The British Parliament

The Structure of the British Parliament

  • The British Parliament is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and is split into two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
  • The House of Commons consists of Members of Parliament (MPs) who have been elected by the public in a General Election. The leader of the political party with the most MPs becomes the Prime Minister.
  • The House of Lords is unelected and made up of Life Peers, appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, and a small number of Hereditary Peers and Bishops.
  • In addition to these two houses, the monarch (the Queen) also plays a role in the functioning of Parliament, although her duties are largely ceremonial.

The Powers and Functions of the British Parliament

  • The main function of Parliament is to pass laws. These are proposed as bills, which are then debated and voted upon in both houses.
  • Other key functions include scrutinising the government, representing the electorate, protecting individual rights and freedoms, and controlling public expenditure.
  • Parliament’s power is grounded in the principle of parliamentary sovereignty, meaning it can make or change laws as it sees fit, with no other body able to overrule it.

The Legislative Process in the British Parliament

  • The legislative process begins with a First Reading, where a bill is introduced but not debated.
  • This is followed by a Second Reading, during which there is a general debate on the bill’s principles and themes.
  • After passing the Committee Stage and Report Stage, when it is examined, debated and amended in detail, a bill will go through a Third Reading in the House of Commons before being sent to the House of Lords.
  • If approved by both houses, the bill then receives Royal Assent from the monarch and becomes law.

The Role of MPs and Peers

  • MPs have a duty to represent their constituents, and to debate and vote on legislation.
  • In the House of Lords, Peers use their expertise and experience to provide a careful revision of proposed legislation. However, they do not have the final say on most matters - this lies with the elected House of Commons.

Criticisms and Reforms of the British Parliament

  • The House of Lords has been critiqued for being undemocratic due to its unelected nature, leading to calls for reform or even abolition.
  • Some also see the executive as having too much power, particularly when one party has a large majority in the House of Commons. This is seen to undermine the principle of separation of powers.
  • Reforms have been enacted to make Parliament more modern and accessible, including relaxing dress codes, introducing measures to promote MP diversity, and broadcasting debates live.