Parliament

Magna Carta

• 1215

• established legal rights e.g. right to not be punished without trial

• start of the transfer of power from the monarchy to the people

bi-cameral

the UK parliament has 2 chambers

House of Commons

• primary chamber

• 650 members

• consists of government and opposition

example of independent member

• Richard Taylor - campaigner for Kidderminster Hospital

• Jeremy Corbyn - was suspended from the Labour party in 2020

House of Lords

• second chamber

• consists of unelected members

• around 800 members

  • majority are life peers

  • 92 hereditary peers

• current Labour government are trying to remove hereditary peers

Monarch role

• their power is largely ceremonial

• meets PM once a week to offer advice

• royal assent

Elections

• every 5 years

• FPTP

what year could men and women over the age of 30 vote?

1918

what year could men and women over 21 vote?

1928

what year could men and women over 18 vote?

1969

1911 Parliament Act

reduced HOL power so they could no longer block laws made by HOC for too long

1949 Parliament Act

further reduced the power of the HOL so they could only delay new laws for 1 year instead of 2

how much has the gender representation increased by?

40%

checks and balances

makes sure no part of the government has too much power