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The House of Commons of the United Kingdom is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Parliament also includes the Sovereign and the upper house, the House of Lords, but the House of Commons is the dominant branch. The House is a democratically elected body, consisting of 646 members, who are known as "Members of Parliament" (MPs). Members are elected by the first-past-the-post system of election. Except in times of national emergency, Parliament must be dissolved and general elections held every five years; the government may seek a dissolution before that time. Each member is elected by, and represents, an electoral district known as a constituency. The House of Commons is the source of the vast majority of government ministers and every Prime Minister since 1902, with the very brief exception of Sir Alec Douglas-Home in 1963. It came into existence during the fourteenth century and has been in continuous operation since. It was once far less powerful than the House of Lords, but is now by far the dominant branch of Parliament. Its legislative powers overtook those of the House of Lords when, under the Parliament Act 1911, the Lords' power to reject most bills was reduced to a mere ability to delay. Moreover, the Government of the United Kingdom is answerable to the House of Commons. The Prime Minister stays in office only as long as he or she retains the support of the lower house. (more...)
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