"Poof" is pretty derogatory, of a similar level to pansy, shirtlifter, uphill gardener, fudgepacker, woofter, etc. Not quite as strong as "fag". We don't really do reclaimed language in the UK, , although we do have Queer Studies in places like Brighton.
check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_politics and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom for political details. I'm something of a politico myself, so I'd be happy to answer any specific questions.
In general, tacit_uk is reasonably accurate for a non-politico! The British system is quite different to the US one. Elections (which we call "General Elections" to distinguish them from "Local Elections" where we elect our local government and mayor-level people) must take place at least every five years. However, they can be called earlier if the Government of the time wants to. (Thatcher, for example, was elected in 79 and called an election in 83 to take account of her Falklands electoral bounce. Subsequent elections were 87, 92, 97, 2001, and 2005, and in general tend to be in May, but this is more of a tradition than a law.)
An important point to note in British politics is that the Prime Minister is not elected separately to Parliament, as the US President is to Congress. tacit_uk is correct that the country at large doesn't vote for, say, T Blair vs. D Cameron, because they are local MPs in addition to being selected party leaders by their parties' internal methods. (These internal methods generally involve a vote.) We vote for our local MP candidates, who are then added up (there are 650+ of them) so that one party has a majority in Parliament, and that party forms a Government that is led by their party leader, who becomes PM.
Back in the 80s, the Tories (Conservatives) were in power for the whole decade. Thatcher was ousted by her own party (!!!!) in 1990, and succeeded by the very grey John Major, who won an election in 1992 and ruled until 1997, when Labour won a landslide majority.
From a personal point of view, Prime Ministers tend to go to Oxford or Cambridge, then spend some time working for their party, then become an MP, then get selected to be a Minister, then get selected to be a member of the Cabinet, then become PM.
no subject
check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_politics and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom for political details. I'm something of a politico myself, so I'd be happy to answer any specific questions.
In general,
An important point to note in British politics is that the Prime Minister is not elected separately to Parliament, as the US President is to Congress.
Back in the 80s, the Tories (Conservatives) were in power for the whole decade. Thatcher was ousted by her own party (!!!!) in 1990, and succeeded by the very grey John Major, who won an election in 1992 and ruled until 1997, when Labour won a landslide majority.
From a personal point of view, Prime Ministers tend to go to Oxford or Cambridge, then spend some time working for their party, then become an MP, then get selected to be a Minister, then get selected to be a member of the Cabinet, then become PM.