Living in London

Another entry in our ongoing series on the British Parliament.

Parliament is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The legislative bodies of many nations around the world are modelled on it (especially those of the Commonwealth nations). The UK Parliament is one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world, having its origins in the mid-13th Century. The United Kingdom Parliament today comprises members from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Queen is the head of the State here (yes really!) and the rest of Parliament is comprised of an Upper House (the House of Lords) and a Lower House (the House of Commons). The 695 members of the House of Lords (known as 'peers') are not elected. Originally, they were drawn from the various groups of senior and influential nobility in Britain, who advised the monarch throughout the country's early history.

Unlike the House of Lords, the 659 members of the House of Commons are democratically elected and, as such, are directly responsible to the electorate. The forthcoming British elections will be to chose the members of the House of Commons.

In modern times, the centre of parliamentary power is in the House of Commons; the Queen acts only as a figurehead, and the powers of the House of Lords are greatly limited. The House of Lords is a more prestigious group and a “peerage” may be a kind of reward for time well spent in the British government. (Stay tuned for more details on both houses.)

Additional reading:

• House of Parliament (Wikipedia)
• An Introduction to Parliament
• Politics in the United Kingdom (Wikipedia)
• Previous Living in London posts