The Voice UK is a British television talent show based on The Voice of Holland created by Dutch television producer John de Mol, and which began its eleven week run in March 2012 on the BBC network in the United Kingdom. The judging panel is Danny O'Donoghue, Jessie J, Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am with Reggie Yates and Holly Willoughby as presenters. The show involves artists drawn from public auditions, and is part of The Voice franchise. It is produced by Shed Media's Wall to Wall as well as Dutch production company Talpa Productions. The BBC won a "bidding war" with ITV, paying £22 million for the rights to broadcast the show in the UK for two years. The winner of The Voice UK will receive £100,000 and a record deal with Universal Republic.

The BBC was reported as being in a "scheduling war" with ITV's Britain's Got Talent show which launched on the same date of 24 March 2012. There are four different stages to the show: Producers' auditions, Blind auditions, Battle Phase and Live Shows. Producers' auditions for participants began in October 2011 with five events in London, two events in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff, and one event in Belfast. The TV show "blind" auditions were held at the BBC TV Centre, and broadcast for the first four weeks of the series. The Battle Phase was broadcast over two nights during the weekend of 21-22 April.

Production[link]

On 7 June 2011, it was reported by The Sun that BBC and ITV were in a "bidding war" for The Voice UK.^[1] The Sun's Colin Robertson and Leigh Holmwood stated that ITV were "nervous", "fearing" that The Voice UK could "undermine" the X Factor.^[1] The Sun had previously reported that the BBC were "close" to getting The Voice, as well as saying that "ITV executives had originally told X Factor top brass they weren't interested in picking up the rights." However, "now they have told owners of The Voice format they ARE interested."^[1] A source said, "The X Factor has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride already this year and ITV fear any rival new show could blow it out of the water. The hype around The Voice is now so great that ITV feels it has no choice but to be in the running for it. If the BBC got it—and managed to sign Cheryl—then it could snare loads of viewers away from The X Factor."^[1] ITV were planning to have The Voice UK as "'companion show'" for X Factor.^[1] On 18 June 2011, it was reported that the BBC had won the rights to The Voice UK.

Devised by John de Mol, the creator of Big Brother, The Voice is based on the Dutch TV programme The Voice of Holland and is part of the The Voice franchise, being based on the similar U.S. format.^[2] The BBC were "desperate" to get The Voice UK after they axed So You Think You Can Dance.^[1] Of the agreement with De Mol, BBC controller Danny Cohen and production companies Talpa Productions and Shed Media said,

According to Anita Singh from The Daily Telegraph, the BBC have spent 22 million on buying the rights to the show, which will last two years. Of the amount of money spent on it a BBC spokesperson said, "There is an awful lot of pressure, given the money spent on the format, for the ratings to be good. But at the moment all signs are that it will be cash well spent."^[4] Singh stated however, that this contradicted a "pledge" made by Mark Thompson, the director-general. He said, "The BBC needs to make a further significant shift towards distinctiveness, spending more of the licence fee on output which, without the BBC, wouldn't get made at all." The ITV reportedly "offered more for the format but were turned down".^[5] After comparisons to the X Factor were made, Cohen defended the decision to gain the rights to the show saying, "We feel that there's enough difference in this format that it will stand out. The fact that ITV tried very hard to get it—even though they've got The X Factor—suggests that they feel this show is different enough [from that one]."^[6]

In October 2011, it was announced that Moira Ross executive producer of Strictly Come Dancing quit. Ross quit the show to join production company Wall to Wall, so Ross could take the position of executive producer of The Voice UK. Ross said, "There is no other show I would leave the BBC and Strictly Come Dancing for, but the opportunity to launch The Voice UK on BBC One and to join the wonderful team at Wall to Wall was just too great to pass up. I'm looking forward to discovering the UK's next singing sensation." Leanne Klein, the creative director at Wall to Wall said, "We're absolutely delighted to have someone of Moira's calibre joining us at this exciting time. Not only are we looking forward to making The Voice UK a huge returning hit for BBC One, we are also looking to establish ourselves as a major entertainment producer for all broadcasters and having Moira on board is a significant part of that strategy." Mark Linsey, the controller of entertainment commissioning at the BBC finished saying, "It's great news for us that she'll be working on our next big Saturday night entertainment show for BBC One, The Voice UK, and I know she'll be a fabulous asset to that show and to Wall to Wall."^[7] The BBC are planning to make each performance on the show available for download each week, with the proceeds going to charity or the downloads being free, before it is then released commercially.^[8] The winner will receive £100,000, as well as a record deal with Universal Republic.^[2]

Scheduling[link]

After speculation in February,^[9] the show's air date was confirmed on 10 March 2012.^[10] Of this announcement, the show's Twitter account said, "Two weeks from now, something new will be on your television, something so great you'll want to run up and kiss the screen. Just FYI."^[10] Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon confirmed the launch date for the Britain's Got Talent, with it being the same day as The Voice UK's.^[11] Britain's Got Talent was brought forward by ITV, so it could clash with the show.^[11] Of this move a BBC source said, "This is typical of ITV, parking their tanks on our lawn just as we launch a major new format. They are smarting because they didn't get the show although they bid £10 million more than us." However an ITV source responded saying, "We haven't declared our launch date but, if I was a betting man, I'd go for March 24. The BBC know we always launch BGT around this time. If anyone is parking tanks on a lawn, it's them on ours!"^[12] For the past four years however, Britain's Got Talent has launched in mid-April.^[11] BBC and ITV were reportedly in a "scheduling war". BBC moved the show from its supposed 7:15 slot to 7:00, to avoid "significant overlap". ITV then responded by moving Britain's Got Talent from its original slot at 7:45 to 7:30.^[13] A BBC source said, "It is disappointing they chose to launch Britain's Got Talent on the same day as us. To not even meet us halfway on avoiding any sort of overlap is incredibly competitive."^[13]

As The Voice progressed, it became clear that audiences were staying loyal during the period when it clashed with Britain's Got Talent. After the third Blind Auditions round, when the BBC programme enjoyed a viewership margin of some four million, Simon Cowell and ITV executives moved their show to a later start time.^[14]

In an exclusive interview with Digital Spy, Cowell stated that the show is "competition" for Britain's Got Talent. He said, "I recognise [The Voice] as a challenge. The BBC must be confident because they have put it up against this show. They want to make a competition out of it. So we've got to make [Britain's Got Talent] better. Everyone benefits because of that."^[15] However, presenter Reggie Yates denied this: "I don't know if this is about toppling anyone. This is a very different animal altogether. I think when you see what this show is all about, you'll see exactly where we are coming from."^[16]

Promotion[link]

The first promotional item the BBC released was a video on the official website. It read, "Four of the biggest names in music are looking for incredible singing talent to compete for the title of The Voice UK. Only the most unique and distinctive voices will make it to the filmed auditions and get to sing for our celebrity coaches".^[17] To promote the show, all four coaches went to Central London launch event, which took place at Soho Hotel on 24 February 2012.^[18] Daily Mirror's Jo Usmar commented on the promotion of the show, stating that the trailer will "get you juices flowing".^[19] A further trailer was released on 9 March, featuring footage from the show, "including interviews with the panel, a first look at some contestants and bickering between the coaches".^[10]

Social media[link]

According to Digital Spy, the BBC is trying to "boost audience participation with a wealth of social media and online activity". Digital Spy said that, "Many broadcasters are now attuned to the need to build online buzz and engagement around major shows, as viewers often watch programmes like Sherlock while also commenting and engaging via Twitter and Facebook on a smartphone, laptop or tablet".^[20] Kat Hebden said: "Despite The Voice UK not yet being on air, the team's social media campaign is already proving a success with @BBCTheVoiceUK boasting 15 thousand Twitter followers alone."^[20]

Telegraph Hill has put in place a full-time team of "social media creatives" who will generate online videos around the show. Telegraph Hill has previously worked on BBC Three dramas Being Human and The Fades. In this process, it will attempt to attract viewers by the use of the website and the show's Facebook and Twitter pages. Wall to Wall multi-platform producer Kat Hebden said, "We appointed Telegraph Hill based on its achievements in generating audience engagement for BBC Three's Being Human. Given the team's existing experience, we were confident that they could deliver a social media campaign that engages both the coaches' existing fan bases and the show's audience.^[20] BBC Online executive Sarah Clay said "I've worked with some of the Telegraph Hill team before on other projects and love their fresh and exciting approach to delivering cross-platform content and live conversations. It's great to see them bring their skills to such a big show." Telegraph Hill co-founder Jack Simcock finished saying, "At Telegraph Hill we really enjoy making great content that sparks excited conversations around a show. We're turning viewers into active fans and are so excited to be working on a show of this quality and scale."^[20]

Auditions and filming[link]

The producer auditions of series one began on 31 October 2011.^[17] Five events took place in London, two events in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff, and one event in Belfast.^[17] Solo artists and duos can participate, however, they must be aged sixteen or over.^[17] The coaches did not attend the producer's auditions.^[17] The standard of the auditions has been described as "amazing" and "top standard".^[21] The blind auditions are held at the BBC TV Centre, where every coach is given a "plush" dressing room.^[22] Coach Danny O'Donoghue told Digital Spy of the talent at the auditions, "The talent on show after the first auditions on the first day beat out any talent in any finals I've ever seen on television. The hair on the back of my neck and arms was standing up. 16 and 17-year-olds were up there killing it".^[23]

Series overview[link]

     Artist in "Team will.i.am"

     Artist in "Team Jessie"

     Artist in "Team Tom"

     Artist in "Team Danny"

Format[link]

The Voice is a reality television series that features four coaches looking for a talented new artist, who could become a global superstar. The show's concept is indicated by its title: the coaches do not judge the artists by their looks, personalities, stage presence or dance routines—only their vocal ability. It is this aspect that differentiates The Voice from other reality television series such as The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent or even Must Be the Music. The competitors are split into four teams, which are mentored by the coaches who in turn choose songs for their artists to perform. There is no specific age range and anyone can audition; if a coach likes what they hear, a button-press allows their chair to spin around and face the performer, signifying that they would like to mentor them. If more than one does so, then the artist selects a coach. However, if no coach turns around then the artist is sent home.^[24] The Voice has been referred to as a "big, exciting and warm-hearted series"and a "new generation in its genre".^[25]

There are four different stages: Producers' auditions, Blind auditions, Battle Phase and Live Shows.

Producer and Blind auditions[link]

The Voice UK's first stage is the producers' auditions, which are not shown on television.^[17] The first shown stage is the blind auditions, where they sing in front of the coaches.^[2]

Battle Phase[link]

The second stage, 'Battle Phase', is where two artists are mentored and then developed by their respective coach.^[24] The coaches of the team will "dedicate themselves to developing their artists, giving them advice, and sharing the secrets of their success in the music industry".^[2] Every member of their team battle against another member from their team.^[2] They sing the same song simultaneously, while their coach decides who should continue in the competition. The coaches have to choose from the four individual “battles” to take artists to the live round.^[2]

Live Shows[link]

The last stage, 'Live Shows', is where the artists perform in front of the coaches and an audience, broadcast live.^[2] Each coach will have four artists in their team to begin with and the artists will go head-to-head in the competition to win the public votes.^[24] These will determine which artist advances to the final eight.^[24] The remaining three artists' future in the show will be determined by the coaches, choosing who will progress.^[24]

The final eight artists will compete in a live broadcast.^[24] However, the coaches will have a 50/50 say with the audience and the public in deciding which artists move on to the 'final four' phase.^[24] In the latter, each coach will have one member who will continue. The final (the winner round) will be decided upon by the public vote.^[24] Throughout the final the coaches will frequently perform with their artists.^[24] The winner will be crowned The Voice.^[2]

Coaches[link]

The judging line-up was officially announced on 8 December 2011.^[26] It was called a "blockbuster line-up" by Will Payne of the Daily Mirror.^[27] Summing up the entire panel, Cohen said, "Overall, our lineup of Tom Jones, Jessie J, will.i.am and Danny O'Donoghue gives us mega-star quality, great musical range and musicians we know our audience love".^[26] Presenter Holly Willoughby described them as "badass", "incredible", and that when you "put them all in the room together, magic happens. They all come from different areas of the music industry and it's quite magical seeing them together."^[16] A writer for website, very.co.uk described the panel as "superstar(s)".^[28]

The Voice coach Christina Aguilera advised the show's coaches to be "positive", saying, "One of the reasons I was hesitant about doing a show like this was because I wanted to make sure I was a part of something very positive and not negative just for television’s sake. I wanted to bring positivity and a really honest perspective – it’s better for everyone".^[28] Jones said that the show has more "credibility" than others, due to the judging panel. He said, "We've been through it, we know what it's like to get up and perform, unlike some judges on some other shows that just don't know, they've never done it. The ones that have are not very good anyway".^[29]

Jessie J[link]

Jessie J was confirmed as a coach in October 2011

On 4 October 2011, singer Jessie J was confirmed as a coach on The Voice UK. It was announced on Chris Moyles BBC One breakfast show, speaking of this she said "I can't wait, I'm so excited about it." Danny Cohen, the controller of BBC One said, "Jessie J is going to be an amazing coach on The Voice UK. She's a massive young star with a strong personality, and her recent MOBO nominations are testament to her musical and creative ability." Jessie added: "I'm excited to be a coach, inspiration and mentor and I jumped at the opportunity as it's all about 'the voice'."^[30] Jessie told The Sun why she choose to join The Voice UK saying, "The Voice is a show where I think I fit. The idea of being a coach and an inspiration and a mentor rather than a judge is something I can relate to. I only start on The Voice after the people have been filtered through who can really sing. It is not people who are going to be laughed at for entertainment. And it is them picking us. It is not me turning anyone down—it is them turning me down. It is about spontaneity. It is going to be an amazing experience".^[31] She later stated that she was "really happy" that she was the only female on the panel,^[32] as well as telling The Sun that she does not want emotional stories from the contestants, saying she is going to be "hard" on the contestants,^[33] later saying in a interview with the Daily Star Sunday, "I may be young but I'm not scared of being critical. I like how Simon Cowell says exactly what he thinks, whether people like it or not. I don't care if people don't like me and I'm prepared for that. Even if they are on my team, that doesn't mean I'm going to say it was good if it wasn't. I'm not a robot. I sing out of tune sometimes so I'm not scared to tell someone else if they have. I'm going to be honest. That's what the industry needs more of right now".^[34] Jessie is meant to "attract younger viewers".^[35]

Jessie told Daily Mail that unlike X Factor, that there is no rivalry between her and fellow coaches saying, "The show is not about who is arguing with who. Back stage we are all getting on and we are all focused on our artists. [With other programmes] you are stuck reading about who is not getting on with who. We are focusing on the inspirational and the positive".^[36] Presenter Holly Willoughby opined that if she was a contestant, she would want Jessie as her coach. She said, "I do genuinely love them all, but if I were to be honest, I do have a soft spot for Jessie J. If I were a contestant, I'd pick her to be my coach. I'm drawn to her, she has this incredible energy about her. She's so cool and she's only 23! I wasn't as cool as her when I was 23, that's for sure".^[37]

will.i.am[link]

On 25 October 2011, it was reported that American rapper will.i.am would be joining The Voice UK as a coach. A source said, "Will is 95 per cent a done deal. He a big star and loves nurturing new talent. He shoots from the lip, and will not be afraid to tell it like it is. Although, I doubt The Voice will be as bitchy as The X Factor".^[38] will.i.am was later confirmed as a coach on The Voice UK, of this he said, "I'm proud to be doing The Voice UK because the UK was the first place I saw success," he said. "It's the place I'm the most creative outside of home." Cohen added, "I am thrilled that will.i.am has signed up to be a coach on The Voice. He is a huge star who will bring a unique creativity to the show."^[39] Talking about the differences between the show and X Factor, "I won’t be a judge on X Factor. The Voice is different. You can’t even compare the two. One, you have people in the music industry, current and legends, coaching the next generation. The other format you have judges critiquing, giving their opinions on things when they don’t really know, other than Randy Jackson on Idol.^[40]

In preparation for the role as a coach, he asked friend and ex-X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Talking to Captial FM he said, "I reached out to Cheryl for advice on keeping your cool, having a poker face, the importance of sticking with the singers – it's their dream, a lot of the times when you have other performers a part of the show, celebrities tend to want the shine so they hog up time. So my whole thing was that I want to do The Voice, but I don't want to hog up time to where the singers up there are looking like, 'Is this about you guys?'.^[41] In March 2012, it was reported that he had turned his "plush" dressing room into a recording studio, and "instead of just listening with his headphones, he has installed some mega bass bins". A show source said, ""Will.i.am goes everywhere with his music kit. So it was no surprise to everyone when he and his crew turned up with a stack of gear on the first day. Producers thought it was great as we want him to be happy while he's on the show, and who knows what ideas he'll come up with for his acts? But the stuffy suits upstairs were a bit unhappy about it. Will has some serious bass in there and it was vibrating the walls—you could almost see the dandruff being shaken off their heads".^[22]

Tom Jones[link]

Sir Tom Jones

On 19 October, 2011, a newspaper reported, "Tom is close to committing. He has almost 50 years experience in music so he'll be able to give artists decent advice. Jessie J will attract younger viewers but Tom's bound to be the housewives' favourite."^[35] In December 2011, it was accidentally revealed by Jessie J that Jones was to be a coach on The Voice UK. Jessie said, "I can’t wait to meet Tom Jones. He’s Tom Jones, after all".^[32] On 8 December 2011, it was officially announced that along with O'Donoghue, Jones would be completing the panel. Jones said, "I'm excited about The Voice, and thrilled to be participating as a coach. This is a strong show; it's all about talent - but it's also exciting, competitive and compelling television. I've been blessed over the years to share the stage with some of the world's finest artists, and I look forward to being part of the team that discovers a great, new, genuine talent." BBC One controller Cohen said of this announcement, "I'm delighted to be announcing Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue as coaches for The Voice. Tom is a music legend and will bring huge experience and creativity to the lineup".^[26]

will.i.am has said that he shows "admiration" for Jones, stating that Jones was the reason will.i.am choose to be a coach on the show. He said, "We started with a music industry being one thing where it was truly about the song, the performance, the voice. You didn’t know if the singer was short, black, white, fat or skinny. Tom Jones was a part of that. He was a part of music when it was about going on the Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand. He was a part of that. He witnessed the American music industry when it was feuding black and white. He saw two cultures come together. That’s why I’m proud to work on a show with Tom".^[28] Jones told the BBC why he choose to join the show saying, "When I first came to London in '63, and tried to get a record contract, they said that I looked too macho. So they were looking at me before they were listening to me, that hasn't really changed, and I don't agree with it. That's why The Voice is very important because there's no preconceived image. There's a lot of people out there and a lot of different kinds of music that needs to be made".^[29] Daily Mirror's Jo Usmar commented that she is most excited about Jones out of all the coaches.^[19]

Danny O'Donoghue[link]

On 8 December 2011, it was announced that along with Sir Tom Jones, O'Donoghue would be completing the panel. O'Donoghue said, "I'm a massive fan of The Voice, so to be involved as a coach is amazing. This is a show unlike any other because it puts vocal ability first above all else. I look forward to putting my team together and battling it out with the other coaches to see who wins this unique, credible competition. I'm in it to win it!". BBC One controller Cohen said of this announcement, "I'm delighted to be announcing Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue as coaches for The Voice. Danny is a rising star who will bring freshness and surprise to the team".^[26] Singer Will Young was originally meant to be in O'Donoghue's place, though at last minute, O'Donoghue was chosen. Young said that the BBC "wanted to go more rock".^[42] According to French media site PureMédias, Will was the "big favourite for the swivel chair".^[43] When O'Donoghue replaced Young as a coach, singer Professor Green argued that "No-one knows who Danny is".^[44] Echoing Green's words, members of Twitter have nicknamed O'Donoghue Danny 'I Dunno Who' and James Corden also made the singer the main "gag" at the 2012 Brit Awards. Of this Donoghue said, "James who? Whatever? It's up to other people to make up their own minds. I know I'm on this show for what I've done in my career. I've spent 15 years in the music industry, it's all I know. The proof is in the pudding and I think people should check out the show and in particular James should probably check it out before he goes saying things like that".^[45]

Of the comparisons between The Voice and The X Factor O'Donoghue said, "We are our entity. We look after ourselves. We've produced some of the best talent you've seen in the UK ever. There was a moment last night in filming when all four coaches stood and remained stood up for the rest of the performance. We were so blown away by the level of the talent. I'm excited to just be part of this. I feel this is a game-changer in the UK scene. This is really, really going to give the UK music scene a kick up the backside".^[23] very.co.uk reported that O'Donoghue is "worried that nobody will be able to understand him" as he is Irish, but the website stated that he "needs to look at X Factor judge Louis Walsh- somehow we all hear what he’s saying each week".^[28]

Presenters[link]

Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates[link]

Presenter Holly Willoughby

On 23 November 2011, Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates were announced as the presenters for the show. Of this Willoughby said, "I'm so excited to be hosting The Voice. It's going to be one rollercoaster of a ride and I can't wait to get started!". Yates commented, "I'm so delighted to get this job and be part of such a credible music show. The format of The Voice in America has worked brilliantly, and I have no doubt it will be just as successful on British TV". BBC One controller Danny Cohen stated that Willoughby and Yates were "the perfect partnership". Adding, "They are both big fans of the show and will bring a huge amount of passion and enthusiasm to the production".^[46]

Willoughby stated that the show is a "feel good show" saying, "The difference [with The Voice] is, it's a blind audition, the coaches can't see the artists when they come on stage so they judge them purely on their voice and their voice alone," said the presenter. It's really feel-good and the coaches are incredible".^[47] Willoughby stated that she wanted to be involved in the show as "soon as she saw the US version". She said, "I'm really excited about The Voice. I'd watched all the press unfold about the American version - how well it had done, and the incredible coaches - and as soon as there was talk of it coming to the UK, I thought, 'Wow, that is absolutely something I would love to do'. Obviously I'm used to live TV with 'This Morning', but entering into any new show is scary and I'll definitely be nervous on the first live show. It really helps that I'm doing it with Reggie - we started at CBBC together, although this is the first time we've actually worked together".^[48]

Yates added that being backstage on the show is like "being backstage with the nans", however, Yates admits that he is "falling in love" with them.^[49] Of whether the show is credible Yates added, "Everyone who says they don't watch TV talent shows is a liar. You only have to look at the coaches, this isn't a joke. It's very serious and you've got people who are credible. Sir Tom Jones - he's sold over 100m records… anyone who's got any criticisms won't have them after they've seen the first episode."^[49]

The two later added that Willoughby cries more than the auditionee’s saying, "It's a bit different for me because there's not much scooping up to be done. Obviously there are people who are going to be disappointed, but there are more happy tears than sad tears. The hardest thing is being with the families because they want it so much for their loved ones and they are powerless to do anything about it. When the artist comes off stage they tend to be fine. Even when the audition doesn't end up with them in the competition, they are given such great feedback from the coaches they seem ok… they learn so much when they come off set that they are kind of elated.^[49]

Coaches' teams and their artists[link]

Key:

     – Winning coach and their team. Winners are in bold, eliminated artists in small font.

Reception[link]

BBC Radio 2's Paul Gambaccini told Radio Times that the show is "karaoke" and claimed that while the American series was "fantastic to rejuvenate the careers of two of the coaches, Christina Aguilera and Maroon 5's Adam Levine, it didn't give us a viable artist". Mark Goodier also questioned the motives of Universal Music saying, "Universal have to be doing this because they want market share." On whether The Voice is to become a "huge hit" in the UK, he added, "It really depends on whether they find a star or not."^[50]

The Voice first came to the public eye when the BBC revealed that it was exploring the possibility of acquiring the rights.^[51] However, ITV was also interested ^[51] as it was concerned that The X Factor could lose ratings after Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue left the panel. ITV was said to be afraid that the show would "upstage" theirs.^[51] In mid-2011 it was revealed that BBC would be broadcasting The Voice after paying £22 million.^[25] Danny Cohen, the controller of BBC One, said he wants the programme to emulate the success of The Apprentice and defended his decision to invest in it. Cohen said, “I thought it was really good. Every so often the BBC occasionally buys something from abroad that is peerlessly good, like The Apprentice. We adapted that for Britain with Alan Sugar and made the British version the best in the world. We hope The Voice will do similarly. We shouldn't shut the door on anything.”^[52]

It was later revealed that The Voice would not be going head-to-head with The X Factor as Strictly Come Dancing is broadcast at the end of the year.^[25][52] Channel 4 had entered the bidding war with the BBC and ITV, but later pulled out after the channel's director called the show "derivative" and "a ripoff".^[53] It was said that the BBC was keen to sign up a new singing-talent show after it dropped Fame Academy in 2004 and had not revisited the genre. It was also eager to schedule a replacement for So You Think You Can Dance, which was dropped in 2011. Presenter Holly Willoughby also stated that The Voice UK is a "feel good show" saying, "The difference [with The Voice] is it's a blind audition, the coaches can't see the contestants when they come on stage so they judge them purely on their voice and their voice alone. It's really feel-good and the coaches are incredible."^[47]

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Voice UK at BBC Programmes

• @BBCTheVoiceUK on Twitter

• BBC The Voice UK on Facebook

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United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Flag Royal coat of arms
Anthem:  "God Save the Queen"[nb 1]
Location of  United Kingdom  (dark green) – in Europe  (green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (green)  —  [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		London 51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.5°N 0.117°W / 51.5; -0.117
Official language(s)		English[1][2]
Recognised regional languages		Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Ulster Scots, Welsh, Cornish[nb 2]
Ethnic groups (2001 See: UK ethnic groups list[4])		92.1% White 4.0% South Asian 2.0% Black 1.2% Mixed 0.4% Chinese 0.4% Other
Demonym		British or Briton
Government		Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Elizabeth II
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Legislature		Parliament
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Formation
-	Acts of Union 1707	1 May 1707
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Area
-	Total	243,610 km2 (80th) 94,060 sq mi
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Population
-	Mid-2010 estimate	62,262,000[5] (22nd)
-	2001 census	58,789,194[6]
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GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
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-	Total	$2.417 trillion[7]
-	Per capita	$38,592[7]
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HDI (2011)		0.863[9] (very high) (28th)
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Time zone		GMT (UTC+0)
-	Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Date formats		dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Drives on the		left[nb 3]
ISO 3166 code		GB
Internet TLD		.uk[nb 4]
Calling code		44
1	A second coat of arms is used in Scotland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland^{[nb 5]} (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.

The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right^[10] and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are three devolved administrations, each with varying powers,^[11][12] based in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three Crown Dependencies.^[13] The United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories.^[14] These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former territories.

The UK is a developed country and has the world's seventh-largest economy by nominal GDP and eighth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It was the world's first industrialised country^[15] and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries.^[16] The UK remains a great power with leading economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence.^[17] It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth in the world.^[18]

The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946. It has been a member of the European Union and its predecessor the European Economic Community since 1973. It is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Council of Europe, the G7, the G8, the G20, NATO, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization.

Etymology and terminology[link]

The name "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" was introduced in 1927 by the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act to reflect the reality that the de facto independence of the Irish Free State, created by the partitioning of Ireland in 1922, left Northern Ireland as the only part of the island of Ireland still within the UK.^[19] Prior to this, the Acts of Union 1800, that united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801, had given the new state the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain before 1801 is occasionally referred to as the "United Kingdom of Great Britain".^{[20][21][22][23]} However, Section 1 of both of the 1707 Acts of Union declare that England and Scotland are "United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain".^{[24][25][nb 6]} The term united kingdom is found in informal use during the 18th century to describe the new state but only became official with the union with Ireland in 1801.^[26]

Although the United Kingdom, as a sovereign state, is a country, England, Scotland, Wales and (more controversially) Northern Ireland are also referred to as countries, although they are not sovereign states and only Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government.^[27][28] The British Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom.^[10] With regard to Northern Ireland, the descriptive name used "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences."^[29] Other terms used for Northern Ireland include "region" and "province".^[30][31]

The United Kingdom is often referred to as Britain. British government sources frequently use the term as a short form for the United Kingdom, whilst media style guides generally allow its use but point out that the longer term Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales.^[32][33][34] However, some foreign usage, particularly in the United States, uses Great Britain as a loose synonym for the United Kingdom.^[35][36] Also, the United Kingdom's Olympic team competes under the name "Great Britain" or "Team GB".^[37][38] GB and GBR are the standard country codes for the United Kingdom (see ISO 3166-2 and ISO 3166-1 alpha-3) and are consequently commonly used by international organisations to refer to the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, a new design of British passport entered into use. Its first page shows the long form name of the state in English, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic.^[39] In Welsh, the long form name of the state is "Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon" with "Teyrnas Unedig" being used as a short form name on government websites.^[40] In Scottish Gaelic, the long form is "Rìoghachd Aonaichte na Breatainne Mòire is Èireann a Tuath".

The adjective British is commonly used to refer to matters relating to the United Kingdom. Although the term has no definite legal connotation, it is used in legislation to refer to United Kingdom citizenship.^[41] However, British people use a number of different terms to describe their national identity. Some may identify themselves as British only, or British and English, Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish. Others may identify themselves as only English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish and not British. In Northern Ireland, some describe themselves as only Irish.^[42][43][44]

History[link]

Before 1707[link]

Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, was erected around 2500 BC.

Settlement by anatomically modern humans of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago.^[45] By the end of the region's prehistoric period, the population is thought to have belonged, in the main, to a culture termed Insular Celtic, comprising Brythonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland.^[46] The Roman conquest, beginning in 43 AD, and the 400-year rule of southern Britain, was followed by an invasion by Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers, reducing the Brythonic area mainly to what was to become Wales.^[47] The region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century.^[48] Meanwhile, Gaelic-speakers in north west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in the 5th century)^[49][50] united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century.^[51]

The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and the events leading to it.

In 1066, the Normans invaded England and after its conquest, seized large parts of Wales, conquered much of Ireland and settled in Scotland bringing to each country feudalism on the Northern French model and Norman-French culture.^[52] The Norman elites greatly influenced, but eventually assimilated with, each of the local cultures.^[53] Subsequent medieval English kings completed the conquest of Wales and made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to annex Scotland. Thereafter, Scotland maintained its independence, albeit in near-constant conflict with England. The English monarchs, through inheritance of substantial territories in France and claims to the French crown, were also heavily involved in conflicts in France, most notably the Hundred Years War.^[54]

The early modern period saw religious conflict resulting from the Reformation and the introduction of Protestant state churches in each country.^[55] Wales was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England,^[56] and Ireland was constituted as a kingdom in personal union with the English crown.^[57] In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic Gaelic nobility were confiscated and land given to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland.^[58] In 1603, the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland were united in a personal union when James VI, King of Scots, inherited the crowns of England and Ireland and moved his court from Edinburgh to London; each country nevertheless remained a separate political entity and retained its separate political institutions.^[59][60] In the mid-17th century, all three kingdoms were involved in a series of connected wars (including the English Civil War) which led to the temporary overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the short-lived unitary republic of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.^[61][62] Although the monarchy was restored, it ensured (with the Glorious Revolution of 1688) that, unlike much of the rest of Europe, royal absolutism would not prevail. The British constitution would develop on the basis of constitutional monarchy and the parliamentary system.^[63] During this period, particularly in England, the development of naval power (and the interest in voyages of discovery) led to the acquisition and settlement of overseas colonies, particularly in North America.^[64][65]

Since the Acts of Union of 1707[link]

The Treaty of Union led to a single united kingdom encompassing all Great Britain.

On 1 May 1707 a new kingdom of Great Britain was created by the political union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland in accordance with the Treaty of Union, negotiated the previous year and ratified by the English and Scottish Parliaments passing Acts of Union.^[66][67][68]

In the 18th century, the country played an important role in developing Western ideas of the parliamentary system and in making significant contributions to literature, the arts, and science.^[16] The British-led Industrial Revolution transformed the country and fuelled the growing British Empire. During this time Britain, like other great powers, was involved in colonial exploitation, including the Atlantic slave trade, although with the passing of the Slave Trade Act of 1807 the UK took a leading role in battling the trade in slaves.^[69] The colonies in North America had been the main focus of British colonial activity. With their loss in the American War of Independence, imperial ambition turned elsewhere, particularly to India.^[70]

In 1800, while the wars with France still raged, the Parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which came into being on 1 January 1801.^[71]

The Battle of Waterloo marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the start of Pax Britannica.

After the defeat of France in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), the UK emerged as the principal naval and economic power of the 19th century (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830)^[72] Unchallenged at sea, Britain adopted the role of global policeman, a state of affairs later known as the Pax Britannica.^[73][74] It was also a period of rapid economic, colonial, and industrial growth. Britain was described as the "workshop of the world",^[75] and the British Empire grew to include India, large parts of Africa, and many other territories. Alongside the formal control it exerted over its own colonies, Britain's dominant position in world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many countries, such as China, Argentina and Siam.^[76][77] Domestically, there was a shift to free trade and laissez-faire policies and a very significant widening of the voting franchise. The country experienced a huge population increase during the century, accompanied by rapid urbanisation, causing significant social and economic stresses.^[78] By the end of the century, other states began to challenge Britain's industrial dominance.^[79]

Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme. More than 885,000 British soldiers died on the battlefields of World War I.

The UK, along with Russia, France and (after 1917) the USA, was one of the major powers opposing the German Empire and its allies in World War I (1914–18).^[80] The UK armed forces grew to over five million people^[81] engaged across much of its empire and several regions of Europe, and increasingly took a major role on the Western front. The nation suffered some two and a half million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt.^[81] After the war the United Kingdom received the League of Nations mandate over former German and Ottoman colonies, and the British Empire had expanded to its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population.^[82] The rise of Irish Nationalism and disputes within Ireland over the terms of Irish Home Rule led eventually to the partition of the island in 1921,^[83] and the Irish Free State became independent with Dominion status in 1922, while Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom.^[84] The Great Depression (1929–32) occurred when the UK had not recovered from the effects of the war, and led to hardship as well as political and social unrest.^[85]

The United Kingdom was one of the Allies of World War II and an original signatory to the Declaration of the United Nations. Following the defeat of its European allies in the first year of the war, the United Kingdom continued the fight against Germany, notably in the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic. After the victory, the UK was one of the Big Three powers that met to plan the postwar world. The war left the country financially damaged. Marshall Aid and loans from both the United States and Canada helped the UK on the road to recovery.^[86]

Territories that were at one time part of the British Empire. Current British Overseas Territories are underlined in red.

The Labour government in the immediate post-war years initiated a radical programme of changes, with a significant impact on British society in the following decades.^[87] Domestically, major industries and public utilities were nationalised, a Welfare State was established, and a comprehensive publicly funded healthcare system, the National Health Service, was created.^[88] In response to the rise of local nationalism, the Labour government's own ideological sympathies and Britain's now diminished economic position, a policy of decolonisation was initiated, starting with the granting of independence to India and Pakistan in 1947.^[89] Over the next three decades, most territories of the Empire gained independence and became sovereign members of the Commonwealth of Nations.^{[citation needed]}

Although the new postwar limits of Britain's political role were illustrated by the Suez Crisis of 1956, the UK nevertheless became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and was the third country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal (with its first atomic bomb test in 1952). The international spread of the English language also ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture, while from the 1960s its popular culture also found influence abroad. As a result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the British Government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries, thereby transforming Britain into a multi-ethnic society in the following decades.^[90] In 1973, the UK joined the European Economic Community (EEC), and when the EEC became the European Union (EU) in 1992, it was one of the 12 founding members. From the late 1960s Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting other parts of the UK and also the Republic of Ireland) conventionally known as the Troubles. It is usually considered to have ended with the Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement of 1998.^[91][92][93]

Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in the 1970s, the Conservative Government of the 1980s initiated a radical policy of deregulation, particularly of the financial sector, flexible labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others.^[94] Aided, from 1984, by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues, the UK experienced a period of significant economic growth.^[95] Around the end of the 20th century there were major changes to the governance of the UK with the establishment of devolved national administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales following pre-legislative referendums,^[96] and the statutory incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Domestic controversy surrounded some of Britain's overseas military deployments in the 2000s (decade), particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[97]

Geography[link]

The topography of the UK

The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 sq mi). The country occupies the major part of the British Isles^[98] archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and some smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the south-east coast coming within 35 kilometres (22 mi) of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the English Channel.^[99] As of 1993^[update] 10% of the UK was forested, 46% used for pastures and 25% used for agriculture.^[100] The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London is the defining point of the Prime Meridian.^{[citation needed]}

The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° to 61° N, and longitudes 9° W to 2° E. Northern Ireland shares a 360-kilometre (224 mi) land boundary with the Republic of Ireland.^[99] The coastline of Great Britain is 17,820 kilometres (11,073 mi) long.^[101] It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel, which at 50 kilometres (31 mi) (38 kilometres (24 mi) underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.^[102]

England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK, covering 130,395 square kilometres (50,350 sq mi).^[103] Most of the country consists of lowland terrain,^[100] with mountainous terrain north-west of the Tees-Exe line; including the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District, the Pennines and limestone hills of the Peak District, Exmoor and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Humber. England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike (978 metres (3,209 ft)) in the Lake District. Its principal rivers are the Severn, Thames, Humber, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, Avon, Exe and Mersey.^[100]

Ben Nevis, in Scotland, is the highest point in the British Isles

Scotland accounts for just under a third of the total area of the UK, covering 78,772 square kilometres (30,410 sq mi)^[104] and including nearly eight hundred islands,^[105] predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland Boundary Fault—a geological rock fracture—which traverses Scotland from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east.^[106] The faultline separates two distinctively different regions; namely the Highlands to the north and west and the lowlands to the south and east. The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including Ben Nevis which at 1,343 metres (4,406 ft) is the highest point in the British Isles.^[107] Lowland areas, especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt, are flatter and home to most of the population including Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, and Edinburgh, its capital and political centre.^{[citation needed]}

Wales accounts for less than a tenth of the total area of the UK, covering 20,779 square kilometres (8,020 sq mi).^[108] Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales. The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, consisting of the coastal cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, and the South Wales Valleys to their north. The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) which, at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft), is the highest peak in Wales.^[100] The 14, or possibly 15, Welsh mountains over 3,000 feet (914 m) high are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s. Wales has over 1,200 km (750 miles) of coastline. There are several islands off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey (Ynys Môn) in the northwest.

Northern Ireland accounts for just 14,160 square kilometres (5,470 sq mi) and is mostly hilly. It includes Lough Neagh which, at 388 square kilometres (150 sq mi), is the largest lake in the British Isles by area.^[109] The highest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains at 852 metres (2,795 ft).^[100]

Climate[link]

The United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year round.^[99] The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below −11 °C (12 °F) or rising above 35 °C (95 °F).^[110] The prevailing wind is from the south-west and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean,^[99] although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind—as the majority of the rain falls over the western regions the eastern parts are therefore the driest.^{[citation needed]} Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream, bring mild winters; especially in the west where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the south-east of England, being closest to the European mainland, and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills.^[111]

Administrative divisions[link]

Administrative units of the United Kingdom

Each country of the United Kingdom has its own system of administrative and geographic demarcation, which often has origins that pre-date the formation of the United Kingdom itself. Consequently there is "no common stratum of administrative unit encompassing the United Kingdom".^[112] Until the 19th century there was little change to those arrangements, but there has since been a constant evolution of role and function.^[113] Change did not occur in a uniform manner and the devolution of power over local government to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland means that future changes are unlikely to be uniform either.^{[citation needed]}

The organisation of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the UK parliament and the Government of the United Kingdom, as England does not have a devolved parliament. The upper-tier subdivisions of England are the nine Government office regions or European Union government office regions.^[114] One region, Greater London, has had a directly elected assembly and mayor since 2000 following popular support for the proposal in a referendum.^[115] It was intended that other regions would also be given their own elected regional assemblies but the rejection of a proposed assembly in the North East region, by a referendum in 2004, stopped this idea in its tracks.^[116] Below the region level England has either county councils and district councils or unitary authorities and London which consists of 32 London boroughs. Councillors are elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member wards or by the multi-member plurality system in multi-member wards.^[117]

Local government in Scotland is divided on a basis of 32 council areas, with wide variation in both size and population. The cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are separate council areas as is the Highland Council which includes a third of Scotland's area but just over 200,000 people. The power invested in local authorities is administered by elected councillors, of which there are currently 1,222^[118] and are each paid a part-time salary. Elections are conducted by single transferable vote in multi-member wards that elect either three or four councillors. Each council elects a Provost, or Convenor, to chair meetings of the council and to act as a figurehead for the area. Councillors are subject to a code of conduct enforced by the Standards Commission for Scotland.^[119] The representative association of Scotland's local authorities is the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).^[120]

Local government in Wales consists of 22 unitary authorities. These include the cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport which are unitary authorities in their own right.^[121] Elections are held every four years under the first-past-the-post system.^[122] The most recent elections were held in May 2008. The Welsh Local Government Association represents the interests of local authorities in Wales.^[123]

Local government in Northern Ireland has, since 1973, been organised into 26 district councils, each elected by single transferable vote. Their powers are limited to services such as collecting waste, controlling dogs, and maintaining parks and cemeteries.^[124] On 13 March 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils and replace the present system.^[125] The next local elections were postponed until 2011 to facilitate this.^[126]

Dependencies[link]

British Overseas Territories are indicated in red, Crown Dependencies in blue, and the United Kingdom in green.

The United Kingdom has sovereignty over seventeen territories which do not form part of the United Kingdom itself: fourteen British Overseas Territories^[127] and three Crown Dependencies.^{[citation needed]}

The fourteen British Overseas Territories are: Anguilla; Bermuda; the British Antarctic Territory; the British Indian Ocean Territory; the British Virgin Islands; the Cayman Islands; the Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; the Turks and Caicos Islands; the Pitcairn Islands; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus.^[128] British claims in Antarctica are not universally recognised.^[129] Collectively Britain's overseas territories encompass an approximate land area of 667,018 square miles (1,727,570 km²) and a population of approximately 260,000 people.^[130] They are the remnants of the British Empire and several have specifically voted to remain British territories (Bermuda in 1995 and Gibraltar in 2002).^{[citation needed]}

The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the UK.^[131] They comprise the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. Being independently administered jurisdictions they do not form part of the United Kingdom or of the European Union, although the UK government manages their foreign affairs and defence and the UK Parliament has the authority to legislate on their behalf. The power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with their own respective legislative assemblies, with the assent of the Crown (Privy Council or, in the case of the Isle of Man, in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor).^[132] Since 2005 each Crown dependency has had a Chief Minister as its head of government.^{[citation needed]}

Politics[link]

Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms

The United Kingdom is a unitary state under a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state of the UK as well as of fifteen other independent Commonwealth countries. The monarch has "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn".^[133] The United Kingdom has an uncodified constitution,^[134] as do only three other countries in the world.^{[nb 7]} The Constitution of the United Kingdom thus consists mostly of a collection of disparate written sources, including statutes, judge-made case law and international treaties, together with constitutional conventions. As there is no technical difference between ordinary statutes and "constitutional law" the UK Parliament can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing Acts of Parliament and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution. However, no Parliament can pass laws that future Parliaments cannot change.^[135]

Government[link]

The UK has a parliamentary government based on the Westminster system that has been emulated around the world—a legacy of the British Empire. The parliament of the United Kingdom that meets in the Palace of Westminster has two houses; an elected House of Commons and an appointed House of Lords.^{[citation needed]} Any bill passed requires Royal Assent to become law.

The position of prime minister, the UK's head of government,^[136] belongs to the member of parliament who can obtain the confidence of a majority in the House of Commons, usually the current leader of the largest political party in that chamber. The prime minister and cabinet are formally appointed by the monarch to form Her Majesty's Government, though the prime minister chooses the cabinet and, by convention, the Queen respects the prime minister's choices.^[137]

The Palace of Westminster, seat of both houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

The cabinet is traditionally drawn from members of the Prime Minister's party in both legislative houses, and mostly from the House of Commons, to which they are responsible. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet, all of whom are sworn into the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, and become Ministers of the Crown. The Rt. Hon. David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, has been Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service since 11 May 2010.^[138] For elections to the House of Commons, the UK is currently divided into 650 constituencies^[139] with each electing a single member of parliament by simple plurality. General elections are called by the monarch when the prime minister so advises. The Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 require that a new election must be called within five years of the previous general election.^[140]

The UK's three major political parties are the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. During the 2010 general election these three parties won 622 out of 650 seats available in the House of Commons; 621 seats at the 2010 general election^[141] and 1 more at the delayed by-election in Thirsk and Malton.^[142] Most of the remaining seats were won by minor parties that only contest elections in one part of the UK: the Scottish National Party (Scotland only); Plaid Cymru (Wales only); and the Democratic Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party, Ulster Unionist Party, and Sinn Féin (Northern Ireland only, though Sinn Féin also contests elections in the Republic of Ireland). In accordance with party policy no elected Sinn Féin member of parliament has ever attended the House of Commons to speak on behalf of their constituents – this is because members of parliament are required to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch. The current five Sinn Féin MPs have however, since 2002, made use of the offices and other facilities available at Westminster.^[143] For elections to the European Parliament the UK currently has 72 MEPs, elected in 12 multi-member constituencies.^[144]

Devolved administrations[link]

The Scottish Parliament Building in Holyrood is the seat of the Scottish Parliament

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own government or executive, led by a First Minister (or, in the case of Northern Ireland, a diarchal First Minister and deputy First Minister), and a devolved unicameral legislature. England, the largest country of the United Kingdom, has no devolved executive or legislature and is administered and legislated for directly by the UK government and parliament on all issues. This situation has given rise to the so-called West Lothian question which concerns the fact that MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can vote, sometimes decisively,^[145] on matters affecting England that are handled by devolved legislatures for their own constituencies.^[146]

The Scottish Government and Parliament have wide ranging powers over any matter that has not been specifically 'reserved' to the UK parliament, including education, healthcare, Scots law and local government.^[147] Following its victory at the 2007 elections the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) formed a minority government with its leader, Alex Salmond, becoming First Minister of Scotland.^[148] The pro-union parties responded to the electoral success of the SNP by creating a Commission on Scottish Devolution^[149] which reported in 2009 and recommended that additional powers should be devolved, including control of half the income tax raised in Scotland.^[150] At the 2011 elections the SNP won re-election and achieved an overall majority in the Scottish parliament.^[151]

The Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales have more limited powers than those devolved to Scotland.^[152] Following the passing of the Government of Wales Act 2006 the assembly was able to legislate in devolved areas through Assembly Measures once permission to legislate on that specific matter had been granted by Westminster through a Legislative Competence Order;^[153] but since May 2011 the Assembly has been able to legislate on devolved matters through Acts of the Assembly, which require no prior consent. The current Welsh Government was formed after the 2011 elections, and is a minority Labour administration lead by Carwyn Jones, who had been First Minister of a Labour/Plaid Cymru administration since December 2009.^[154]

The Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly have powers closer to those already devolved to Scotland. The Executive is led by a diarchy representing unionist and nationalist members of the Assembly. Currently, Peter Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) and Martin McGuinness (Sinn Féin) are First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively.^[155] Devolution in Northern Ireland is subject to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and the subsequent British-Irish Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Under those agreements, the participation of members of the Northern Ireland Executive in the North/South Ministerial Council, and co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on a number of devolved policy areas, are prerequisites of devolution in Northern Ireland. The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference was also established under the agreements, whereby "the Irish Government may put forward views and proposals" on non-devolved matters with respect to Northern Ireland. However, the United Kingdom government remains sovereign over Northern Ireland unless a majority of the people of Northern Ireland vote to form a united Ireland.^{[citation needed]}

The United Kingdom does not have a codified constitution and constitutional matters are not among the powers devolved to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Under the doctrine of Parliamentary sovereignty, the UK Parliament could, in theory, therefore, abolish the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland Assembly.^[156][157] Indeed, in 1972, the UK Parliament unilaterally prorogued the Parliament of Northern Ireland, setting a precedent relevant to contemporary devolved institutions.^[158] In practice, the circumstances in which the UK Parliament would abolish devolution given the political constraints created by referendum decisions are unclear.^[159] The political constraints placed upon the UK Parliament's power to interfere with devolution in Northern Ireland are greater than in relation to Scotland and Wales, given that devolution in Northern Ireland rests upon an international agreement with the Government of Ireland.^[160]

Law and criminal justice[link]

The Royal Courts of Justice of England and Wales

The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system, as Article 19 of the 1706 Treaty of Union provided for the continuation of Scotland's separate legal system.^[161] Today the UK has three distinct systems of law: English law, Northern Ireland law and Scots law. A new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom came into being in October 2009 to replace the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords.^[162][163] The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, including the same members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies.^{[citation needed]}

Both English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law are based on common-law principles.^[164] The essence of common law is that, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in courts, applying statute, precedent and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases (stare decisis).^[165] The courts of England and Wales are headed by the Senior Courts of England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (for civil cases) and the Crown Court (for criminal cases). The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land for both criminal and civil appeal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and any decision it makes is binding on every other court in the same jurisdiction, often having a persuasive effect in other jurisdictions.^[166]

The High Court of Justiciary – the supreme criminal court of Scotland.

Scots law applies in Scotland, a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases,^[167] and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases.^[168] The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Scots law.^[169] Sheriff courts deal with most civil and criminal cases including conducting criminal trials with a jury, known as sheriff solemn court, or with a sheriff and no jury, known as sheriff summary Court.^[170] The Scots legal system is unique in having three possible verdicts for a criminal trial: "guilty", "not guilty" and "not proven". Both "not guilty" and "not proven" result in an acquittal with no possibility of retrial.^[171]

Crime in England and Wales increased in the period between 1981 and 1995, though since that peak there has been an overall fall of 48% in crime from 1995 to 2007/08,^[172] according to crime statistics. The prison population of England and Wales has almost doubled over the same period, to over 80,000, giving England and Wales the highest rate of incarceration in Western Europe at 147 per 100,000.^[173] Her Majesty's Prison Service, which reports to the Ministry of Justice, manages most of the prisons within England and Wales. Crime in Scotland fell to its lowest recorded level for 32 years in 2009/10, falling by ten percent.^[174] At the same time Scotland's prison population, at over 8,000,^[175] is at record levels and well above design capacity.^[176] The Scottish Prison Service, which reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, manages Scotland's prisons. In 2006 a report by the Surveillance Studies Network found that the UK had the highest level of mass surveillance among industrialised western nations.^[177]

Foreign relations[link]

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, and the President of the United States, Barack Obama, during the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit.

The United Kingdom is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G7, G8, G20, NATO, the OECD, the WTO, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and is a member state of the European Union. The UK has a "Special Relationship" with the United States^[178][179] and a close partnership with France – the "Entente cordiale" – and shares nuclear weapons technology with both countries. The UK is also closely allied with the Republic of Ireland; the two countries share a Common Travel Area and many Irish citizens serve in the British Army.^[180] Other close allies include other European Union and NATO members, Commonwealth nations, and Japan. Britain's global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, official development assistance and armed forces.^[181]

Military[link]

The British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy are collectively known as the British Armed Forces and officially as Her Majesty's Armed Forces. The three forces are managed by the Ministry of Defence and controlled by the Defence Council, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence.