Elections into the House of Commons Elections

Elections into the House of Commons

Elections into the House of Commons § The House of Commons consists of 650 members. § Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected through the «first-past-the-post» system. § The single winner is the person with the most votes (plurality). There is no need to gain an absolute majority of votes.

§ Since 1950 each MP represents a single constituency (electoral district). § The boundaries of the constituencies are determined by 4 Boundary Commissions (one each for England, Wales, Scotland Northern Ireland). § Boundary Commissions should take into account local government boundaries but may deviate from the requirement to minimize the difference in the number of population of different constituencies.

Qualifications applied to MPs § 18 years old (at the least) § must be a citizen of the United Kingdom, of a British overseas territory, of the Republic of Ireland, or of a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations § mentally healthy § not a bankrupt § not found guilty of high treason

General selections § Occur whenever Parliament is dissolved by Sovereign. § Parliamentary terms last for 5 years. § Election takes place on Thursday. § The Queen announces the day of election. § The last election was in May 2010.

Coalition § At the last Election both Conservative and Liberal Parties didn’t gain the majority in the House of Commons. =>They offered to form a coalition. A list of MPs elected to the House of Commons for the 55 th Parliament of the United Kingdom at the 2010 general election.

The UK Parliamentary expenses scandal § Each member of the Parliament can claim expenses including the cost of accommodation. § 2009 – A major political scandal concerning the misuse of permitted allowances and expenses claimed by MPs (from all the parties). § 20 deputies and 7 ministers are dismissed and made to pay back to the UK over 1 million of pounds. § 17 May 2009 – The early resignation of the Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin (the 1 st episode for the last 300 years) § 22 July 2009 – The election of the new Speaker John Bercow (conservative). In 2010 he was reelected.

The incumbent Speaker John Bercow since 22 June 2009