Government: A Guide

All of the basics about how to play Politics UK and the shape of the world pre-round are located here.
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Blakesley
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Government: A Guide

Post by Blakesley »

Will be posted here in bits and pieces.
Blakesley
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Blakesley
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Re: Government: A Guide

Post by Blakesley »

Forming a Government

Who appoints?

All government ministers are appointed by the sovereign (currently Queen Elizabeth II) on the recommendation of her Prime Minister. Functionally, this means that the Prime Minister appoints all ministers of the crown. As such, the Prime Minister is free to appoint whomever they want (provided that they are not an NPC - unless noted below). The only rule is that you must keep the Cabinet list on the forums updated and you must make a separate post for each update (no edits!). Failure to do so will see ministers losing their red boxes and their cars.

Mixing and Matching Departments

There are multiple strategies for mixing and matching departments. A list of the departments in 2015 is provided below. The critical rule is that every department must have its responsibilities assigned to a minister. If you are splitting a department's responsibilities, it must be made clear where the responsibilities are going, both for the sake of the Civil Service and the Opposition.

Great Offices of State - Traditionally the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer (head of HM Treasury), the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), and the Secretary of State for the Home Department (head of the Home Office) are referred to as the Great Offices of State. These are traditionally seen as the senior members of the Cabinet. As such, you are required to fill these roles and they cannot be changed.

Double Jobbing - Due to player numbers, a player holding multiple jobs is acceptable (ie, being Secretary of State for Education and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, and Skills will be perfectly acceptable). Double jobbing is allowed and encouraged to allow maximal flexibility.

Super Ministries - The Prime Minister is allowed to create super ministries, organised thematically, to give people a larger role (ie, a Secretary of State for Public Services, who oversees the Departments of Education, Health, and Work and Pensions). These are less flexible, but allowed. Some mixes are completely acceptable (such as a Secretary of State for Devolution, combining all of the national offices). Others are less encouraged (see, Secretary of State for Public Services or merging every economic ministry into HM Treasury). Ultimately this is up to you.

No matter how you mix and match departments, it must be made absolutely clear who is responsible for each department listed below (and, if you are splitting departments, where their responsibilities are going).

Firing ministers

Just like appointing them, ministers may be dismissed by updating your Cabinet list in a new post. Please contact an admin to remove their permissions rapidly on Discord.
The Government Departments in 2015

PMO and Cabinet Office

Prime Minister's Office - The personal office of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister's Office supports the Prime Minister in their day to day activities. Officially headed by the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. This office defaults to being assigned to the Prime Minister.

Cabinet Office - The office that supports the broader functions of government, it is headed by the Minister for the Cabinet Office (ministerially, who may also serve as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) and the Cabinet Secretary (in the Civil Service). It is tasked with coordinating the Cabinet and may have responsibility for cross-cutting initiatives. This is not a critical office, but can be handed out by the Prime Minister as necessary.

Departments of State - These offices must be assigned to a minister.

Department of Business, Innovation, and Skills - BIS is responsible, broadly, for business, companies, and competition law, regulation, consumer protection and rights, trade policy and export control, enterprise and business support, information and communications technology, regional economic development, further education and skills, and science, innovation, and universities.

Department of Communities and Local Government - DCLG is responsible, broadly, for local regeneration and economic growth policies, community and neighborhood initiatives, housing, fire services, planning and building policy, and local government in England.

Department of Culture, Media, and Sport - CMS is responsible, broadly, for arts and culture, tourism, sport, and media and communications.

Ministry of Defence - MoD is responsible for defence policy and the Armed Forces.

Department for Education - DfE is responsible, broadly, for teaching and learning in the early years and primary schools, teaching and learning in secondary schools, supporting professionals who work with children and young people, childcare, improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people, and protecting and supporting children.

Department of Energy and Climate Change - DECC is responsible, broadly, for energy policy (including the development of renewables, North Sea oil, energy efficiency, research, etc) and climate change policy (including carbon emissions, global climate agreements, etc).

Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs - DEFRA is responsible, broadly, for environmental protection, conservation, agriculture, fisheries, food, rural development, resilience against natural disasters, and plant and animal health.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office - FCO is responsible, broadly, for the coordination of foreign policy, relations with the European Union, foreign states, and international organisations. The Foreign Secretary is also the minister responsible for the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ.

Government Equalities Office - GEO is responsible for policies related to equality between the sexes, gender and sexual orientation, and racial equality. This office is typically headed by the Minister for Women and Equalities, which is often a post given to another sitting member of the Cabinet (double jobbing!).

Department of Health - DoH is responsible, broadly, for health security, the National Health Service in England, social care (in England), medical research, mental health, and public health.

Home Office - The Home Office is responsible for crime prevention and policing, immigration and borders, counterterrorism, reducing domestic extremism, safeguarding, and the Security Service.

Department for International Development - DfID is responsible, broadly, for all of the United Kingdom's international aid and policies on international development.

Ministry of Justice - The Ministry of Justice is responsible for, broadly, policies related to the judiciary, the court systems, and prisons and probation in England and Wales, as well as issues such as legal aid; additionally, it has UK-wide remit for international justice policy, freedom of information and data protection, human rights and civil liberties, the constitution, and the Supreme Court. The Secretary of State for Justice additionally serves as Lord Chancellor.

Department of Transport - DoT is responsible for transport policy broadly, including major capital projects such as HS2.

HM Treasury - HM Treasury is responsible for fiscal and tax policy, banking, financial services, and financial markets (and their regulation), the overall direction of economic policy, relations with the Bank of England, ministerial oversight of HMRC, and international economic and financial policy.

Department of Work and Pensions - DWP oversees the United Kingdom's social security system, including all welfare and pensions policy. Additionally, DWP operates employment programmes, such as JobCentres, that are designed to reduce unemployment.

Northern Ireland Office - Responsible for Northern Ireland and devolution there.

Scotland Office - Responsible for Scotland and devolution there.

Wales Office - Responsible for Wales and devolution there.

Parliamentary Offices

Leader of the House of Commons - Controls timetables in the House of Commons. Can be an NPC.

Leader of the House of Lords - Controls debate in the House of Lords once a bill passes the Commons. Can be an NPC.

Government Chief Whip - Responsible for whipping votes in the Commons. May uncover scandals. Can be an NPC - should not be controlled by the Prime Minister.

Law Officers

Attorney General's Office - Responsible for the Crown Prosecution Service and providing the government legal advice. The admins will offer legal advice where necessary - making the Crown Prosecution Service the important part of this role.
Blakesley
Treasury | Labour
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