House of Commons of the United Kingdom
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is made up of Members of Parliament elected by the people. Sometimes it is called the 'lower house'. (The 'upper house' is called the House of Lords.) Other countries also have a bicameral parliament with a House of Commons working in the same way.
House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|
| 58th Parliament | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Lindsay Hoyle since 4 November 2019 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 650 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | Up to 5 years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 12 December 2019 |
Next election | On or before 2 May 2024 |
| Redistricting | Recommendations by the boundary commissions; confirmation by Parliament. |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| House of Commons chamber Palace of Westminster City of Westminster London, England United Kingdom | |
In the British parliament, there are 650 Members of Parliament or MPs. Each MP represents a constituency, which covers an area of the country. The people of each constituency vote at a general election or a by-election to choose one person to represent them in the House of Commons. Usually, the people choose someone who belongs to a political party. When all the parties get together, the party or coalition with the most members is the government and runs the country. The leader of that party is called the Prime Minister.
The House of Commons hold their meetings in the Palace of Westminster. Their chief officer is the Speaker of the House, who is elected by MPs. The current Speaker is Lindsay Hoyle, who was elected in 2019. The Clerk of the House of Commons is the Principal Adviser to the Speaker. The Serjeant-at-Arms is in charge of the security.
Election results since 1945
| Year | Conservative | Labour | Liberal & SDP | SNP | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 197 | 393 | 12 | 0 | 38 |
| 1950 | 298 | 315 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| 1951 | 321 | 295 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 1955 | Winston Churchill resigns and Anthony Eden becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 1955 | 345 | 277 | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 1957 | Anthony Eden resigns and Harold Macmillan becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 1959 | 365 | 258 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1963 | Harold Macmillan resigns and Alec Douglas-Home becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 1964 | 304 | 317 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | 253 | 364 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 1970 | 330 | 288 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 1974 | 297 | 301 | 14 | 7 | 16 |
| 1974 | 277 | 319 | 13 | 11 | 15 |
| 1976 | Harold Wilson resigns and James Callaghan becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 1979 | 339 | 269 | 11 | 2 | 14 |
| 1983 | 397 | 209 | 23 | 2 | 19 |
| 1987 | 376 | 229 | 22 | 3 | 21 |
| 1988 | The Liberal and SDP parties merge and Form The Liberal Democrats | ||||
| Year | Conservative | Labour | Lib Dems | SNP | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Margaret Thatcher resigns and John Major becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 1992 | 336 | 271 | 20 | 3 | 21 |
| 1997 | 165 | 418 | 46 | 6 | 24 |
| 2001 | 166 | 413 | 52 | 5 | 23 |
| 2005 | 198 | 355 | 62 | 4 | 23 |
| 2007 | Tony Blair resigns and Gordon Brown Becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 2010 | 306 | 258 | 57 | 6 | 23 |
| 2015 | 330 | 232 | 8 | 56 | 24 |
| 2016 | David Cameron resigns and Theresa May becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 2017 | 317 | 262 | 12 | 35 | 24 |
| 2019 | Theresa May resigns and Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 2019 | 365 | 202 | 11 | 47 | 24 |
| 2022 | Boris Johnson resigns and Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister | ||||
| 2022 | Liz Truss resigns and Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister | ||||
House Of Commons Of The United Kingdom Media
William Pitt the Younger addressing the Commons on the outbreak of the war with France (1793); painting by Anton Hickel.
The House of Commons in the early 19th century by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson.
The old Chamber of the House of Commons built by Sir Charles Barry was destroyed by German bombs during the Second World War. The essential features of Barry's design were preserved when the chamber was rebuilt.
The modern chamber, which opened following post-war reconstruction in 1950.
The old House of Commons chamber, showing dark veneer on the wood, which was purposely made much brighter in the new chamber.
The Speaker presides over debates in the House of Commons, as depicted in the above print commemorating the destruction of the Commons Chamber by fire in 1834.
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