The British Constitution

The UK Constitution

• The UK has an unwritten constitution — not contained in a single document
• Made up of laws, conventions, and traditions developed over centuries
• Key documents: Magna Carta (1215), Bill of Rights (1689), Acts of Parliament

Parliament

Parliament has two chambers:

The House of Commons

• 650 elected MPs (Members of Parliament)
• Each MP represents a constituency (local area)
• The party with the most seats forms the government
• The leader of the winning party becomes Prime Minister
• The Speaker is the chairperson — politically neutral

The House of Lords

• Members are appointed or hereditary — not elected
• Reviews and suggests amendments to legislation
• Cannot block laws passed by the Commons indefinitely

The Monarch

• The monarch is the Head of State
• A constitutional monarchy — the monarch acts on the advice of ministers
• The monarch opens Parliament and gives the Queen's/King's Speech
• The monarch is expected to be politically neutral

Elections

• General elections held at least every five years
• Voting system: first past the post — the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins
• You must be 18 or over to vote
• You must be on the electoral register to vote
• Voting is by secret ballot

The Electoral Register

• You must register to vote — it is a legal requirement to provide details for the register
• Registration can be done online, by post, or at the local council office