The House of Commons

Members of the House of Commons are elected from geographical constituencies. The voting age for British subjects is 18. Those not eligible for election to the Commons include members of the House of Lords, selected clergy, government contractors, sheriffs, and certain designated election officials. Total membership of the Commons now numbers 659. Forty members are required for a quorum. By law, the life of a Parliament is five years unless dissolved earlier or extended by special statute in times of war or national emergency.

Bills can be introduced into either House, but all important bills are presented first to the House of Commons. Here they are explained and debated. If they receive a majority vote they go to the House of Lords. The Lords only have power to delay a bill. They can throw it out once, but if presented a second time, they must pass it.

Finally the bills are taken by the prime minister to the Queen, who always signs them. The Queen is a constitutional monarch, that is to say she governs through Parliament. She acts on the advice of her prime minister and does not make any major political decisions.

The House of Commons is the main law-making body. If a major bill is defeated there the government usually resigns and there is a new election. In any case, elections must be held at least every five years.

ELECTIONS

Elections to the Commons take place at least every five years. If an elected member resigns or dies during the life of a Parliament, a by-election is held.

British citizens, other Commonwealth citizens and citizens of the Irish Republic resident in Britain have the right to vote in parliamentary and local government elections if they are aged 18 or over. Some people are not allowed to vote; these include foreign nationals, sentenced prisoners, people detained under mental health legislation and people convicted within the previous five years of corrupt or illegal election practices. Members of the House of Lords cannot vote in parliamentary elections but may do so in local elections.

Candidature for parliamentary elections is open to anyone aged 21 and over who is eligible to vote except for clergy of certain Christian churches, undischarged bankrupts, and holders of certain public offices, including judges, home civil servants and members of the police and armed forces.

The secret ballot is used in all British elections. The electoral system is the simple majority or ‘first-past-the-post’ system. The candidate with the largest number of votes is elected.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14