. Her official title in the UK is "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

As a constitutional monarch, The Queen does not 'rule' the country, but fulfils important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the devolved assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Queen is also Fount of Justice, from whom justice in the United Kingdom derives, and has important relationships with the Armed Forces and the established Churches of England and Scotland.

In addition to her role in the United Kingdom, The Queen has a special role to play in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are dependent territories of the English Crown.



Read more about The Queen's State roles in the UK and Crown dependencies in this section.

As Head of State The Queen has to remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters, unable to vote or stand for election.

But The Queen does have important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the Government of the UK.

The formal phrase 'Queen in Parliament' is used to describe the British legislature, which consists of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Queen's duties include opening each new session of Parliament, dissolving Parliament before a general election, and approving Orders and Proclamations through the Privy Council.

The Queen also has a close relationship with the Prime Minister, retaining the right to appoint and meet with him or her on a regular basis.

In addition to playing a specific role in the UK Parliament based in London, The Queen has formal roles with relation to the devolved assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Queen has an important formal and ceremonial relationship with Parliament.

The phrase 'Crown in Parliament' is used to describe the British legislature, which consists of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Of these three different elements, the Commons, a majority of whom normally supports the elected Government of the day, has the dominant political power.

The role of the Sovereign in the enactment of legislation is today purely formal, although The Queen has the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn through regular audiences with her ministers.

As a constitutional monarch, the Sovereign is required to assent to all Bills passed by Parliament, on the advice of Government ministers. The Royal Assent (consenting to a measure becoming law) has not been refused since 1707.

The Queen also plays an important role in the ceremonial opening and dissolving of Parliament.

In the annual State Opening of Parliament ceremony, The Queen opens Parliament in person, and addresses both Houses in The Queen's Speech. Neither House can proceed to public business until The Queen's Speech has been read.

This speech is drafted by the Government and not by The Queen. It outlines the Government's policy for the coming session of Parliament and indicates forthcoming legislation.

In addition to opening Parliament, only The Queen can summon Parliament, and prorogue (discontinue without dissolving it) or dissolve it.

When a Prime Minister wishes to dissolve Parliament and call a general election, he or she is obliged to seek the permission of the Sovereign to do so. For this purpose, the Prime Minister usually travels to Buckingham Palace before announcing a general election.

Since the Parliament Act of 1911, the life of the United Kingdom Parliament extends to five years, unless dissolved sooner by the Sovereign at the request of the Prime Minister.

In practice, except during the two World Wars when the life of Parliament was extended annually to avoid a wartime general election, every modern Parliament has been dissolved before its term has expired.  



The Queen's role in Parliament is:

Assenting to Bills passed by Parliament, on the advice of Ministers;

Giving audiences to Ministers, at which Her Majesty may be consulted, encourage and warn;

Opening each new session of Parliament;

Proroguing or dissolving Parliament before a general election.

Parliament has not been dissolved by the Sovereign in person since 1818 (the Prince Regent was acting for George III), and is now invariably dissolved by Royal proclamation.

This proclamation includes an order to summon the next Parliament and therefore sets in motion the machinery for holding a general election.

The Prime Minister of the day may request the Sovereign to grant a dissolution at any time. In normal circumstances, when a single-party government enjoys a majority in the House of Commons, the Sovereign would not refuse, for the government would then resign and the Sovereign would be unable to find an alternative government capable of commanding the confidence of the Commons.

When Parliament is summoned, also after a Royal proclamation, there must, since the Representation of the People Act 1918, be a period of at least twenty days before Parliament meets. This period can be extended, but only for fourteen days, according to the Prorogation Act 1867.

There is only one occasion on which Parliament meets without a Royal summons, and that is when the Sovereign has died. In such circumstances, the Succession to the Crown Act 1707 provides that, if Parliament is not already sitting, it must immediately meet and sit.

The Meeting of Parliament Act 1797 provides that, if the Sovereign dies after Parliament has been dissolved, the immediately preceding Parliament sits for up to six months, if not prorogued or dissolved before then. "

Answer 12

wow, what a mixture of information...great answers from everyone, anybody here from England? I agree with the answers of the PM as Head of State, but the Queen is the head of the country. The prime minister is treated as head of state in DC but the royalty gets bowed  to.  A note to ponder...royalty is not allowed in the House of Commons.

Answer 13

Who's the BIG daddy dude, reckon that's the 'faeries' in the sky hey?...

Answer 14

The Queen has no real power, unfortunately it's currently Brown but roll on the next General election and we can vote him out, and allow him to make his millions on the speakers circuits like his mate Blair.

Answer 15

The politicians, so therefor the PM

Answer 16

The British monarchy is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and holds the now constitutional position of head of state. According to convention, the Queen's powers are exercised upon the advice of her prime minister. She does however possess certain reserve powers which she may exercise at her own discretion.

It has long been established in the uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom that political power is ultimately exercised by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, of which the Sovereign is a non-partisan component, along with the House of Lords and the House of Commons, and by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Thus, as the modern British monarchy is a constitutional one, the Sovereign's role is in practice limited to non-partisan functions (such as being the fount of honour).

In practice, political power is exercised today through Parliament and by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The sovereign also holds the title of Supreme Governor of the established Church of England. The monarch holds a weekly audience with the Prime Minister, as well as regular audiences with other members of the Cabinet. The monarch may express his or her views, but, as a constitutional ruler, must ultimately accept the Prime Minister's and Cabinet's decisions.

Answer 17

The prime minister, as head of government, has the actual power.  When the queen makes appointments, she makes them with the PM's advice.  However, the monarch can also advise and influence, as this story shows:  When D-Day was in the works, Churchill, as Prime Minister, wanted to sit on the cliffs at Dover and watch.  Evidently as head of government he had the right.  And King George VI told him that in that case, HE, as King, would exercise his constitutional right as head of the armed forces to lead the invasion.  They both stayed home.

Answer 18

Prime Minister The Queen is just there for a show