🇬🇧🏛 Politics in the UK & Wales 🗳📜
Politics is how decisions are made about laws, schools, hospitals, and much more! In the UK and Wales, we have a democracy, which means people vote to choose who leads the country. Let’s explore how it all works! 🇬🇧🏴
Who Is in Charge of the UK? 👑🏛
The UK has a government that runs the country and makes important decisions. The head of the government is called the Prime Minister.
👨💼 The Prime Minister
- The Prime Minister is the leader of the UK.
- They make important decisions about laws, money, and national issues.
- They work at 10 Downing Street in London.
- The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most votes in an election.
What Is the Houses of Parliament? 🏛
The Houses of Parliament is where laws are made for the whole of the UK. It is in London, next to the River Thames, and has a big clock tower called Big Ben! ⏰
The Two Houses of Parliament
There are two parts of Parliament:
🏛 The House of Commons – This is where Members of Parliament (MPs) debate and vote on new laws.
🏰 The House of Lords – A group of experts who check and improve laws before they are passed.
MPs in the House of Commons are elected by people in the UK.
What Is the Senedd? 🏛 (Welsh Parliament)
In Wales, we have our own Welsh Parliament, called the Senedd. It makes decisions about Wales and is based in Cardiff.
What Does the Senedd Do?
- Decides on schools, hospitals, transport, and the environment in Wales.
- Has 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs) who are elected by people in Wales.
- The leader of the Welsh Government is called the First Minister.
The UK Government makes big national decisions, but the Senedd makes decisions just for Wales.
Local Councils – Who Runs Our Towns and Cities? 🏘
Every town and city in the UK has a local council that looks after the local area.
What Do Local Councils Do?
🏫 Schools – Making sure local schools have funding and resources.
🚮 Bins & Recycling – Collecting rubbish and keeping streets clean.
🌳 Parks & Libraries – Looking after green spaces and public services.
🏡 Housing – Helping people find homes and supporting local housing needs.
🚦 Roads & Transport – Fixing potholes, running buses, and improving local travel.
Each council has councillors who are elected by local people. The leader of the council is called the Mayor or Council Leader.
Local councils help make our communities better places to live! 🏘✨
How Do Elections Work? 🗳
Every few years, people vote to choose who runs the UK, Wales, and their local area. This is called an election.
How Voting Works 🗳
✔ People over 18 years old can vote in UK elections.
✔ In Wales, people aged 16 and over can vote in Senedd elections.
✔ You vote by marking an ‘X’ on a ballot paper in a polling station.
✔ The party with the most votes wins the election.
The political party that wins chooses the Prime Minister, First Minister, or local councillors.
Why Is Voting Important? ✅
Voting lets people have a say in who runs the country! It helps decide:
✔ Laws that affect our everyday lives.
✔ Money for schools, hospitals, and transport.
✔ Who represents us in Parliament, the Senedd, and local councils.
Even though children can’t vote yet, learning about politics helps us understand how our country is run! 🇬🇧🏛
Fun Facts About UK Politics! 🤩
✔ The UK Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street! 🏠
✔ The Senedd building in Cardiff is shaped like a wave to show Wales’s connection to the sea! 🌊🏛
✔ The Houses of Parliament has over 1,000 rooms! 🏰
✔ The King officially agrees to every new law, but he cannot refuse it! 👑📜
✔ The word “Parliament” comes from a French word meaning “to speak”! 💬
What Can You Do? 🎨📖
🗳 Create your own political party – What would you change if you were in charge?
🎨 Design a poster encouraging people to vote!
📖 Write a speech about what you would do as Prime Minister, First Minister, or Mayor!
Politics is important because it affects all of us! One day, you could vote – or even become a leader! 🏛✨
