Political Glossary
Understand the key terms and concepts used in UK politics and our political alignment quiz.
ECHR
European Convention on Human Rights - an international treaty to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe
Devolution
The transfer of powers from central government to regional governments
Net Zero
Achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and emissions removed from the atmosphere
Green Belt
Areas of protected countryside around cities where development is restricted
Universal Credit
A single monthly payment for people on low income or out of work
NHS
National Health Service - the publicly funded healthcare system in the UK
Bank of England
The central bank of the United Kingdom
CCTV
Closed-circuit television - video surveillance systems
Brexit
The UK's withdrawal from the European Union
Universal Basic Income
A regular payment made to all citizens regardless of income or employment status
Row Level Security (RLS)
A database security feature that restricts which rows users can access
Likert Scale
A rating scale used to measure attitudes or opinions
GDP
Gross Domestic Product - the total value of goods and services produced in a country
ONS
Office for National Statistics - the UK's national statistical institute
HMRC
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs - the UK tax authority
MP
Member of Parliament - an elected representative in the House of Commons
UN Security Council
A body of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security
Human Rights Act
UK law that incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law
Online Safety Act
UK law regulating online content and platforms
North Sea
A sea between the UK and continental Europe
Party Matching
A feature that compares your quiz results with major UK political parties using similarity algorithms
Cosine Similarity
A mathematical measure of similarity between two vectors, used in our party matching algorithm
Political Compass
A multi-dimensional model for measuring political ideology beyond simple left-right
Manifesto
A public declaration of a political party's policies and goals
Windfall Tax
A tax on unexpected or excessive profits, often applied to companies benefiting from unusual circumstances
SMEs
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - businesses with fewer than 250 employees
Red Tape
Excessive bureaucracy or regulation that makes it difficult to do business or get things done
Lords Spiritual
Bishops of the Church of England who sit in the House of Lords
RSE
Relationships and Sex Education - a mandatory part of the school curriculum in England
Secularism
The principle of separating religion from government and public institutions
Investigatory Powers Act
UK law that governs surveillance and investigatory powers of law enforcement and security services
Energy Profits Levy
A windfall tax on oil and gas companies introduced in 2022
Social Housing
Housing provided by local authorities or housing associations at below-market rents
Means-Tested
Benefits or services that are only available to people whose income or assets fall below certain thresholds
Universal Benefits
Benefits or services available to everyone regardless of income or circumstances
Conditionality
Requirements that must be met to receive certain benefits, such as seeking work or attending training
Renewable Energy
Energy from sources that are naturally replenished, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power
Nuclear Energy
Energy generated from nuclear reactions, typically through nuclear fission
Carbon Emissions
Release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
Energy Security
The reliable availability of energy at an affordable price
Progressive Taxation
A tax system where higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes
Corporation Tax
A tax on company profits
National Living Wage
The minimum wage for workers aged 23 and over in the UK
About This Glossary
This glossary contains key terms and concepts used throughout our political alignment quiz. Understanding these terms will help you better understand the questions and your results.
Terms are selected based on their relevance to UK politics and their frequency in political discourse. We strive to provide clear, neutral definitions that avoid partisan bias.
How to Use
Search: Use the search bar to find specific terms or concepts you're interested in.
Click to expand: Click on any term card to see additional context and usage examples.
Quiz integration: Terms in the quiz questions are automatically highlighted and linked to their definitions.