From the Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 21 – Special Election Edition

Welcome to a special emergency edition of the Anglotopia Podcast! This episode is jumping the queue ahead of our pre-recorded content because last week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election, and our readers immediately had questions about how the British electoral system works.

Before we dive in, a quick disclaimer: Anglotopia is a happy place. We don’t typically discuss British politics in a partisan way, but we love exploring them from historical and cultural perspectives. As Americans, it’s not our place to have opinions on British political parties or take sides. We’re merely looking at the system as interested outsiders, helping you understand how it works so you can follow along and learn about Britain through its democratic process.

The American and British electoral systems couldn’t be more different, and those differences are fascinating. So grab a cup of tea (we’re drinking Cornish Smuggler’s Tea from our London Tube History Poster teapot this afternoon), and let’s explore British Elections 101.

Why Is There an Election?

Let’s start with the most basic question: why is Britain having an election now?

The Five-Year Term:

The British Parliament operates on usually five-year terms—not four years like the US presidency or two years like the US House of Representatives. The entire Parliament has a five-year maximum term. This was codified in the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, though that was changed about five years ago, returning some flexibility to the system.

The Prime Minister’s Power:

Here’s where it gets interesting: one of the Prime Minister’s political powers is that he or she can call an election whenever they like within that five-year term. This is a fundamentally different system than the United States, where elections happen on fixed, predetermined dates.

The Prime Minister can call an election when it’s politically expedient for their party to do so. All they have to do is visit the monarch (currently King Charles III) and request an election. The King must say yes—it’s a constitutional formality—and that starts the process rolling.

Rishi Sunak’s Decision:

Rishi Sunak, the current Prime Minister, technically had until January 2025 to call an election. However, without getting into the politics of it, he decided to call it now—in July 2024—presumably because he believes the electoral result would be better for his party now than if he waited. The British people have been eagerly anticipating this election, as the government has been weak, and there’s been widespread desire for the country to have its say.

The election was announced, and suddenly Britain is in full campaign mode.

Where Does the Election Cover?

This seems like an elementary question, but it’s actually more complicated than you might think if you’re not familiar with British political geography.

Understanding the United Kingdom:

The United Kingdom is a country made up of four countries:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

Great Britain vs. The United Kingdom:

Here’s an important distinction: Great Britain is the island containing England, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom includes all of Great Britain plus Northern Ireland. This matters for understanding governance.

Devolved Governments:

Each country within the UK, except England, has its own devolved government:

• Scotland has its own Parliament (in Edinburgh)
• Wales has its own Senedd (Welsh Parliament)
• Northern Ireland has its own Assembly (when it’s functioning—the situation there is complicated)

However, the entire United Kingdom is ultimately run from London, from the Palace of Westminster—the Houses of Parliament.

What About British Territories?

British territories like the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, or Gibraltar do not vote in UK elections. They’re not part of the United Kingdom proper; they’re separate territories with their own governance systems.

How British Government Works: A Fundamental Difference

To understand British elections, you need to understand how profoundly different the British system is from the American one.

American System:

In America, we have three branches of government designed to be equal and separate:

• Executive (President)
• Legislative (Congress)
• Judicial (Supreme Court and federal courts)

This separation of powers means each branch checks and balances the others.

British System:

The British system evolved differently, and from it, the American system was derived—but we added our own stamp. In Britain:

Parliament is supreme. Parliament is sovereign. Parliament is the only branch of government that truly matters. It is the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature all rolled into one institution.

This concept—parliamentary sovereignty—means Parliament can make or unmake any law, and no other body can override Parliament. It’s fundamentally different from the American system of separated powers.

The Two Houses:

Parliament is made up of two houses:

1. The House of Commons: The elected house—this is what the election is about
2. The House of Lords: The appointed or hereditary house (we won’t dive into that complexity here)

When Parliament is dissolved for an election, it’s the House of Commons that’s up for grabs.

The British Party System

650 Constituencies:

The UK is divided into 650 constituencies, each with a population of roughly 60,000-70,000 people. The election is to choose the Member of Parliament (MP) for each constituency.

First Past the Post:

Britain uses a “first past the post” system—whoever gets the most votes in a constituency wins that seat, even if they don’t win a majority. This is different from proportional representation systems used in many other countries.

Political Parties:

Britain has several major political parties, and we’ll present them in a purely factual way:

The Conservative Party (Tories):

• Generally center-right on the political spectrum
• Traditionally associated with business, fiscal conservatism, and traditional values
• Color: Blue
• Currently in power under Rishi Sunak

The Labour Party:

• Generally center-left on the political spectrum
• Historically associated with workers’ rights, unions, and social programs
• Color: Red
• Currently in opposition under Keir Starmer

The Liberal Democrats:

• Centrist party
• Focuses on civil liberties and constitutional reform
• Color: Orange/Yellow
• Third largest party by representation

The Scottish National Party (SNP):

• Left-leaning Scottish independence party
• Only runs candidates in Scotland
• Color: Yellow
• Significant presence in Scottish constituencies

Other Parties:

• Plaid Cymru (Welsh nationalists)
• Green Party
• Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party)
• Various Northern Irish parties (Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Féin, Alliance, etc.)

Forming a Government:

Here’s where it gets really different from America: you don’t vote directly for Prime Minister. You vote for your local MP. The party that wins the most seats (326 or more out of 650) forms the government, and their leader becomes Prime Minister.

If no party wins a majority, you get a “hung parliament,” which can lead to coalition governments (where parties team up) or minority governments (where the largest party governs without a majority).

How the Campaign Works

Short and Intense:

British elections are dramatically shorter than American ones. From the moment the election is called to election day is typically 6-8 weeks. Compare that to the nearly two-year American presidential campaigns!

The Campaign:

Party leaders travel the country, giving speeches, participating in debates, and trying to win votes. There’s door-to-door canvassing, leaflets through letterboxes, and increasingly, social media campaigns.

Election Night:

British election nights are legendary. They typically happen on Thursday nights (elections are always held on Thursdays in Britain), and results come in throughout the night and into Friday morning. The BBC’s coverage is particularly famous, with elaborate sets, graphics, and analysis.

The Ritual:

When constituencies declare their results, candidates stand on stage together while the returning officer announces the vote totals. It’s wonderfully civilized and slightly awkward—winners and losers standing side by side.

What Happens After?

Forming a Government:

If a party wins a clear majority, their leader travels to Buckingham Palace the day after the election to meet with the King, who formally invites them to form a government. The leader kisses hands with the monarch (a traditional phrase—they don’t literally kiss hands anymore) and becomes Prime Minister.

Moving Day:

There’s often the surreal sight of the outgoing Prime Minister making a farewell speech outside 10 Downing Street, leaving in a car, and then within hours, the new Prime Minister arriving and moving in. It’s remarkably quick and efficient.

Forming the Cabinet:

The new Prime Minister then appoints their Cabinet—ministers who will run various government departments. These are all MPs from their party.

Following the Election as an Outsider

Why It’s Fascinating:

British elections offer a window into British culture, regional differences, historical tensions, and how the country sees itself. You can learn an enormous amount about Britain by following an election cycle.

How to Follow:

• BBC News: Comprehensive, balanced coverage
• The Guardian and The Telegraph: Represent different perspectives
• Social media: British political Twitter is particularly lively (though occasionally toxic)
• Election night coverage: The BBC’s election night broadcasts are genuinely entertaining

What to Watch For:

• Regional differences (how Scotland votes vs. England, urban vs. rural)
• Swing constituencies that change hands
• The leaders’ debates
• The exit poll (released at 10 PM on election night—usually remarkably accurate)
• Unusual independent candidates and fringe parties

Our Favorite British Political Television Shows

Now for the fun part! British political dramas and comedies are some of the best television ever made. Here are our favorites:

The Classics

Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister

These 1980s comedies are absolute masterpieces. Yes Minister follows Jim Hacker, a well-meaning but somewhat incompetent government minister, and his permanent secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby, a civil servant who is brilliant at manipulating the system.

Yes, Prime Minister continues the story when Hacker becomes Prime Minister. The shows are brilliantly written, with razor-sharp dialogue that explains exactly how British government really works while being hysterically funny.

The dynamic between elected officials (who come and go) and permanent civil servants (who stay forever) creates endless comedy and insight. Sir Humphrey’s elaborate circumlocutions and Hacker’s attempts to actually accomplish anything make for television gold.

These shows remain relevant because they capture timeless truths about government bureaucracy, political ambition, and the machinery of state.

The Thick of It

Created by Armando Iannucci, The Thick of It is a modern political comedy that’s darker and more profane than Yes Minister but equally brilliant. It follows various government departments and MPs dealing with disasters, scandals, and incompetence.

The star is Malcolm Tucker, the Prime Minister’s director of communications (based on real spin doctors), who swears magnificently while terrorizing ministers and civil servants into toeing the party line.

The show is shot documentary-style, with handheld cameras and improvised dialogue, giving it an urgent, chaotic energy. It’s cynical but hilarious, and anyone who’s watched it sees echoes in real political events.

In the Loop is the feature film spinoff, expanding the universe to include American politics and the lead-up to war.

Contemporary Dramas

The Crown

While not strictly about elections, The Crown is Netflix’s lavish dramatization of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the various Prime Ministers who served under her. It shows the weekly audiences between monarch and PM, the constitutional role of the Crown, and how British politics evolved from the 1940s through recent decades.

The show features portrayals of Churchill, Eden, Macmillan, Wilson, Heath, Thatcher, Blair, and others, showing how they interacted with the monarch and handled major crises. It’s sumptuous, well-acted, and occasionally takes dramatic liberties, but it’s compelling viewing.

Bodyguard

This thriller series features Richard Madden as a police bodyguard assigned to protect the Home Secretary (equivalent to the US Secretary of Homeland Security). It combines political intrigue with action and personal drama.

The show tackles terrorism, government surveillance, political ambition, and the relationship between politicians and their protection officers. It’s tense, well-crafted, and keeps you guessing throughout.

Classic Dramas

House of Cards (Original British Version)

Long before Kevin Spacey and Netflix, there was the original 1990 British House of Cards with Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, a scheming Conservative Chief Whip who manipulates his way to becoming Prime Minister.

“You might very well think that, I couldn’t possibly comment” became Urquhart’s signature phrase as he broke the fourth wall, addressing the audience directly while plotting his Machiavellian schemes.

The British version is darker, more cynical, and ultimately more interesting than the American remake. It spawned two sequels following Urquhart’s time as PM.

The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard

This early 2000s gem stars Jane Horrocks as a supermarket manager who, during a political visit to her store, spontaneously decides to run for Prime Minister. Against all odds, she actually wins.

It’s a comedy-drama about an outsider shaking up the political establishment. Carey Mulligan appears as one of her daughters. It only lasted one season (six episodes), but it’s worth tracking down as a charming alternative to cynical political dramas.

Scandal-Based Dramas

A Very English Scandal

Hugh Grant plays Jeremy Thorpe, a real 1960s/70s Liberal Party leader with a secret: he’s homosexual at a time when it was still technically illegal. The show, based on true events, follows the scandal involving Thorpe and Norman Jospin (played by Ben Whishaw), including an attempted murder.

Grant is brilliant as the self-serving, ultimately villainous Thorpe. The show captures the period beautifully and tells an extraordinary true story that many have forgotten.

A Very British Scandal

From the same creative team, this series stars Claire Foy and Paul Bettany as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in the 1960s divorce scandal that captivated Britain. While not strictly political, it shows how the establishment dealt with scandal and how the press functioned in that era.

Stonehouse

Matthew Macfadyen (Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice) stars as John Stonehouse, a real 1970s MP who faked his own death and fled to Australia. Keeley Hawes plays his wife in this lush period drama about a completely unredeemable character whose true story is more bizarre than fiction could invent.

Anatomy of a Scandal

This Netflix series stars Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend in a story about a British politician accused of sexual misconduct. Dockery prosecutes, Miller plays the politician’s wife, and the show keeps you guessing about what really happened and who’s telling the truth.

It’s beautifully shot with luxurious locations, and the narrative structure makes you question the narrator and examine your own assumptions.

The Diplomat

This Netflix series stars Keri Russell as an American diplomat appointed to the UK Embassy in London—a posting she doesn’t want. She wanted Iraq or Afghanistan, something more in line with her experience.

She’s a bit of a fish out of water in Britain, and her husband (played by Rufus Sewell), a more senior diplomat, finds their roles reversed as her power rises and his ebbs. It’s smart, well-acted, features an incredible wardrobe budget, and ended its first season on a cliffhanger. Season two is coming.

Historical Drama

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

This 1980s miniseries (eight episodes) covers Churchill’s time in the 1930s when he was out of power and deeply unpopular, warning about Hitler while the establishment ignored him. It’s a fascinating window into 1930s British politics and how the government operated in that era.

For a shorter version of this story, the HBO film The Gathering Storm covers similar ground in two hours and does an excellent job.

Why British Political Entertainment Works

British political dramas and comedies succeed because:

They take politics seriously: Even comedies treat the machinery of government with respect while satirizing the people within it.

They’re not afraid of complexity: British audiences appreciate nuanced portrayals that don’t reduce everything to simple good vs. evil.

The writing is exceptional: British television invests in writers, and it shows. The dialogue, plotting, and character development in political shows is typically excellent.

Real-world inspiration: Many British political dramas are based on or inspired by real events, giving them authenticity and resonance.

Scandals are stranger than fiction: As several shows prove, reality often provides better material than anything writers could invent.

Learning About Britain Through Elections

Following a British election—even as an outsider who can’t vote—offers incredible insights into:

• How different regions of Britain see themselves
• Historical tensions and alliances
• Urban/rural divides
• Generational differences
• Economic concerns
• Cultural values
• The role of tradition versus change

It’s one of the best windows into understanding modern Britain, its challenges, aspirations, and character.

Our Approach

We love exploring British politics from a cultural and historical perspective while remaining neutral about current partisan issues. As Americans, we have no business telling British people how to vote or which parties to support. But we absolutely have an interest in understanding how the system works and appreciating the drama, history, and culture surrounding British democracy.

British elections are fascinating, British political television is world-class, and there’s no better time than during an election cycle to dive into both.

Join the Conversation

Did we get something wrong? (We probably did somewhere—please let us know in the comments!)

Have a favorite British political show we missed? Share it with us!

Questions about how British elections work? Ask away!

Final Thoughts

British elections are shorter, more intense, and fundamentally different from American ones. The parliamentary system creates its own drama—the possibility of coalition governments, hung parliaments, and rapid changes of leadership. It’s a system that’s evolved over centuries, combining tradition with democracy in distinctly British ways.

And the television shows inspired by this system? They’re some of the best ever made. Whether you prefer the gentle satire of Yes Minister, the profane chaos of The Thick of It, the lavish drama of The Crown, or the scandal-based true stories, there’s something for everyone.

So as Britain heads to the polls this summer, consider following along. Watch some British political television. Learn about a different democratic system. And appreciate that Britain does elections, politics, and political entertainment in ways that are uniquely fascinating.

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Disclaimer: This article represents our understanding of British elections and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes. We remain politically neutral regarding British political parties and encourage readers to form their own informed opinions.