Parliament

Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the state. Free from the constraints of a written constitution it may make any laws it pleases. Parliament’s functions today are to pass laws, to raise enough money through taxation, to examine the government policy, particularly its financial programme, and to debate important political issues.

The House of Commons is the dominant component of the bicameral Parliament. It’s here, that most legislation starts and is debated. It consists of Members of Parliament (MPs), 659 since 1997, each elected by citizens of an electoral constituency to represent that constituency in the House. Today there are two main

political parties in Britain: the Conservative Party (still known by their previous nickname, the ‘Tories’) and the Labour Party, which has always been associated with the idea of social justice.

The House of Lords used to be unique in combining both legislative and judicial functions in one body; it was both the upper house of Parliament and the highest court of appeal for criminal cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for civil cases in the whole of the United Kingdom. However under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, The Supreme Court was established which took over judicial functions of the House of Lords.

Until 1911 the Lords were able to reject draft laws passed by the Commons. However today their legislative power is limited to delaying a bill for up to one year, after which it may receive Royal Assent, if the Commons passes it again, without the Lords' consent. In the case of money bills the Lord’s consent is not needed at all.