Glossary of terms
Act: A Law made by Parliament
Amend: Changing the words in a Bill
Bill: A proposal for a Law
Campaigning: Getting support for yourself, your ideas or the group you represent
Class Structure: A ranking of people according to their position in society
Coalition: The joining of two or more political parties
Compulsory: Something that has to be done
Conservative Parties: Political Parties who support existing values and institutions and resist change
Democracy: System of Government where people have a say on who governs them
Educating: Teaching and Learning
Electorate: Geographic area of a certain number of people that a Member of Parliament represents or all of the people who live in an area represented by a Member of Parliament
Electoral Roll: The official list of eligible persons who may vote in an election
Governed: Controlled or ruled
Government: The political party with the most elected Members in Parliament
Issues: Topics for debate
Marginal Seats: An electorate that could be won by a small change in voting pattern
Policies: The principles a Political Party follows
Political Party: An organised group of people seeking political power at elections
Polling Booth: A place where people can vote in an election
Portfolio: A Minister's area of responsibility as a member of Cabinet
Question without Notice: Question asked orally of a Minister where the Minister usually has no warning of the content of the question.
Representative Democracy: System of Government where people have a say who governs them through the right to vote
Responsibility: Duty to do something
Responsible Government: The Government is responsible to the Parliament and this can be seen particularly in Question Time and the Parliament is responsible to the people and held responsible at election time
Safe Seat: An electorate where sitting Member of Parliament has far more support than the opposition
Voter: Someone entitled and enrolled to vote in elections
Westminster System: Name given to the system of Government that comes from England