Quote Originally Posted by scotcher
But the British police are not directly subordinate to any "interor ministry", that's the whole point. There isn't even a national British police force, there are many regional police forces (of which the Metropolitan Police, aka Scotland Yard, is just one), and they are each partially subordinate to the Home Office (for policy), partially to the Treasury (for funding), partially to local Police Authority made up of magistrates and local councillors (for specifics, such as promotions to senior ranks), and are also answerable to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. There is no direct chain of command ("power vertical!") from anyone in the cabinet to anyone in the police.
Very interesting. So, why don't you guys just fling out to the street the whole central goverment? As far as I see you don't need it at all! And may be the army is independent too? Your forses came to Iraq by their own desision?
Theoretically, he could probably block it, sure, but he could only do that within the law, and the decision would be open to massive scrutiny by a) the press, b) the Opposition, c) those in his own party who don't like him, d) any number of human rights organisations, and e) any number of ambulance-chasing human rights lawyers.

Why would he open up that can of worms over an issue that is, I can assure you, so low down on the list of most voter's priorities as to not even register
Poor Blair, beeing the head of the state (I don't count the toy queeny), he can't make a decision on his own!

In your interpretation the social system in Britain looks more like an anarchy than a constitutional monarchy.