panels
Parliament. The Palace of Westminster

Parliament. The Palace of Westminster

Britain is administered from the Palace of Westminster in London. This is also known as the Houses of Parliament. Parliament is made up of two chambers - the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The members of the House of Lords are not elected: they qualify to sit in the House because they are bishops of the Church of England, aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers, people with titles. There has been talk of reform in this century because many Britons think that this system is undemocratic.
The House of Commons, by contrast, has 650 seats which are occupied by Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the British public. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies, each of which has an elected MP in the House of Commons.
Each of the major political parties appoints a representative (candidate) to compete for each seat. Smaller parties may have a candidate in only a few constituencies. There may be five or more parties, fighting for one seat, but only one person - the candidate who gets the greatest number of votes - can win.
Some parties win a lot of seats and some win very few, or none at all. The Queen, who is the Head of State, opens and closes Parliament. All new laws are debated (discussed) by MPs in the Commons, then debated in the Lords, and finally signed by the Queen.
All three are part of Parliament in Britain.

Parliament. Westminster Palace.

The British government is located in the Palace of Westminster in London. The Palace of Westminster is also known as Parliament House. Parliament consists of two chambers - the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Members of the House of Lords are not elected: they are members of Parliament because they are bishops of the English Church and aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers, titled persons. There is talk of reforming this system in the present century, as many Britons do not see such a system as democratic.
The House of Commons, by contrast, has 650 seats. These seats are held by Members of Parliament elected by the British people. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies, each of which has a representative (member of parliament) in the House of Commons.
Each of the major political parties appoints a representative (candidate) to compete for a seat in parliament. Smaller parties may only have candidates in a few constituencies. Five or more parties may compete for one seat, but only one person can win - the candidate receiving the largest number of votes.
Some parties get a lot of seats, others get very few or none at all. The Queen, head of state, opens and closes Parliament. All laws are discussed by members of the House of Commons, then by members of the House of Lords, and finally signed by the Queen.
Parliament in Britain consists of: the Queen, the House of Commons, the House of Lords.

Questions:

1. What is Parliament made up of?
2. Are the members of the House of Lords elected?
3. What do Britons think about this system?
4. Who appoints a representative to compete for each seat?
5. Who can win the seat?
6. Who is the Head of State?

Vocabulary:

to be made up of - consist of
elected - elected
inherited - inherited
seat - place
constituency - constituency
candidate - candidate
vote - voting, the right to vote

Powers of the Parliament, its functions. Monarch as head of state. Composition of the House of Commons and Lords. The British Constitution, its main differences from the constitutions of other countries. Commonwealth of the British Empire and Great Britain. political party system.

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british parliament

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch as its Head of the State. The monarch reigns with the support of Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not defined precisely. Everything today is done in the Queen's name. It is her government, her armed forces, her law courts and so on. She appoints all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister. Everything is done however on the advice of the elected Government, and the monarch takes no part in the decision-making process.Once the British Empire included a large number of countries all over the world ruled by Britain.The process of decolonization began in 1947 with the independence of India, Pakistan and Ceylon.Now there is no Empire and only a few small islands belong to Britain.In 1997 the last colony, Hong Kong, was given to China.But the British ruling classes tried not to lose influence over the former colonies of the British Empire.An association of former members of the British Empire and Britain was founded in 1949. It is called the Commonwealth. It includes many countries such as Ireland, Burma, the Sudan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others. The Queen of Great Britain is also a Head of t he Commonwealth, and also the Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

The British Constitution. The British Constitution is to a large extent a product of many historical events and has thus evolved aver many centuries. Unlike the constitutions of most other countries, it is not set out in any single document. Instead it is made up of statute law, common law and conventions. The constitution can be changed by Act of Parliament, or by general agreement to alter a convention.

The Monarchy in Britain. When the Queen was born on 21 April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. The death of her grandfather and the abdication of her uncle (King Edward VIII) brought her father to the throne in 1936 as King George VI. Elizabeth II came to the throne an 6 February 1952 and was crowned on 2 June 1953. Since then she made many trips to different countries and to the UK also. The Queen is very rich, as are other members of the royal family. In addition, the government pays for her expenses as Head of the State, for a royal yacht, train and aircraft as well as for the upkeep of several palaces. The Queen's image appears on stamps, notes and coins.

The Powers of Parliament. The three elements, which make up Parliament -the Queen, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons -, are constituted on different principles. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance such as the State Opening of Parliament, when the Commons are invited by the Queen to the House of Lords.

Parliament consists of two chambers known as the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. In reality, the House of Commons is the only one of the three which is true power. It is here that new bills are introduced and discussed.

The Functions of Parliament. The main functions of Parliament are: to pass laws; to provide, by voting taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government; to scrutinize government policy and administration; to debate the major issues of the day. In carrying out these functions Parliament helps to bring the relevant facts and issues before the electorate.

A Parliament has a maximum duration of five years, but in practice general elections are usually held before the end of this term. Parliament is dissolved and rights for a general election are ordered by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The life of a Parliament is divided into sessions. Each usually lasts for one year - normally beginning and ending in October or November. The adverse number of "sitting" days in a session is about 168 in the House of Commons and about 150 in the House of Lords. At the start of each session the Queen's speech to Parliament outlines the Government's policies and proposed legislative programme.

The House of Commons. The House of Commons is elected and consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs). At present there are 60 women, three Asian and three black Mps. Of the 651 seats, 524 are for England, 38 for Wales, 72 for Scotland, and 17 for Northern Ireland. Members are paid an annual salary of ‡30,854. The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker, elected by the MPs to preside over the House. The House of Commons plays the major role in law making.

The House of Lords. The House of Lords consists of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal. The Lords Spiritual are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the 24 next most senior bishops of the Church of England.

The Political Party System. The present political system depends upon the existence of organized political parties, each of which presents its policies to the electorate for approval. The parties are not registered or formally recognized in law, but in practice most candidates in elections, and almost all winning candidates, belong to one of" the main parties.

For the last 150 years there were only 2 parties: the Conservative Party and the Labor Party. A new party - the Liberal Democrats - was formed in 1988. Social Democratic Party is also the new one founded in 1981. Other parties include two nationalist parties, Plaid Cymru (founded in Wales in 1925) and the Scottish National Party (founded in 1934) ).

The effectiveness of the party system in Parliament rests largely on the relationship between the Government and the Opposition parties. Depending on the relative strengths of the parties in the House of Commons, the Opposition may seek to overthrow the Government by defeating it in a vote on a "matter of confidence". In general, however, its aims are to contribute to the formation of policy and legislation by constructive criticism; to oppose government proposal - it considers objectionable; to seek amendments to government bills; and to put forward its own policies in order to improve its chances of winning the next general election.

Because of the electoral method in use, only two major parties obtain seats in the House of Commons. People belonging to smaller political parties join one of the larger parties and work from within to make their influence felt. The exception to this are members of the Scottish National and Welsh Nationalist Parties, who, because their influence votes are concentrated in specific geographical areas, can manage to win seats although their total support is relatively small.

Her Majesty's Government: Prime Minister, the Cabinet. Her Majesty's Government is the body of ministers responsible for the administration of national affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Queen, and all other ministers are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Most ministers are members of the Commons, although the Government is also fully represented by ministers in the Lords. The composition of governments can vary both in the number of ministers and in the titles of some offices. New ministerial offices may be created, others may be abolished and functions may be transferred from one minister to another.

The Prime Minister is also, by tradition, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. The Prime Minister's unique position of authority derives from majority support in the House of Commons and from the power to appoint and dismiss ministers. By modern convention, the Prime Minister always sits in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet , is responsible for the allocation of functions among ministers and informs the Queen at regular meetings of the general business of the Government. The Prime Minister's Office is situated at 11 Downing Street.

The Cabinet is composed of about 20 ministers chosen by the Prime Minister. The functions of the Cabinet are initiating and deciding on policy, the supreme control of government and the co-ordination of government departments. The exercise of these functions is vitally affected by the fact that the Cabinet is a group of party representatives, depending upon majority support in the House of Commons. The Cabinet meets in private and its proceedings are confidential. Its members are bound by their oath as Privy Counsellors not to disclose information about its proceedings, although after 30 years Cabinet papers may be made available for inspection.

So Great Britain is the constitutional monarchy. Monarch is the Head of the State. But Queen or King rules with the support of the parliament. And practically monarch have no real political power. The main political decisions are made by the Parliament and Cabinet. And the House of Commons are more powerful.

British Parliament

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the monarch is the head of state. The monarch rules with the support of Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not precisely defined. Everything today is done in the name of the Queen. It is her government, her military, her legal courts, and so on. She appoints all Ministers, including the Prime Minister. Everything is decided on the advice of the elected Government, and the monarch does not take part in the decision-making process. At one time, the British Empire included a large number of countries that were ruled by Great Britain throughout the world. The process of decolonization began in 1947 with the independence of India, Pakistan and Ceylon. Now there is no Empire and only a few small islands belong to Great Britain. In 1997 the last colony, Hong Kong, was given to China. But the British ruling classes tried not to lose influence on the former colonies of the British Empire. In 1949 an association of former members of the British Empire and Great Britain was founded. They are called the Commonwealth. It includes many countries such as Ireland, Burma, Sudan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and others. Queen of Great Britain, also Head of the Commonwealth, and also Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

British Constitution. The British Constitution is heavily the product of many historical events and thus developed over many centuries. Unlike the constitutions of most other countries, all this is not set out in a single document. Instead, it's all made up of law expressed in laws, common law, and conventions. The constitution may be amended by an act of parliament, or by general agreement to change the agreement. Monarchy in Great Britain. When the Queen was born, on 21 April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. Her grandfather's death and all the powers of her uncle (King Edward VIII) were given away, her father came to the throne in 1936 as King George VI. Elizabeth II came to the throne on February 6, 1952 and was crowned on June 2, 1953. Since then, she has made many trips to various countries and to the UK as well. The Queen is very wealthy, as are members of other royal families. In addition, the government pays for her expenses as head of state, paying for the royal yachts, trains and planes, as well as the upkeep of several palaces. The image of the Queen appears on seals, notes and coins.

Powers of Parliament. These are the three elements that make up Parliament - the Queen, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons - they are composed on various principles. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance, such as the State Opening of Parliament, when the House of Commons is invited by the Queen to the House of Lords.

Parliament consists of two chambers known as the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of a country, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. In reality, the House of Commons is only one of the three that is the true power. It is here that new bills are submitted for consideration and discussed.

Functions of Parliament. The main functions of the Parliament are: to pass laws; provide, approve taxation, the means of continuing the work of the government; scrutinize government policy and administration; discuss the main issues of the day. In the performance of this function Parliament helps to bring the relevant facts and issues before the electorate.

Parliament has a maximum duration of five years, but in practice a general election is usually held before the end of this term. Parliament is dissolved and the rights for a general election are ordered by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The life of Parliament is divided into sessions. Each usually lasts for one year - usually beginning and ending in October or November. An unfavorable number of "sitting" days in session is about 168 in the House of Commons and about 150 in the House of Lords. At the beginning of each session, the Queen's speech to Parliament outlines in in general terms Government policy and proposed a legislative program.

The House of Commons. The House of Commons is elected and consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs). There are currently 60 women, three Asians and three black Mps. Of the 651 locations, 524 are for England, 38 for Wales, 72 for Scotland, and 17 for Northern Ireland. Members are paid an annual salary of 30,854. The Senior Assistant to the House of Commons is the Speaker, elected by the MPs to preside over the House. The House of Commons plays a major role in lawful creation.

House of Lords. The House of Lords is made up of the Ecclesiastical House of Lords and the lay members of the House of Lords. The Ecclesiastical Lords are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the 24 most senior bishops of the Church of England.

political party system. The current political system depends on the existence of organized political parties, each of which presents its policies to the electorate for approval. The parties are not registered or formally recognized in the law, but in practice the majority of candidates are present in the elections, and almost all winning candidates belong to one of the main parties.

For the past 150 years there have been only 2 parties: the Conservative Party and the Labor Party. A new party, the Liberal Democrats, was formed in 1988. The Social Democratic Party, also a new one, was founded in 1981. Other parties include two nationalist parties, Plaid (founded in Wales in 1925) and the Scottish National Party (founded in 1934).

The effectiveness of the party system in Parliament relies to a large extent on the relationship between the Government and the Opposition parties. Depending on the relative strengths of the parties in the House of Commons, the Opposition may seek to overthrow the Government by defeating it in a "question of certainty" vote. In general, however, its aims are to contribute to the formation of policy and legislation by constructive criticism; to oppose a government proposal - this is considered undesirable; seek amendments to government accounts; and put forward his own policies to improve his chances of winning the next general election.

Due to the use of the electoral method, only the two main parties receive seats in the House of Commons. People belonging to smaller political parties join one of the larger parties and work from within to make their influence clear. An exception to this are members of the Scottish National and Welsh Nationalist parties, because their votes are influential and concentrated in certain geographic areas, they may manage to win seats, although their overall support is relatively small.

Her Majesty's Government: Prime Minister, Cabinet. Her Majesty's Government - Ministers responsible for the administration of public affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Queen and all other ministers are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. Most ministers are members of the House of Commons, although the Government is also fully represented by ministers in the House of Lords. The composition of the government may change both in the number of ministers and in the names of some offices. New ministerial offices may be created, others may be abolished, and functions may be transferred from one minister to another.

The Prime Minister is also, by tradition, subordinate to the First Lord of the Treasury and the Secretary of State for public service. The Prime Minister's unique position of power derives from majority support in the House of Commons and from the power to appoint and dismiss ministers. Under modern convention, the Prime Minister always sits in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister exercises control over the Cabinet, is responsible for allocating functions among ministers, and reports all business to the Queen at the regular general business meetings of the Government. The Prime Minister's Office is located at 11 Downing Street.

The Cabinet is made up of approximately 20 ministers chosen by the Prime Minister. The functions of the Cabinet are appointing and selecting policy directions, supreme control of government, and coordinating departments. The exercise of these functions is vitally affected by the fact that the Cabinet is a body of party representatives, subject to the support of a majority in the House of Commons. The Cabinet meets in private and its hearings are confidential. Its members are required to be under oath as Privy Consultants and not to disclose information about its proceedings, although after 30 years Cabinet papers could not be made available for inspection.

Thus Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. Monarch - Head of state. But the Queen or King governs with the support of Parliament. And in fact the monarch has no real political power. Major political decisions are made by Parliament and Cabinet. And the House of Commons is stronger.

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BRITAIN AND THE BRITNS

THEBRITISHPARLIAMENT

The UK Parliament is one of the oldest representative to be installed in the world, having its origins in the middle of the 13th century. From the 14th century, parliamentary government in the United Kingdom has been based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper house) and the House of Commons (the lower house) sit separately and are constituted on entirely different principles. The relationship between the two Houses is governed largely by convention but is in part defined by the Parliament Acts. The legislative process involves both Houses of Parliament and the Monarch.

In the beginning, Great Britain was an absolute monarchy, but in the 17th century, tensions increased between parliament and monarchy. Civil War broke out the following year, leading to the execution of King Charles 1 in January 1649. Following the restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, the role of parliament was enhanced by the events of 1688-89 (the 'Glorious Revolution') which established the authority of Parliament over the King. The state political system became to be Parliament monarchy. Nowadays the Monarch is no more but a symbol and tradition of the nation.

The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen.

Today the House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members of Parliament. Each of them represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Members of Parliament are elected either at a general election or at a by-election following the death or retirement of one of them. Parliament has a maximum duration of five years. At any time up to the end of this period, a general election can be held for a new House of Commons and it is the Prime Minister who decides on the exact day of the election. The minimum voting age is 18. The election campaign lasts about three weeks, the British parliamentary system depends on political parties. The party which wins the majority of seats forms the government and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his party to become the cabinet of ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area in the government. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and "shadow cabinet". The leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons. The parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government and they only meet together on symbolic occasions, such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of the parliament. In reality, the House of Commons is the one of three which has true power.

The House of Commons is made up of six hundred and fifty elected members, it is presided over by the speaker, a member acceptable to the whole house. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties. Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160-175 days. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. As mentioned above, the House of Commons plays the major role in law making. The procedure is the following: a proposed law ("a bill") has to go through three stages in order to become an act of parliament; these are called "readings". The first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the proposal. The second reading involves a debate on the principles of the bill. And the third reading is a report stage. This is usually the most important stage in the process. When the bill passes through the House of Commons, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion, when the Lords agree it, the bill is taken to the Queen for royal assent, when the Queen signs the bill, it becomes act of the Parliament and the Law of the Land.

The House of Lords has more than 1000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work of the house. Members of this Upper House are not elected, they sit there because of their rank and the chairman of the" House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor. And he sits on a special seat, called "Woolsack". It is another tradition of Great Britain The members of the House of Lords debate the bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons.

QUESTIONS

1. When was the UK Parliament established?

2. When did the parliamentary government in the United Kingdom begin to be based on a two-chamber system?

3. How is the upper house called?

4. What is the lower house called?

5. How is the relationship between the two Houses governed?

6. Who are involved in the legislative process in the British Parliament?

7. Whom does the real power in the Parliament belong to?

8. When did the Monarchy restoration happen?

9. What happened to King Charles I?

10. When was the King Charles I executed?

11. Does the Monarch have the real legislative power in Great Britain nowadays?

12. Is the state political system of Great Britain an absolute monarchy today?

13. What political system does Great Britain have today?

14. Who decides on the exact day of the election to be held for a new House of Commons?

15. Who always stands in the official opposition in the Parliament?

16. How many members are there in the House of Commons?

17. How many members are there in the House of Lords?

18. Are members of the House of Lords paid for their parliamentary work?

19. What is the minimum voting age in Great Britain?

20. What is a maximum duration for the Parliament?

VOCABULARY

representative - flight, representative

origins - origin, beginning

two-chamber system - bicameral system

the House of Lords - the House of Lords (upper house of the British Parliament)

the House of Commons - the House of Commons (the lower house of the British Parliament)

to constitute - make up; establish; create

to govern - rule, manage

convention - agreement, agreement, treaty, convention

to define - define, define

to involve - charge

tension - contradictions, tension

to break (past broke, p.p. broken) out - break out

restoration - ist. Restoration (in 1660 p. in England)

to enhance - increase, enhance

to elect - choose, choose

retirement - retirement; retirement; retirement

the Prime Minister - prime minister

to depend on - depend on MP - short for member of parliament)

responsible - responsible, responsible, responsible

coronation - coronation

to make (past made, p.p. made) up - here: consist of

the speaker

row - row

to attend - visit; be present

to mention - mention, refer to

bill - bill, bill

proposal - proposal; plan

royal assent - royal approval, approval, permission

rank - rank

chairman - chairman

the Lord Chancellor - Lord Chancellor

negotiations - negotiations

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

The Parliament of Great Britain is one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world, dating back to the middle of the 13th century. Since the 14th century, parliamentary government in Great Britain has been based on a two-house system. The House of Lords (upper house) and the House of Commons (lower house) sit separately, and their composition is based on completely different principles. Relations between the two chambers are built, to a large extent, in accordance with the agreement, but partly determined by acts of parliament. The legislative process combines both parliamentary chambers and the monarch.

At first, Great Britain was an absolute monarchy, but in the 17th century, tensions between Parliament and the monarch increased. Flared up a year later Civil War, which led to the execution of King Charles I in January 1649. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the role of parliament was strengthened by the events of 1688-1689, which established the priority power of parliament over the king. The state political system became a parliamentary monarchy. In our time, the monarch is nothing more than a symbol and tradition of the nation.

The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords, the House of Commons and the Queen.

Today, the House of Commons plays a major role in legislation. It is made up of members of parliament. Each one represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Members of Parliament are elected either in a general election or in a by-election after the death or resignation of one of them. Parliament is elected for a maximum term of five years. At any time before the end of this period, a general election may be held to form a new House of Commons, the exact date of the election being fixed by the Prime Minister. The minimum age of a voter is 18 years. Election campaign lasts approximately 3 weeks, the British parliamentary system depends on political parties. The party that wins the most seats forms the government, and its leader usually becomes prime minister. The prime minister selects approximately 20 members of parliament from his party, who are members of the cabinet. Each minister in the government is responsible for a specific area. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and shadow cabinet. The Leader of the Opposition is a recognized position in the House of Commons. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in government, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions, such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. In reality, the House of Commons is one of the three branches of government that has real power.

The House of Commons is composed of six hundred and fifty elected members, headed by a Speaker who must be approved by the entire House. Members of Parliament sit on two sides of the hall: one side for the ruling party and the other for the opposition. The first 2 rows of seats are occupied by leading members of both parties. Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160-175 days. Parliament has intervals in its work. Members of Parliament are paid for their parliamentary work and must attend meetings. As stated above, the House of Commons plays a major role in legislation. The procedure is this: a proposed bill (bill) must go through three stages to become an act of parliament: these are called "reading". The first reading is a mere formality, it is simply the publication of a proposal. The second reading is a debate about the substance of the bill. And the third reading is the announcement stage. This is usually the most important step in the process. When a bill passes through the Commons, it is sent to the House of Lords for deliberation; when the lords agree, that bill is sent to the queen for her approval; when the queen passes the bill, it becomes an act of parliament and a law of state.

The House of Lords has over 1,000 members, although only about 250 are actively involved in its work. The members of the upper house are not elected, they sit there due to their status, the chairman of the house of lords is the lord chancellor. He sits in a special seat called a "woolsec" (woolen sack). Members of the House of Lords discuss the bill after it has passed through the House of Commons. Some changes may be recommended, and an agreement between the two chambers may be negotiated.

Introduction. British Parliament…………………………..………………3 pp.

1. Formation of the British Parliament……………………..……………4 p.

2. Development of the British Parliament……………………….….…………...8 pp.

3. Modern British Parliament……………………….….………..9 p.

3.1 House of Commons………………………………………….…….………………...9 pp.

3.2 House of Lords……………………………………….…………………..21 page

Conclusion………………………………………………………………….25 p.

References……………...………………………………………….26 p.

INTRODUCTION

The British Parliament is one of the oldest parliaments in the world. He is often called the "mother" - it would be more accurate to say the "forefather" - of all parliaments. Since the second half of the XIII century, it continues to function without interruption throughout the entire political history of the country.

Thanks to the Parliament, England represented the most free country in the political and legal sense, the most powerful state in the entire Western world, the center of a huge colonial empire.

Sometimes the term "Parliament" is used to refer to both houses of Parliament: the upper house - the House of Lords and the lower house - the House of Commons, but more often, when talking about the supreme legislative power, "Parliament" means its main part - the House of Commons. The House of Commons is the only elected central government body in the country. Members of the House of Commons are referred to as "Members of Parliament".

1. Formation of the British Parliament

The formation and development of the British Parliament took place in the period from the 12th to the 15th century.

The historical beginning of estate representation was the assembly of the king's vassals, which from the middle of the 12th century became an obligatory part of public life. In 1146, with the participation of barons and bishops (as secular and spiritual vassals of the crown), the Articles of Clarendon were approved: the consent of the estates to the legislative proposals of the kings. The meetings of the king's vassals, convened by him, began to play the role of the highest court - the court of peers (equals) 1 . In the second half of the XII century, the highest and middle vassals already participated in the meetings. In the Magna Carta of 1215, the duty of the crown was stipulated to convene such meetings when necessary. In the future, relying on the Charter, the estates waged a political struggle for influence on the distribution of royal posts.

In the second quarter of the 13th century, the Council of magnates (spiritual and secular barons) became an indispensable companion of royal power. In the context of the crisis and the outbreak of civil war in England (1236–1267), the influence of the Council of Magnates increased. The desire of the nobility to put only royal power under their control caused opposition among the wider circles of chivalry and townspeople. The political and military leader of the opposition was a native of the French nobility, Count Simon de Montfort (close to the king) Henry III. De Montfort convened a parliament in London, where, in addition to the prelates and the nobility, representatives from the counties and major cities. This was the birth of a new institution where the main classes of England were represented.

By the middle of the XIV century, there was a division of parliament into two chambers - the upper and lower - the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Upper House included representatives of the secular and ecclesiastical aristocracy, who were also members of the Great Royal Council. The number of lords was small - about a hundred people. The House of Lords met in the White Hall of the Palace of Westminster.

As a separate parliamentary structure, the House of Commons took shape during the second half of the 14th century. The name of the lower house (House of Commons) comes from the word "commons" (commons). In the 14th century, this social group included chivalry and townspeople. Towards the end of the century, the position of speaker arose, who was elected by deputies from among his ranks and represented the chamber (without leading it) in negotiations with the lords and the king.

The deputies were elected locally according to the principle that had been in effect since the first Parliament of Montfort: two knights from each county and two representatives from the most important cities. Members of the lower house, unlike the lords, received monetary allowances. The House of Commons met in the chapter house of Westminster Abbey. Both chambers united only to participate in the solemn opening ceremony of the parliamentary session.

Since 1330, the parliament met at least once a year (up to 4 times a year, when the political situation required it). The meetings lasted 2-5 weeks. Parliament was opened at the invitation of the king, and the participants gathered in the place where the royal court was at the moment. The language of parliamentary documentation and oral speech was French. Records official or relating to the affairs of the Church were kept in Latin. Since 1363, the speeches of the deputies were delivered in English.

In the 14th-15th centuries, the society formed an idea about the status of a deputy. This concept equally applied to members of both chambers and included a number of legal privileges, primarily parliamentary immunity. The latter, which entered into practice by the beginning of the 15th century, meant the protection of the life and property of deputies, freedom from arrest (only for the duration of the session).

The authority of the institution was based on the opportunities that the Parliament was able to achieve in the first century and a half of its existence. By the middle of the 15th century, his competence was already fully indicated. During this period, the formation of the state administration system in England took place, and an important element of this process was the separation of the functions of the royal administration (the prototype of the modern executive power) and parliament. The House of Commons had a strong position in the area of taxation and customs duties.

In the field of legislation to ser. In the 15th century, there were two types of higher legal acts in England. The king issued decrees (ordinances). Parliamentary acts (statutes) adopted by both chambers and the king also had the force of law. The procedure for issuing a statute provided for the development of proposals by the lower house (bill). The bill, approved by the lords, was sent to the signature of the king. In the 15th century, no law in the kingdom could no longer be passed without the approval of the House of Commons.

The judicial functions of the Parliament were within the competence of the Upper House. By the end of the 14th century, it acquired the powers of the Court of Peers and the Supreme Court of the kingdom, which considered political and criminal offenses, as well as appeals. Being the highest court and legislative body, the Parliament accepted numerous petitions on various issues, which gave the central government information about the state of affairs in the state. The number of members of the lower house in the middle of the 14th century was 200 people, and by the beginning of the 18th century there were already more than 500 representatives of the communities. In the middle of the 15th century, more than a hundred cities were represented in the Parliament. Deputy seats from cities over time were increasingly occupied not by townspeople, but by rural landowners. Voters could not be people who were not part of the city community 2 .

Members of the Lower House had a legal education, due to the fact that, under the patronage of the crown, officials from various departments often became parliamentarians and therefore they constituted a capable, almost professional organization.

2. Development of Parliament

The Parliament of the 18th-19th centuries adopted the organization of the historical English Parliament, but new constitutional customs connected with legislation and relations with the crown developed in its activities.

Parliament became more numerous and representative body. By the 18th century, the quantitative composition of the lower chamber was constant and in the 19th century it was 658 people. By the middle of the 19th century, the House of Lords included 465 secular and spiritual aristocrats (including 207 bishops). In the 17th century, membership in the House of Lords was allowed for hereditary aristocrats from the age of 16. In the 19th century, the age limit was set at 21. At the beginning of the 19th century, Catholics gained access to the Parliament. In 1858, the first Jew, Baron Rothschild, was elected.

In the 18th century, the supremacy of parliament finally took shape. Characteristics of the power of the Parliament: sovereignty, unlimitedness, lack of control. Legislation was the main form of activity of the Parliament. In legislative procedure, the first place belonged to the House of Commons. In particular, only she could initiate financial bills (related to taxation and spending public funds).

But from the second half of the 19th century, the Government began to exert an ever more decisive influence on the legislative procedure. Since 1881, the “rule of haste” came into use, according to which the prime minister had the right to propose to the House of Commons to discuss the bill out of the established order due to special national importance 3 .

3. Modern British Parliament

A long evolutionary path has led to the continuity characteristic of the highest representative body of the country. The British Parliament is an example of a combination of old and new forms, their layers, coexistence.

The originality of the British Parliament is also manifested in the role that various ceremonies play in the organization of its activities. Magnificently and solemnly, with the observance of ancient rituals, the annual opening of parliamentary sessions is held. The House of Commons and the House of Lords have their own symbols - a black rod and a mace. The venue of the meetings, the Palace of Westminster, is also connected with historical traditions.

3.1 House of Commons

Formation of the House of Commons, internal organization and parliamentary procedure. Parliamentary elections in Great Britain took shape in the course of a long evolution. The basic rules relating to the electoral system are contained in the constitution. In the UK, the procedure for holding elections is determined by parliamentary law. Another feature of the electoral law and the electoral system is in their connection with the political parties that make up the two-party system. In the process of parliamentary elections, the question is decided which of the two main parties that make up the two-party system will rule the country 4 .

Active suffrage. The 650-member House of Commons is elected for a five-year term. The right to vote belongs to all British citizens who have reached the age of 18. Cannot take part in elections: foreigners; the mentally ill; peers and peers (with the exception of the peers of Ireland); persons convicted of criminal offenses (during the period of their detention), for committing offenses included in the category of “dishonest and illegal methods in elections”.

Passive suffrage. Passive suffrage is vested in any British citizen who has reached the age of 21. Foreigners are deprived of the right to be members of the House of Commons; persons holding certain public positions; members of the clergy of the English, Scottish, Irish and Roman Catholic churches; peers and peers (except Irish peers who cannot be members of the House of Lords); and etc.

For the purpose of holding elections to the House of Commons, the country is divided into 650 constituencies: 523 for England, 72 for Scotland, 38 for Wales, 17 for Northern Ireland. There is no limit on the number of candidates in the UK. Candidates are nominated by political parties. There are 2,300–2,500 candidates nominated in parliamentary elections. 70-80% of the total number of the electoral corps participate in the parliamentary elections. Elections are held according to the majority system of relative majority. One candidate is elected per constituency. A voter has the right to vote for only one candidate from those listed on the ballot.

In terms of social composition, the majority of parliamentarians are members of the "middle class" - lawyers, teachers of higher educational institutions, and teachers. There is a large percentage of businessmen among Conservative deputies. In the Conservative Party, the number of immigrants from the working class does not exceed 1%, in the Labor Party they are 12-18%. The age composition is 30–60 years.

In a two-party system, both parties alternate in power. The two main parties form the officially recognized parties in the House of Commons - the "Government Majority" and "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". The result of the strengthening of the role of the Government was the displacement of the classical model of parliamentary government, called "Westminster" (after the location of the Parliament), new model– “Whitehall model” (according to the location of the Government). The leader of the majority party becomes prime minister.

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Parliament. The Palace of Westminster.

Britain is administered from the Palace of Westminster in London. This is also known as the Houses of Parliament. Parliament is made up of two chambers - the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The members of the House of Lords are not elected: they qualify to sit in the House because they are bishops of the Church of England, aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers, people with titles. There has been talk of reform in this century because many Britons think that this system is undemocratic.

The House of Commons, by contrast, has 65 0seats which are occupied by Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the British public. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies, each of which has an elected MP in the House of Commons.

Each of the major political parties appoints a representative (candidate) to compete for each seat. Smaller parties may have a candidate in only a few constituencies. There may be five or more parties, fighting for one seat, but only one person - the candidate who gets the greatest number of votes - can win.

Some parties win a lot of seats and some win very few, or none at all. The Queen, who is the Head of State, opens and closes Parliament. All new laws are debated (discussed) by MPs in the Commons, then debated in the Lords, and finally signed by the Queen.

All three are part of Parliament in Britain.

Parliament. Westminster Palace.

Members of the House of Lords are not elected: they are members of Parliament because they are bishops of the English Church and aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers, titled persons. There is talk of reforming this system in the present century, as many Britons do not see such a system as democratic.

The House of Commons, by contrast, has 650 seats. These seats are held by Members of Parliament elected by the British people. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies, each of which has a representative (member of parliament) in the House of Commons.

Each of the major political parties appoints a representative (candidate) to compete for a seat in parliament. Smaller parties may only have candidates in a few constituencies. Five or more parties may compete for one seat, but only one person can win - the candidate receiving the largest number of votes.

Some parties get a lot of seats, others get very few or none at all. The Queen, head of state, opens and closes Parliament. All laws are discussed by members of the House of Commons, then by members of the House of Lords, and finally signed by the Queen.

Parliament in Britain consists of: the Queen, the House of Commons, the House of Lords.

Vocabulary:

Vocabulary:
to be made up of - consist of
elected - elected
inherited - inherited
seat - place
constituency - constituency
candidate - candidate
vote - voting, the right to vote