066 there have been 35 Kings and Queens. However, since 1689

British Parliament

The British Parliament is one of the oldest in the world and is the most important part of Britain’s system of government. It meets in the Palace of Westminster, beside the River Thames in London. These are also known as the Houses of Parliament. It is the job of the British Parliament to make sure that the Government is working properly. Parliament consists of three parts: the monarchy (the King or Queen), the House of Lords, and the House of Commons.
The monarchy is much older than Parliament itself. Since 1066 there have been 35 Kings and 5 Queens. However, since 1689 the monarchy’s power has been reduced by Parliament. Today, Britain has a ‘constitutional monarchy’. This means that although the King or Queen is officially the British head of state. He or she does not make any major political decisions. Instead, the monarch acts on the advice of government ministers. Even the important speech which the King or Queen reads at the opening of each new session of Parliament is written by the Prime Minister. Nevertheless, the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth, does have some influence. Her opinions on important subjects can affect the way the Government acts, though she rarely expresses them publicly.
The House of Lords has 1198 members, although the average daily attendance is less than 400. These members are not elected, but have inherited their seats from their fathers or been given them by the government. Members of the Royal Family, bishops of the Church and important law judges can also sit in the House of Lords. The Lords can suggest changes in laws, but it cannot reject laws that the Commons wants to pass. The debates in the Lords are chaired by the Lord Chancellor.
The House of Commons first met in the thirteenth century when towns sent representatives to the King to vote on new taxes. The name ‘common’ means ‘ordinary, not noble or royal’. The modern House of Commons consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs) who are all elected by voters in each of Britain’s 651 parliamentary constituencies. These MPs come from several different political parties, but the majority of them belong to either the Conservative or the Labour party. The House of Commons is the main place where new laws are examined, debated and passed.
The chamber in which the MPs meet is quite small. In fact, it has benches for only 437 so when there is an important debate it is very crowded. The chairman of the Commons, called the Speaker, sits in the back in a high chair and makes sure that the rules of the House are followed. The party which is in government (the one which has the most MPs elected) sits on the benches to the right of the Speaker. The main opposition party sits opposite. There are two red lines on the floor in front of the benches. MPs must not cross these during a debate. This is one of many historical traditions in the British Parliament; MPs used to carry swords into the chamber and the distance between the two red lines is too wide for a sword fight! Today, the only weapons allowed in the chamber are words. However, the Speaker frequently has to shout “Order! Order!” to control the MPs. Below the Speaker’s chair there is a large table. This is where the Prime Minister and other ministers stand when they make speeches to the House. MPs who hold government positions sit on the benches at the front and are called ‘frontbenchers’. MPs who do not hold any office with the Government or the main opposition party sit behind them and are called ‘backbenchers’.
In spite of the fact that the British parliamentary system has been the model for many other countries, some people believe that it should be reformed. They think that the monarchy is old-fashioned and expensive and that the unelected House of Lords is undemocratic. MPs in the Commons are also frequently criticized for following the orders of their parties and not properly representing the people in their constituencies. As the world enters the 21^st century, has the time come for change?