Look Who it Was Random video

British English accent training lesson 37: politics

2,817 views · Published 3 July 2013 · 13:47 · Indexed 2 October 2026

Channel: Learn British English Free · 2013 · Education

Watch on YouTube

In this lesson I discuss politics in English and introduce the main political concepts, parties and politicians in Britain. Please see notes and resources below.

These videos on my Youtube channel provide free educational material about British English, British pronunciation and British accent training. Please see below for links to my British English websites and notes to help you understand this lesson.

My British English websites
Please feel welcome to watch my free British English videos on this Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/CJWorkman17
Please join this Facebook group to learn English: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_154326444624084
Or like my British English Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BritishEnglishPage
My Twitter account for teaching English is @UKEnglishTweets at this page: https://twitter.com/#!/UKEnglishTweets
British English main website: http://www.learnbritishenglish.co.uk/
Tumblr video blog: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/learnbritishenglish
Skype username: BritishEnglish_Teacher
Busuu.com username: BritishEnglishTutor

Conservatives
Leader / prime minister: David Cameron
Chancellor of the Exchequer: George Osborne

Liberal Democrats
Leader / deputy prime minister: Nick Clegg

Coalition (government)
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
Prime minister: David Cameron (Conservative)
Deputy prime minister: Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat)
Chancellor of the Exchequer: George Osborne (Conservative)
Foreign secretary: William Hague (Conservative)
Home secretary: Theresa May (Conservative)

Labour (opposition)
Leader: Ed Miliband
Shadow Chancellor: Ed Balls

UKIP
Leader: Nigel Farage

BNP

Socialist

Independents

British politics
About 650 areas called "constituencies".
Each constituency votes in a Member of Parliament (MP).
Each individual votes for their candidate of choice in their constituency only.
Winning party must get at least 312 MPs elected (approximately).
Winning party therefore gets most individual constituency wins.
Consider local voting vs national voting issues.
Tories fell short and had to ask the Liberal Democrats to join them.
General elections every five years.

Political concepts
Right-wing / left-wing
Conservative / liberal

How can the Liberal Democrats join the Conservatives?

Political topics
Tax
Immigration
Welfare benefits
Recession: savings / public spending / cuts
EU / Europe
Scottish indepence
Next general election in 2015

Current political trends
Popularity of Lib Dems / UKIP
Local elections

World politics
U.S. president Barack Obama
UK and U.S. "special relationship"
G7, G8, G20 meetings
Crises in Syria, Turkey

More from this channel