house of commons

• Lower house and elected chamber
• 650 MPs elected from constituencies
• Has front benchers, backbenchers, PBCs, DSCs, party whips (senior MPs who keep party discipline), and the speaker
• The speaker

  Elected by MPs, netural, keeps order, rules on disputes. Currently Lindsay Hoyle
• Leader of the opposition party

  Currently Starmer
• Legislative powers

  Vote on bills, approve/reject bills, amend legislation, can be in PBCs and scrutinise bills
• Dismissal powers


  Can remove a government of the day with a vote of no confidence -1979 Callaghan
• Scrutiny powers

  UQs, PMQs, PBCs
• Can introduce debate, BBs can inrroduce private member bills for consideration
• MPs can defy whips
• MPs have potential control over public finance
• Remains sovereign even when government has a mandate from the people