What is the House of Commons?
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into the historical evolution of the UK's House of Commons, from its origins in 1215 with the Magna Carta to its current role in modern democracy. It explains how the Commons, elected by the public every five years, works alongside the House of Lords and the Monarchy to debate issues, make laws, and hold the government accountable. The script highlights the MPs' responsibilities, the dynamic between the Government and Opposition, and the various mechanisms for scrutinizing and shaping policies, emphasizing that the Commons is more than just the bickering seen on TV.
Takeaways
- ποΈ The House of Commons and the House of Lords evolved from the historical relationship between the King and his Barons, leading to the establishment of a more structured advisory council.
- π The Magna Carta in 1215 was a pivotal moment that forced King John to obey the law and set up an advisory council, marking a step towards parliamentary democracy.
- π Simon de Montfort's rebellion in 1265 was significant as it led to the first inclusion of town representatives and knights in the parliament, laying the groundwork for the House of Commons.
- π£οΈ The House of Commons, established in 1332, represents the citizens and has become a powerful check on the monarchy and nobility over time.
- π₯ A fire in 1512 led to the rebuilding of Westminster Palace, which became the permanent home of the Parliament, housing both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
- π₯ The House of Commons is composed of elected members who represent the public and have the power to make and review laws, holding the government accountable.
- π« The Monarch is not allowed in the House of Commons chamber following an incident with Charles the First, emphasizing the separation of powers.
- πΊ The chamber of the House of Commons has limited seating, requiring MPs to be packed closely together during debates, symbolizing the intensity of parliamentary discourse.
- π©βπΌ The Prime Minister, leading the Government, and the Opposition play key roles in the House, with the former introducing laws and the latter scrutinizing them.
- β° MPs balance their time between parliamentary duties and constituency work, often facing the challenge of aligning party interests with local needs.
- π The House of Commons holds the Government accountable through Prime Minister's Questions, Select Committees, and by reviewing proposed bills, ensuring transparency and public representation.
Q & A
What was the historical context that led to the creation of the House of Commons?
-The House of Commons evolved from the Magna Carta in 1215, which forced King John to obey the law and establish an advisory council. Later, Simon de Montfort's rebellion against Henry III in 1265 led to the first parliament that included representatives from towns and shires, separate from the nobility, eventually forming the House of Commons in 1332.
How did the balance of power shift between the monarchy and the House of Commons over time?
-As the rights of the people increased, the monarchy and nobility became less powerful, and the balance of power eventually swung to the House of Commons, which represents the people.
Why did Henry VIII move out of Westminster Palace, and what is its significance today?
-Henry VIII moved out of Westminster Palace after a huge fire consumed it in 1512. Once rebuilt, it became the home of Parliament, where it still operates today.
What are the three parts of the Parliament, as mentioned in the script?
-The three parts of the Parliament are the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Monarchy.
What are the qualifications to run as a candidate for the House of Commons?
-To run as a candidate for the House of Commons, one must be at least 18 years old, not in prison, not a Lord, and not the Monarch.
Why are members of the House of Commons referred to as 'MPs'?
-Members of the House of Commons are referred to as 'MPs', which stands for 'Members of Parliament', as they are elected to represent the people in the legislative process.
What is the role of the Speaker in the House of Commons?
-The Speaker of the House of Commons sits at the head of the room and is responsible for maintaining order during debates and proceedings.
How does the House of Commons hold the Government accountable?
-The House of Commons holds the Government accountable through debates, questioning of the Prime Minister and Ministers, scrutiny by Select Committees, and by reviewing and voting on proposed bills, including those that raise taxes.
What is the purpose of the Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons?
-The purpose of the Prime Minister's Questions is for MPs to question the Prime Minister directly, allowing for accountability and transparency in Government actions and policies.
How do MPs balance their time between the House of Commons and their constituencies?
-MPs split their time between the House of Commons, where they participate in debates and legislation, and their constituencies, where they represent the interests of their local voters and address their concerns.
What is the significance of the House of Commons in the legislative process?
-The House of Commons plays a significant role in the legislative process by debating important issues, making and reviewing laws, representing the public, and holding the Government to account.
Outlines
ποΈ History and Function of the House of Commons
The script begins by questioning the effectiveness of the House of Commons amidst political disputes, suggesting there is more to it than meets the eye. It delves into the historical origins of the House, starting with King John and the Magna Carta in 1215, which led to the establishment of an advisory council. The narrative continues with Simon de Montfort's rebellion and the first parliament in 1265, which included town representatives and knights, eventually leading to the formation of the House of Commons in 1332. The script explains the evolution of the House's role, the balance of power, and its current structure, including the election process for members and the exclusion of the Monarch since Charles the First. The House's functions are outlined, including debating issues, law-making, representing the public, and holding the Government accountable. The script also describes the physical setting of the House, the roles of the Speaker, the Prime Minister, and the Opposition, and the dynamics of MPs' work between the House and their constituencies.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘House of Commons
π‘Magna Carta
π‘Parliament
π‘Election
π‘Opposition
π‘Prime Minister
π‘Constituency
π‘Speaker
π‘Select Committees
π‘Accountability
π‘Westminster Palace
Highlights
The House of Commons is more than just bickering on TV; it plays a crucial role in running the country.
The origins of the House of Commons trace back to the King and his Barons, who later compelled King John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.
Simon de Montfort's rebellion in 1265 led to the first inclusion of town representatives in a parliamentary setting.
The House of Commons was formally established in 1332, separate from the nobility.
The balance of power shifted from the monarchy and nobility to the House of Commons as the rights of the people increased.
Westminster Palace, destroyed by fire in 1512, was rebuilt to become the home of Parliament.
The modern Parliament consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Monarchy.
Members of the House of Commons are elected by the public every five years to represent them in running the country.
Election as a candidate requires being at least 18, not imprisoned, not a Lord, and not the Monarch.
Since Charles the First, no Monarch has been allowed in the House of Commons chamber.
The House of Commons debates important issues, makes and reviews laws, represents the public, and holds the Government accountable.
The chamber has two sides: the Government and the Opposition, with the Commons Speaker maintaining order.
The Prime Minister leads the Government and appoints ministers to form a cabinet, which sits on the front bench.
MPs divide their time between the House of Commons and their constituencies, balancing party and local interests.
The Government is held accountable through weekly Prime Minister's Questions and questioning of Ministers by MPs.
Select Committees review government policies and spending, involving experts and the public for scrutiny.
The House of Commons must agree to any tax increases proposed by the Government and reviews bills before voting.
Beyond what's shown on TV, the House of Commons is involved in significant legislative and representative work.
Transcripts
Too busy bickering on TV to run the country?
There's got to be more to the House of Commons than that - right?
Before The House of Commons, or the House of Lords, there was just the King and his
Barons.
The King could call on them whenever he wanted.
But he didn't count on them becoming powerful and in 1215 they made King John seal Magna
Carta which forced him to obey the law and set up an advisory council of 25 men.
Fifty years later Simon de Montfort rebelled against Henry The Third, and for the first
time invited representatives of the towns together with knights of the shires to his
1265 parliament.
These citizens met separately from the nobility and evolved to form the House of Commons in
1332.
So now there are two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
As the rights of the people increased the king and nobility became less powerful and
the balance of power eventually swung to the Commons.
In 1512 a huge fire consumed Westminster Palace.
Henry The Eighth moved out, and once rebuilt, it became Parliament's home.
Parliament still works from Westminster today and has three parts.
The House of Commons,The House of Lords and the Monarchy.
Members of the House of Commons are elected by you and me.
Every five years we elect representatives to run the country on our behalf, which means
we run the country kinda.
It's easy to run as a candidate you just have to be 18, not in prison, and not a Lord.
Oh and also, you can't be the Monarch.
Ever since Charles the First burst in on the chamber uninvited no King or Queen has been
allowed in.
So what does the House actually do all day?
It debates important issues; makes and reviews our laws; represents the public and, holds
the Government to account.
Inside the House of Commons there are two sides - on one side, the Government who run
the country and on the other side the Opposition - who keep an eye on what the Government are
doing.
The chamber only has 437 seats, for over 600 members, So MPs have to pack in for big debates.
The Commons Speaker sits at the head of the room to maintain order.
The Prime Minister leads the Government, and appoints ministers to form a cabinet.
You'll see them on the front bench.
It's the Government that introduces most of the ideas for new laws and the changes to
old ones.
The Opposition questions and challenges the Government.
All MPs split their time between the House of Commons and their constituency.
Often MPs have to figure out what's best for their party or what's best for the local people
they represent - even the ones who didn't vote for them.
There are lots of ways that the Government is held to account.
Every week, for half an hour, the Prime Minister comes to the House of Commons to answer questions
from MPs.
It's dramatic, it's heated and it's this that gets the most viewers tuning in.
But it's not just the PM in the hot seat - MPs get to question Ministers from all government
departments.
And then, there are Select Committees where MPs spend a lot of time reviewing the policies
and spending of government - this is called scrutiny.
They speak to experts and the public to understand how laws affect our everyday lives.
This work helps the Government shape their policies.
Also whenever the Government wants to raise taxes the House of Commons has to agree they
review any proposed bill before they vote.
So it's not just a lot of rowdy bickering!
They do more than what's shown on TV - debating important issues, making laws, holding the
Government to account and allowing MPs to represent the public, that's you.
So, what do you think of the House of Commons now?
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