The legislative body meets in the Palace of Westminster in London as its history shows how it evolved almost organically though partly in response to the needs of the country’s reigning monarch.
The earliest meetings of English barons and commoners in the 8th century is regarded as the roots of the parliament.
Parliament’s Humble Beginnings:
The present-day Parliament consists is of 1a House of Lords and a House of Commons which makes it a bicameral (“two chambers”) legislature. However, these two houses weren’t always joined, as they had their earliest beginnings in the 8th century during the Anglo-Saxon council governments.
The king were used to choose the Wittman who were a small council of clergymen, land-owning barons and other advisors to discuss matters of state, taxation and other political affairs. The Witan evolved into the magnum councilism or Great Council as it expanded to include more advisors.
During the Middle Ages these institutions functioned as law-making bodies and law enforcement agencies throughout England with varying degrees of success. The two bodies paved the way to the bicameral legislature that exists today as it didn't regularly convene.
Magna Carta:
The creation and signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, established the rights of barons (wealthy landowners) to serve as consultants to the king on governmental matters in his Great Council. It became the first English Parliament which got convened.
These barons were not elected, but rather selected and appointed by the king as in the early Witans. In 1236 the Great Council was first referred to as “Parliament.”
By 1254, the sheriffs of the various counties in England to consult with the king on issues related to taxation were instructed to send elected representatives of their districts (knowns as “knights of the shire”).
Four years later, the noblemen who served in Parliament at the time drafted the “Provisions of Oxford,” at the English university town of Oxford. It was composed of representatives from each of the counties and called for regular meetings of the legislative body.
In 1295, Parliament evolved in 1295 to include two representatives from each of the counties and towns in England and, since 1282, Wales as well as nobles and bishops. For all future Parliaments this became the model for the composition.
Richard II Deposed:
The membership of Parliament was divided into the two houses it features today over the course of the next century.
The knights of the shire and local representatives (known as “burgesses”) making up the House of Commons while on the other hand the noblemen and bishops encompassing the House of Lords.
Parliament began to take on more authority within the English government during this time. For example, in 1362 a statute decreeing that Parliament must approve all taxation was passed.
The House of Commons tried and impeached a number of the king’s advisors fourteen years later. And, in 1399, the legislative body voted to depose King Richard II, enabling Henry IV to assume the throne after years of internal struggle for power between the monarchy and Parliament.
Parliament’s Power Expands:
The role of Parliament expanded beyond the determination of taxation policy during Henry IV’s time on the throne as it included the “redress of grievances,” which essentially enabled English citizens to petition the body to address complaints in their local towns and counties.
By this time, the representatives of the house of commons were elected by the votes of the citizens.
In 1414, Henry IV’s son, Henry V became the first monarch to acknowledge that the approval and consultation of both houses of Parliament was required to make new laws after he assumed the throne. Though, in England’s fledgling democracy all was not perfect.
In 1523, more than 100 years later, Sir Thomas More a philosopher and writer as well as a Member of Parliament (M.P. for short), raised the issue of “freedom of speech” for lawmakers in both houses during deliberations.
After around 50 years in 1576 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, an impassioned speech arguing for the same right was made by Peter Wentworth, M.P.; he was sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower of London.
Elizabeth I got involved over a clash with Wentworth, a Puritan over issues related to freedom of religion during his time as an M.P., and he also got jailed for these acts.
The Puritans left England for the New World in the 1600s after this persecution which helped them to settle the 13 colonies that eventually became the United States.
English Civil War:
The United Kingdom experienced a great deal of change and political turmoil for much of the 17th century but the only constant was Parliament.
From 1603 to 1660, for a time, military leader Oliver Cromwell assumed power under the title Lord Protector as the country was mired in a drawn-out civil war. Charles I the ruling monarch at the time was executed in 1649.
The dominion of the United Kingdom expanded as Cromwell conquered Scotland(1649) and Ireland(1651) and brought them unwillingly under the United Kingdom. Those two nations still had their own Parliaments, made up of Cromwell supporters.
During this period of change parliament continued to retain some power. However, the legislature in 1648 created the so-called “Rump Parliament" as M.P.s who were thought to be loyal to Charles I were excluded.
The Monarchy Abolished:
The unprecedented step of abolishing the monarchy and declaring England a commonwealth was taken by the House of Commons in 1649.
Cromwell disbanded the Rump Parliament and created the Nominated Assembly, a de facto legislature four years later. Cromwell was replaced by his son Richard after he died in 1658. Britain’s government effectively collapsed after the son was deposed a year later.
In 1660, Charles II, the son of Charles I was restored to the throne which reaffirmed the monarchy’s place in British history. As the New Parliamentary elections were held the M.P.s elected effectively held their seats for the next 18 years during which no general election was called.
Parliament in Recent History:
Parliament and its powers evolved over course of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries just as the United Kingdom itself did.
In 1707 Scotland formally became a part of the United Kingdom sending representatives to the Parliament at Westminster. Ireland was also part of the United Kingdom by the late 1700s, and their own representatives to both houses of Parliament were elected by land-owners there.
A number of changes were made to the composition and legislative process in Parliament through a series of legislative acts, known as the “Reform Acts." The women got the right to vote by the Reform Act of 1918, and the first woman was elected to the body that same year.
However, Countess Constance Markiewicz of Ireland refused to serve as she was a member of Sinn Fein, the political party seeking independence for the island nation.
Meanwhile, greater powers for the House of Commons, which has 650 elected members, compared to the House of Lords, which has 90 members appointed via peerage (a system of titles for noblemen) were established during the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949.
House of Lords:
Today, the House of Lords and the House of Commons which are the two houses of Parliament meet in the Palace of Westminster in London, and are the only body with the authority to create legislation and make laws in the United Kingdom’s constitutional monarchy government.
Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch still serves a ceremonial role as head of state, though the Prime Minister is the head of country’s executive branch.
It is the House of Commons that holds the ultimate sway when it comes to whether legislation ultimately becomes law although the House of Lords can debate all bills that don’t deal directly with financial matters for the country.
However, the House of Lords through its questioning of cabinet ministers and the formation of special committees to address important matters of state does play a role in government accountability.
House of Commons:
Today, then House of Commons must approve all legislation in order for it to become law. The taxation and the government’s purse strings were also controlled by the House of Commons.
Each of the 650 members of the House of Commons were selected by the public in the United Kingdom. And the have a system somewhat different from that of the United States as government ministers (including the Prime Minister) must regularly answer questions in the House of Commons.
Written by: Gourav Chowdhury
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