Government of England
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There has not been a government of England since 1707 when the Kingdom of England ceased to exist as a sovereign state, as it merged with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, although both kingdoms had been ruled by a single monarch since 1603 under James I of England. Prior to the Acts of Union 1707, England was ruled by a monarch and the Parliament of England.
In 1284, Wales was joined to England under the Statute of Rhuddlan. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 formed a single legal system for England and Wales.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which itself replaced the Kingdom of Great Britain following a later merger with the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801, has undergone a series of dramatic innovations in the manner in which its constituent countries are governed, with devolved parliaments, assemblies and governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England remains under the full jurisdiction, on all matters, of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom which has led to demands for the West Lothian question to be answered. Attempts at devolution to the English regions have been unsuccessful so far. However a series of unelected regional assemblies have been elected in addition to the creation of Regional Government Offices. The incumbent government has no plans at present to devolve power to England as a constituent country as has happened in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Both proponents of English devolution and those opposed to devolution produce figures to make their case.
One part of England, Greater London, has a degree of devolved power (although weaker than that of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) with power vested in an elected London Mayor, currently Ken Livingstone and the London Assembly. Greater London is, however, a unique region of England, being almost entirely made up of a single city - London.
The country is officially divided into the following in terms of governance.
- The 9 English regions,
- The modern day local authority areas,
- The geographical/ceremonial counties of England.
[edit] See also
- West Lothian question
- Devolved English parliament
- List of Parliaments of England
- Campaign for an English Parliament
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