BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Today
CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY.
Formally referred to as Her
Magesty’s Government.
Prime Minister:
democratically elected every
5 years. Elects all the other
ministers.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Sir Robert Walpole: First Prime
Minister, 1721-1742.
Margaret Thatcher: 1979-1990.
John Major: 1990-1997.
Tony Blair: 1997-2007, resigned.
Gordon Brown: 2007-2010,
resigned.
David Cameron: 2010-2016.
Theresa May: Current Prime
Minister, since 2016.
P.M. OVER THE YEARS…
1. PASS LAWS.
2. TAXATION: TO PROVIDE THE
MEANS TO CARRYING ON THE
WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT.
3. SCRUTINISE GOVERNMENT
POLICY AND
ADMINISTRATTION.
4. DEBATE THE MAJOR ISSUES OF
THE DAY.

JOB OF THE PARLIAMENT

 1. QUEEN ELIZABETH
II.
2. HOUSE OF LORDS.
3. HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
COMPOSITION OF PARLIAMENT
1. THE QUEEN…
OFFICIAL HEAD OF STATE.
ONLY RULES SYMBOLICALLY, «P» HOLDS
THE POWER.
SHE OPENS PARLIAMENT EACH YEAR
WITH A SPEECH.
PLAYS NO PART IN DETERMINING
DECISIONS.
HOWEVER, SHE HAS THE FINAL SAY ON
WHETHER A BILL BECOMES LAW.
QUEEN ANNE, 1715: LAST MONARCH TO
REJECT A LAW.
THE QUEEN…
THE HOUSE OF LORDS…
675 members: Made up of people who have
inherited family titles or have been given titles
because of their outstanding work on a certain
field.
They are called peers.
They bring experience and knowledge from a
wide range of occupations.
Many of them are still active in their fields
(business, culture, sports, science, law,
education, health, arts, public service, etc.).
THE HOUSE OF LORDS…
Appointed by the Queen, on advice of the
Prime Minister.
Most of them are «life peers».
«Double check» new laws to make sure they
are fair and will work.

THE HOUSE OF LORDS…

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS…
Commonly called MPs (Members of
Parliament).
650 members.
Elected democratically every 5 years
by the people from each
constituencies (areas).

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS…

 NO QUEEN/KING HAS
ENTERED THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS SINCE 1642, WHEN
CHARLES I STORMED IN WITH
HIS SOLDIERS AND TRIED TO
ARREST FIVE MEMBERS OF
PARLIAMENT.
INTERESTING FACT…
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
Both Houses meet in the «Houses of
Parliament» (Palace of Westminster), located
next to the River Thames in London.
The clock tower is the most photographed part
of the Houses of Parliament. It houses five
bells. The biggest and most famous bell is
called Big Ben.
Palace of Westminster: It was a royal palace.
Last king to live there was Henry VIII, 1500s.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
THE FAMOUS BIG BEN
General elections: Held every 5 years.
The UK system is not like our system where
we vote for the President/Vice-President, then
our local representatives separately.  In the
UK, the winning candidate becomes MP and
takes a seat in the House of Commons.  The
party with the majority of seats in the
Commons gets to form the government.  That
party’s leader becomes Prime Minister.
Last general election: 2010.

ELECTIONS
England is the only country in the UK not to have its
own separate parliament.
- The Northern Ireland Assembly of 108 members was
elected in June 1998. In May 1999 the Scottish
Parliament in Edinburgh and a Welsh Assembly in
Cardiff were established.
Despite Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having
more control over their countries, the UK parliament in
Westminster (London) retains responsibility for areas
such as defense and foreign affairs. And they all have
continued representation in the UK Parliament at
Westminster in London.
INTERESTING FACT…