Structure and Functions of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Political Structure of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is politically a constitutional Monarchy.This means that even though there is a King or a Queen as head of the State,he or she can reign only with the support of Parliament.That is to say,Parliament is the most important law-making body of the British people.It consist of the House of Commons ,the House of Lords and the Sovereign.The house of Commons is elected by universal adult suffrage and consist of 659 Members of Parliament.The main purpose of the House of Commons is to make laws by passing various Acts,as well as to discuss current political iusses.The party in power has a maximum of five years.A the end of this term a General Election must be held.The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker,elected by member of Parliament to preside over the House.The House of Lords consists of the Lord Spiritual and the Lord Temporal.There are 1,165 members of the House of Lords,including the two archbishops of Cantembury and York and 24 bishops.There are 103 women peers.The Lords Temporal consist of all hereditary peers of Englad,Scotland,Great Britain and the United Kingdom.The House of Lords is presided over by the Lord Chancellor.All members of the House of Lords have the duty to revise bills from the Commons.In other words,all the bills are initiated in the House of Commons and sent to the House of Lords to be passed.