107-871: The Parliamentary Art Collection is a collection of around 8,500 artworks held by the United Kingdom Parliament . The works are jointly owned by the House of Commons and the House of Lords . Approximately 80% of the collection is displayed at the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings of the Parliamentary Estate nearby, but not government buildings in Whitehall , or Downing Street . The collection includes around 7,000 paintings, drawings and other images, 700 sculptures, 600 coins and medals, and around 100 pieces in other media, such as textiles or wallpaper, with
214-420: A Hung Parliament, the party with the most seats has the opportunity to form a coalition with other parties, so their combined seat tally extends past the 326-seat majority. The House of Commons is the most powerful of the components of Parliament, particularly due to its sole right to determine taxation and the supply of money to the government. Additionally, the prime minister and leader of the government sits in
321-471: A crown in heraldry and other imagery such as cap badges , uniforms, government logos and elsewhere. The heraldic crown is chosen by the reigning monarch. From 1661 to the reign of Queen Victoria , an image of St Edward's Crown was used. The early part of Victoria's reign depicted the Imperial State Crown created for her coronation , while a Tudor Crown began to be used from the 1860s. In 1901,
428-612: A focus mainly on British history and politics, including portrait paintings and statues of Members of Parliament , members of the House of Lords and other historical figures, and paintings of important events. As a rule, no portrait is displayed at the Palace of Westminster until the subject has been dead for at least 10 years, but works considered ineligible for the main building (for example, portraits of Shirley Williams and of Kenneth Clarke which were acquired in 2007) can be displayed elsewhere on
535-499: A network of other institutions of a similar nature." Canadian academic Philippe Lagassé found the crown "acts in various capacities, as such: crown-in-council (executive); crown-in-parliament (legislative); crown-in-court (judicial). It is also an artificial person and office as a corporation sole. At its most basic, "the Crown" is, in the UK and other Commonwealth realms, what in most other countries
642-469: A new election will be held. Parliaments can also be dissolved if two-thirds of the House of Commons votes for an early election. Formerly, the demise of the Sovereign automatically brought a Parliament to an end, the Crown being seen as the caput, principium, et finis (beginning, basis and end) of the body, but this is no longer the case. The first change was during the reign of William and Mary, when it
749-522: A presumption that a Parliament will last for five years, unless two thirds of the House of Commons votes for an early general election, or the government loses the confidence of the House. This was repealed by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 , which restored the ability for the government to call an early election while keeping five year terms. Summary history of terms of the Parliament of
856-589: A tie. Both Houses normally conduct their business in public, and there are galleries where visitors may sit. Originally there was no fixed limit on the length of a Parliament, but the Triennial Act 1694 set the maximum duration at three years. As the frequent elections were deemed inconvenient, the Septennial Act 1715 extended the maximum to seven years, but the Parliament Act 1911 reduced it to five. During
963-457: A word, the compendious formal, executive and administrative powers and apparatus attendant upon the modern constitutional and monarchical state." Lord Simon of Glaisdale stated: The crown as an object is a piece of jewelled headgear under guard at the Tower of London . But it symbolizes the powers of government which were formerly wielded by the wearer of the crown ... The term "the Crown"
1070-446: Is "the state"." Historically, the Crown was considered to be indivisible. Two judgments— Ex parte Indian Association of Alberta ( EWCA , 1982) and Ex parte Quark ( House of Lords , 2005)—challenged that view. Today, it is considered separate in every country, province, state, or territory, regardless of its degree of independence, that has the shared monarch as part of the respective country's government; though, limitations on
1177-491: Is carried out by the civil servants employed in the various government departments." This interpretation was supported by section 8 of the Pensions (Colonial Service) Act 1887 ( 50 & 51 Vict. c. 13), which set the terms "permanent civil service of the state", "permanent civil service of Her Majesty" and "permanent civil service of the Crown" as having the same meaning. The Crown was first defined as an 'imperial' crown during
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#17328559098821284-601: Is chosen by a single constituency by the First-Past-the-Post electoral system. There are 650 constituencies in the United Kingdom, each made up of an average of 65,925 voters. The First-Past-the-Post system means that every constituency elects one MP each (except the constituency of the Speaker, whose seat is uncontested). Each voter assigns one vote for one candidate, and the candidate with the most votes in each constituency
1391-547: Is dissolved by virtue of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 and previously the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 . Prior to that, dissolution was effected by the Sovereign, always on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister could seek dissolution at a time politically advantageous to their party. If the Prime Minister loses the support of the House of Commons, Parliament will dissolve and
1498-403: Is elected as MP to represent their constituency. Members sit for a maximum of five years, although elections are generally called before that maximum limit is reached. A party needs to win 326 constituencies (known as "seats") to win a majority in the House of Commons. If no party achieves a majority, then a situation of no overall control occurs – commonly known as a "Hung Parliament". In case of
1605-633: Is held in the House of Lords Chamber. Before 2012, it took place in November or December, or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembled. From 2012 onwards, the ceremony has taken place in May or June. Upon the signal of the Monarch, the Lord Great Chamberlain raises their wand of office to signal to Black Rod , who is charged with summoning the House of Commons and has been waiting in
1712-508: Is not to be confused with any physical crown , such as those of the British regalia . The term is also found in various expressions such as Crown land , which some countries refer to as public land or state land ; as well as in some offices, such as minister of the Crown , Crown attorney , and Crown prosecutor . The term the Crown does not have a single definition. Legal scholars Maurice Sunkin and Sebastian Payne opined, "the nature of
1819-738: Is required for a bill to become law; however this has not been refused since 1708 and is largely formal. The House of Lords is known formally as "The Right Honourable The Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled", the Lords Spiritual being bishops of the Church of England and the Lords Temporal being Peers of the Realm . The Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal are considered separate " estates ", but they sit, debate and vote together. Since
1926-494: Is the royal prerogative by which unowned property, primarily unclaimed inheritances, becomes the property of the Crown. As such, the physical crown and the property belonging to successive monarchs in perpetuity came to be separated from the person of the monarch and his or her private property. After several centuries of the monarch personally exercising supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power, these functions decreased as parliaments, ministries, and courts grew through
2033-403: Is therefore used in constitutional law to denote the collection of such of those powers as remain extant (the royal prerogative ), together with such other powers as have been expressly conferred by statute on "the Crown". Lord Diplock suggested the Crown means "the government [and] all of the ministers and parliamentary secretaries under whose direction the administrative work of the government
2140-571: The Parliament Act 1911 ) and receive royal assent for it to become law. Executive powers (including those granted by legislation or forming part of the prerogative) are not formally exercised by Parliament. However, these powers are in practice exercised on the advice of government ministers , who much be drawn from and be accountable to the Parliament. Whilst the monarch is a constitutive element of parliament, they do not debate bills or otherwise contribute to political debate. Their royal assent
2247-659: The Anglo-Irish Treaty , the revolutionary Irish Republic was replaced by the Irish Free State , recognised by the United Kingdom as a separate state (and thus, no longer represented in the Westminster Parliament), while Northern Ireland would remain British, and in 1927, parliament was renamed the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Further reforms to the House of Lords were made in
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#17328559098822354-598: The Common Informers Act 1951 ended the practice of allowing such suits by common informers. The term "Crown forces" has been used by Irish republicans and nationalists , including members of paramilitary groups, to refer to British security forces which operate in Ireland . The term was used by various iterations of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during conflicts such as Irish War of Independence and
2461-537: The Conservative majority in the House of Lords. In the face of such a threat, the House of Lords narrowly passed the bill. The Parliament Act 1911 , as it became, prevented the Lords from blocking a money bill (a bill dealing with taxation), and allowed them to delay any other bill for a maximum of three sessions (reduced to two sessions in 1949), after which it could become law over their objections. However, regardless of
2568-523: The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 made an exception for 'any right or privilege of the Crown' not written in an act of parliament, thus preserving the rights of the Crown under the unwritten royal prerogative. In addition, use of images of the crowns for commercial purposes is specifically restricted in the UK (and in countries which are party to the Paris Convention ) under sections 4 and 99 of
2675-534: The English Civil War . The wars established the constitutional rights of Parliament, a concept legally established in the Glorious Revolution in 1688 and the subsequent Bill of Rights 1689 . Since then, no British monarch has entered the House of Commons when it is in session. On Black Rod's approach, the doors are slammed shut against them, symbolising the rights of parliament and its independence from
2782-510: The House of Lords , and the House of Commons . The three parts acting together to legislate may be described as the King-in-Parliament . The Crown normally acts on the advice of the prime minister , and the powers of the House of Lords are limited to only delaying legislation. The House of Commons is the elected lower chamber of Parliament, with elections to 650 single-member constituencies held at least every five years under
2889-519: The House of Lords performed judicial functions through the law lords . The Parliament of the United Kingdom is one of the oldest legislatures in the world, and is characterised by the stability of its governing institutions and its capacity to absorb change. The Westminster system shaped the political systems of the nations once ruled by the British Empire , and thus has been called the " mother of parliaments ". The Parliament of Great Britain
2996-674: The Parliamentary War Memorial , and in 2011 the Parliamentary Art Collection took responsibility for maintaining the cast of Henry Moore 's Knife Edge Two Piece 1962–65 , displayed on College Green . There is an Advisory Committee on Works of Art, with a panel of advisers for the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker , alongside the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art established in 1954 and
3103-469: The Royal Fine Art Commission decorate the reconstructed Palace of Westminster after the catastrophic fire in 1834 , which destroyed many historic artworks and tapestries. The new works include many large formal paintings for the public rooms, and statues of kings and queens around the exterior of the building. The Parliamentary Art Collection has a bronze statue of St Andrew from the cupola of
3210-499: The Second World War , the term was temporarily extended to ten years by Acts of Parliament. Since the end of the war the maximum has remained five years. Modern Parliaments, however, rarely continued for the maximum duration; normally, they were dissolved earlier. For instance, the 52nd , which assembled in 1997, was dissolved after four years. The Septennial Act was repealed by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , which established
3317-697: The United Kingdom , and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories . It meets at the Palace of Westminster in London . Parliament possesses legislative supremacy and thereby holds ultimate power over all other political bodies in the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories. While Parliament is bicameral , it has three parts: the sovereign ,
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3424-449: The first-past-the-post system . By constitutional convention , all government ministers , including the prime minister, are members of the House of Commons (MPs), or less commonly the House of Lords, and are thereby accountable to the respective branches of the legislature. Most Cabinet ministers are from the Commons, while junior ministers can be from either house. The House of Lords is
3531-527: The upper chamber of Parliament, comprising two types of members. The most numerous are the Lords Temporal , consisting mainly of life peers appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister, plus up to 92 hereditary peers . The less numerous Lords Spiritual consist of up to 26 bishops of the Church of England . Before the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009,
3638-421: The 13th century. The term the Crown then developed into a means by which to differentiate the monarch's official functions from his personal choices and actions. Even within mediaeval England, there was the doctrine of capacities separating the person of the king from his actions in the capacity of monarch. When the kingdom of England merged with those of Scotland and Ireland , the concept extended into
3745-427: The 20th century. The Life Peerages Act 1958 authorised the regular creation of life peerage dignities. By the 1960s, the regular creation of hereditary peerage dignities had ceased; thereafter, almost all new peers were life peers only. The House of Lords Act 1999 removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, although it made an exception for 92 of them to be elected to life-terms by
3852-817: The Bailiwick of Jersey belonging to the Crown in Right of Jersey and not to the Crown Estate of the United Kingdom. The Succession to the Crown (Jersey) Law 2013 defined the Crown, for the purposes of implementing the Perth Agreement in Jersey law, as the Crown in Right of the Bailiwick of Jersey . Legislation in the Isle of Man also defines the Crown in Right of the Isle of Man as being separate from
3959-590: The Church of England—archbishops, bishops, abbots and mitred priors. The Lords Temporal consists of 92 hereditary peers and all life peers appointed under the Life Peerages Act 1958 (currently numbering around 700). Two hereditary peers sit ex officio by virtue of being the Earl Marshal or the Lord Great Chamberlain . Each of the other 90 are elected for life upon a seat becoming vacant. 15 members are elected by
4066-564: The Commons lobby. Black Rod turns and, under the escort of the Door-keeper of the House of Lords and an inspector of police , approaches the doors to the Chamber of the Commons. In 1642, King Charles I stormed into the House of Commons in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the Five Members , who included the celebrated English patriot and leading Parliamentarian John Hampden . This action sparked
4173-509: The Commons passed the " People's Budget ", which made numerous changes to the taxation system which were detrimental to wealthy landowners. The House of Lords, which consisted mostly of powerful landowners, rejected the Budget. On the basis of the Budget's popularity and the Lords' consequent unpopularity, the Liberal Party narrowly won two general elections in 1910. Using the result as a mandate,
4280-580: The Commons—or "Content!" and "Not-Content!" in the Lords—and the presiding officer declares the result. The pronouncement of either Speaker may be challenged, and a recorded vote (known as a division ) demanded. (The Speaker of the House of Commons may choose to overrule a frivolous request for a division, but the Lord Speaker does not have that power.) In each House, a division requires members to file into one of
4387-584: The Commonwealth realms is a similar, but separate, legal concept. To distinguish the institution's role in one jurisdiction from its place in another, Commonwealth law employs the expression the Crown in Right of [place] ; for example, the Crown in Right of the United Kingdom, the Crown in Right of Canada, the Crown in Right of the Commonwealth of Australia, etc. Because both Canada and Australia are federations, there are also crowns in right of each Canadian province and each Australian state . When referring to
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4494-525: The Crown is used to mostly mean the authority of government; its meaning changes in different contexts. In the context of people considering the claims and settlements related to the Treaty of Waitangi , professor of history Alan Ward defines the Crown as "the people of New Zealand—including Māori themselves—acted through elected parliament and government." In the Bailiwick of Guernsey , legislation refers to
4601-490: The Crown has been taken for granted, in part because it is fundamental and, in part, because many academics have no idea what the term the Crown amounts to". Nicholas Browne-Wilkinson theorised that the Crown is "an amorphous, abstract concept" and, thus, "impossible to define", while William Wade stated the Crown "means simply the Queen". Warren J. Newman described the Crown is "a useful and convenient means of conveying, in
4708-403: The Crown in Right of the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Crown in Right of the Bailiwick and the law officers of the Crown of Guernsey submitted that, "the Crown in this context ordinarily means the Crown in right of the république of the Bailiwick of Guernsey" and that this comprises "the collective governmental and civic institutions, established by and under the authority of the monarch, for
4815-602: The Crown in Right of the United Kingdom. Following the Lords' decision in Ex parte Quark , 2005, it is held that the King, in exercising his authority over British Overseas Territories , does not act on the advice of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom , but, in his role as king of each territory, with the exception of fulfilling the UK's international responsibilities for its territories. To comply with
4922-402: The Crown in multiple jurisdictions, wording is typically akin to "the Crown in right of [place], and all its other capacities". The powers of a realm's crown are exercised either by the monarch, personally, or by his or her representative on the advice of the appropriate local ministers , legislature, or judges, none of which may advise the Crown in any other realm. In New Zealand, the term
5029-497: The Crown's legal personality is usually regarded as a corporation sole , it can, at least for some purposes, be described as a corporation aggregate headed by the monarch. Frederic William Maitland argued the Crown is a corporation aggregate embracing the government and the "whole political community". J.G. Allen preferred to view the Crown as a corporation sole; one office occupied by a single person, enduring "through generations of incumbents and, historically, lends coherence to
5136-509: The Crown. After the pro forma bill is introduced, each House debates the content of the Speech from the Throne for several days. Once each House formally sends its reply to the Speech, legislative business may commence, appointing committees, electing officers, passing resolutions and considering legislation. A session of Parliament is brought to an end by a prorogation . There is a ceremony similar to
5243-443: The Crown; usages such as, "for the Crown, Joe Bloggs argued", being common. The Crown can also be a plaintiff or defendant in civil actions to which the government of the Commonwealth realm in question is a party. Such crown proceedings are often subject to specific rules and limitations, such as the enforcement of judgments against the Crown. Qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the Crown were once common, but have been unusual since
5350-481: The European Union , where "Miller" is Gina Miller , a citizen. Until the end of the 20th century, such case titles used the pattern R v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, ex parte Miller . Either form may be abbreviated R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union . In Scotland , criminal prosecutions are undertaken by the lord advocate (or the relevant procurator fiscal ) in
5457-424: The House of Commons (MPs) were elected in an antiquated electoral system , under which constituencies of vastly different sizes existed. Thus, the borough of Old Sarum , with seven voters, could elect two members, as could the borough of Dunwich , which had almost completely disappeared into the sea due to land erosion. Many small constituencies, known as pocket or rotten boroughs , were controlled by members of
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#17328559098825564-553: The House of Commons, refused to take their seats in Westminster, and instead assembled in 1919 to proclaim Irish independence and form a revolutionary unicameral parliament for the independent Irish Republic, called Dáil Éireann . In 1920, in parallel to the Dáil, the Government of Ireland Act 1920 created home rule parliaments of Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland and reduced
5671-532: The House of Lords ( peers ), who could ensure the election of their relatives or supporters. During the reforms of the 19th century, beginning with the Reform Act 1832 , the electoral system for the House of Commons was progressively regularised. No longer dependent on the Lords for their seats, MPs grew more assertive. The supremacy of the British House of Commons was reaffirmed in the early 20th century. In 1909,
5778-586: The House of Lords, the bill is called the Select Vestries Bill , while the Commons equivalent is the Outlawries Bill . The Bills are considered for the sake of form only, and do not make any actual progress. Both houses of the British Parliament are presided over by a speaker, the Speaker of the House for the Commons and the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords. For the Commons, the approval of
5885-418: The House, having acquiring this position by virtue of having the confidence of the other members. This also means that the House is also the primary location in which the government faces scrutiny, as expressed through Question Time and the work of various select committees . The State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It
5992-434: The Liberal Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith , introduced the Parliament Bill, which sought to restrict the powers of the House of Lords. (He did not reintroduce the land tax provision of the People's Budget.) When the Lords refused to pass the bill, Asquith countered with a promise extracted from the King in secret before the second general election of 1910 and requested the creation of several hundred Liberal peers, so as to erase
6099-421: The Lord Speaker's Advisory Panel on Works of Art. A Curator's Office was established in 1981. The budget to acquire new works was £75,000 in 2019. Separately, the Speaker's Art Fund is a charity founded in 1929 which acquires works of art for the House of Commons. United Kingdom Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of
6206-412: The Lords to act for this purpose. This power was lost when it was transferred to the newly created Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009. Many members of the general public have questioned the need for The House of Lords in today's society. They say it is stopping the political system from evolving within the UK and hampering modernisation. The Lords Spiritual of the Lords' currently consists of
6313-434: The Lords' consent. Like in the House of Commons, the House of Lords may scrutinise governments through asking questions to government ministers that sit in the Lords and through the operation of a small number of select committees . The Lords used to also exercise judicial power and acted as the UK's supreme legislative court . Appeals were not heard by the whole body, but a committee of senior judges that were appointed to
6420-446: The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949, the House of Lords has always retained the unrestricted power to veto any bill outright which attempts to extend the life of a parliament. The result of the 1918 general election in Ireland showed a landslide victory for the Irish republican party Sinn Féin , who vowed in their manifesto to establish an independent Irish Republic . Accordingly, Sinn Féin MPs, though ostensibly elected to sit in
6527-415: The Parliamentary Estate, such as at 1 Parliament Street or in Portcullis House . The earliest pieces in the collection are 14 medieval statues of kings in Westminster Hall , dated to c.1388 during the reign of Richard II , while the oldest picture is an ink drawing of the Palace of Westminster by Jan Lievens , c.1630, but most works date from the 18th century onwards. It includes many works selected by
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#17328559098826634-407: The Southern Irish seats were returned unopposed. Of these, 124 were won by Sinn Féin and four by independent Unionists representing Dublin University (Trinity College). Since only four MPs sat in the home rule Southern Irish parliament, with the remaining 124 being in the Republic's Second Dáil , the home rule parliament was adjourned sine die without ever having operated. In 1922, pursuant to
6741-404: The Sovereign is required before the election of the Speaker becomes valid, but it is, by modern convention, always granted. The Speaker's place may be taken by the Chairman of Ways and Means , the First Deputy Chairman, or the Second Deputy Chairman. (The titles of those three officials refer to the Committee of Ways and Means, a body which no longer exists.) Prior to July 2006, the House of Lords
6848-413: The Sovereign) instruct them to elect a Speaker. The Commons perform the election; on the next day, they return to the House of Lords, where the Lords Commissioners confirm the election and grant the new Speaker the royal approval in the Sovereign's name. The business of Parliament for the next few days of its session involves the taking of the oaths of allegiance . Once a majority of the members have taken
6955-510: The Sovereign. The Crown The Crown broadly represents the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies , overseas territories , provinces , or states ). The term can be used to refer to the office of the monarch or the monarchy as institutions; to the rule of law ; or to the functions of executive (the Crown- in-council ), legislative (the Crown-in- parliament ), and judicial (the Crown on
7062-415: The State Opening of Parliament proceeds directly. To avoid the delay of opening a new session in the event of an emergency during the long summer recess, Parliament is no longer prorogued beforehand, but only after the Houses have reconvened in the autumn; the State Opening follows a few days later. Each Parliament comes to an end, after a number of sessions, in anticipation of a general election. Parliament
7169-442: The State Opening, but much less well known to the general public. Normally, the Sovereign does not personally attend the prorogation ceremony in the House of Lords and is represented by Lords Commissioners. The next session of Parliament begins under the procedures described above, but it is not necessary to conduct another election of a Speaker or take the oaths of allegiance afresh at the beginning of such subsequent sessions. Instead,
7276-406: The Troubles . As noted by Irish republican Danny Morrison , "[t]he term 'security forces' suggests legitimacy , which is why republicans prefer terms like 'the Brits' or 'the Crown Forces', which undermines their authority." Due to the Irish War of Independence, "the phrase 'Crown Forces' came to represent something abhorrent in the Republican narrative". The Crown is represented by the image of
7383-513: The Tudor Crown design was standardised and continued in use until the reign of Elizabeth II in 1952 when a heraldic St Edward's Crown was restored. In 2022, Charles III opted for a modified Tudor Crown design. Crown copyright applies in perpetuity to depictions of the Royal Arms and any of its constituent parts under the royal prerogative , and The National Archives restricts rights to reproduce them. Although Crown Copyright usually expires 50 years after publication, Section 171(b) of
7490-411: The United Kingdom Following a general election, a new Parliamentary session begins. Parliament is formally summoned 40 days in advance by the Sovereign, who is the source of parliamentary authority. On the day indicated by the Sovereign's proclamation, the two Houses assemble in their respective chambers. The Commons are then summoned to the House of Lords, where Lords Commissioners (representatives of
7597-400: The abbreviation R (i.e. the case name at trial would be R v Smith ; if the defendant appeals against the Crown, the case name would be Smith v The King ). In Western Australia and Tasmania , prosecutions will be brought in the name of the respective state instead of the Crown (e.g. The State of Western Australia v Smith ). Victorian trials in the original jurisdiction will be brought in
7704-564: The appropriate government minister as the party, instead. When a case is announced in court, the clerk or bailiff may refer to the Crown orally as our sovereign lord the king (or our sovereign lady the queen ). In reporting on court proceedings in New Zealand , news reports will refer to the prosecuting lawyer (often called a Crown prosecutor, as in Canada and the United Kingdom) as representing
7811-475: The archbishops of Canterbury and York , the bishops of London , Durham and Winchester (who sit by right regardless of seniority) and 21 other diocesan bishops of the Church of England , ranked in order of consecration , subject to women being preferred if one is eligible from 2015 to 2025 under the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 . Formerly, the Lords Spiritual included all of the senior clergymen of
7918-515: The bench) governance and the civil service . The concept of the Crown as a corporation sole developed first in the Kingdom of England as a separation of the physical crown and property of the kingdom from the person and personal property of the monarch. It spread through English and later British colonisation and is now rooted in the legal lexicon of all 15 Commonwealth realms, their various dependencies, and states in free association with them. It
8025-413: The body politic (which never dies). The Crown and the sovereign are "conceptually divisible but legally indivisible [...] The office cannot exist without the office-holder". The terms the state , the Crown , the Crown in Right of [jurisdiction] , His Majesty the King in Right of [jurisdiction] , and similar, are all synonymous and the monarch's legal personality is sometimes referred to simply as
8132-501: The coming year. The speech reflects the legislative agenda for which the Government intends to seek the agreement of both Houses of Parliament. After the monarch leaves, each Chamber proceeds to the consideration of an "Address in Reply to His Majesty's Gracious Speech." But, first, each House considers a bill pro forma to symbolise their right to deliberate independently of the monarch. In
8239-408: The copyright for government publications ( Crown copyright ). This is all in his or her position as sovereign, not as an individual; all such property is held by the Crown in perpetuity and cannot be sold by the sovereign without the proper advice and consent of his or her relevant ministers. The Crown also represents the legal embodiment of executive, legislative , and judicial governance. While
8346-421: The court's decision, the territorial governors now act on the advice of each territory's executive and the UK government can no longer disallow legislation passed by territorial legislatures. In criminal proceedings , the state is the prosecuting party; the case is usually designated (in case citation ) as R v [ defendant ] , where R can stand for either rex (if the current monarch is male) or regina (if
8453-483: The governance of these islands, including the states of Guernsey and legislatures in the other islands, the royal court and other courts, the lieutenant governor, parish authorities, and the Crown acting in and through the Privy Council". In the Bailiwick of Jersey , statements by the law officers of the Crown define the Crown's operation in that jurisdiction as the Crown in Right of Jersey , with all Crown land in
8560-420: The government, a case in judicial review is brought by the Crown against a minister of the Crown on the application of a claimant . The titles of these cases now follow the pattern of R (on the application of [X]) v [Y] , notated as R ([X]) v [Y] , for short. Thus, R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is R (on the application of Miller and other) v Secretary of State for Exiting
8667-625: The judiciary as a whole), though the Lords remain largely self-governing. Decisions on points of order and on the disciplining of unruly members are made by the whole body, but by the Speaker alone in the Lower House. Speeches in the House of Lords are addressed to the House as a whole (using the words "My Lords"), but those in the House of Commons are addressed to the Speaker alone (using "Mr Speaker" or "Madam Speaker"). Speeches may be made to both Houses simultaneously . Both Houses may decide questions by voice vote ; members shout out "Aye!" and "No!" in
8774-466: The legal lexicons of the United Kingdom and its dependencies and overseas territories and, eventually, all of the independent Commonwealth realms . There are, thus, now many distinct crowns, as a legal concept, "worn by"—or many different offices of monarch occupied by—one person as sovereign (supreme monarch) of each country. However, the Crown can also mean the pan-national institution shared by all 15 Commonwealth realms. In each Commonwealth realm,
8881-405: The monarch is female), and the v stands for versus . For example, a criminal case against Smith might be referred to as R v Smith and verbally read as "the Crown and Smith". The Crown is, in general, immune to prosecution and civil lawsuits . So, R is rarely (albeit sometimes ) seen on the right hand side of the 'v' in the first instance. To pursue a case against alleged unlawful activity by
8988-514: The monarch, on the advice of the prime minister. Typically, these are members of the party of the prime minister, however some peers from other parties are also generally appointed. As of 2019, the House consists of 650 members; this total includes the Speaker, who by convention renounces partisan affiliation and does not take part in debates or votes, as well as three Deputy Speakers, who also do not participate in debates or votes but formally retain their party membership. Each Member of Parliament (MP)
9095-625: The monarch. They then strike, with the end of their ceremonial staff (the Black Rod), three times on the closed doors of the Commons Chamber. They are then admitted, and announce the command of the monarch for the attendance of the Commons. The monarch reads a speech, known as the Speech from the Throne , which is prepared by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet , outlining the Government's agenda for
9202-400: The name of the director of public prosecutions . The Commonwealth director of public prosecutions may choose which name to bring the proceeding in. Judges usually refer to the prosecuting party as simply "the prosecution" in the text of judgments. In civil cases where the Crown is a party, it is a customary to list the body politic (e.g. State of Queensland or Commonwealth of Australia ) or
9309-506: The name of the Crown. Accordingly, the abbreviation HMA is used in the High Court of Justiciary for His/Her Majesty's Advocate , in place of rex or regina ; as in, HMA v Al Megrahi and Fahima . Most jurisdictions in Australia use R or The King (or The Queen ) in criminal cases. If the Crown is the respondent to an appeal, the words The King will be spelled out, instead of using
9416-672: The oath in each House, the State Opening of Parliament may take place. The Lords take their seats in the House of Lords Chamber, the Commons appear at the Bar (at the entrance to the Chamber), and the Sovereign takes the seat on the throne. The Sovereign then reads the Speech from the Throne —the content of which is determined by the Ministers of the Crown—outlining the Government's legislative agenda for
9523-586: The other hereditary peers, with by-elections upon their death. The House of Lords is now a chamber that is subordinate to the House of Commons. Additionally, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 led to abolition of the judicial functions of the House of Lords with the creation of the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in October 2009. Under the UK's constitution , Parliament is the supreme legislative body of
9630-461: The passage of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 , the legislative powers of the House of Lords have been diminished of that of the House of Commons. Whilst the Lords debates and votes on all bills (except money bills ), their refusal to pass a bill may only delay its passage for a maximum of two parliamentary sessions over a year. After this, the bill may receive royal assent and become law without
9737-431: The power of the monarch in right of each territory vary according to relevant laws, thus making the difference between full sovereignty, semi-sovereignty, dependency, etc. The Lords of Appeal wrote, "the Queen is as much the Queen of New South Wales and Mauritius and other territories acknowledging her as head of state as she is of England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, or the United Kingdom." The Crown in each of
9844-472: The realm and crown of England, is only to assert that our king is equally sovereign and independent within these his dominions, as any emperor is in his empire; and owes no kind of subjection to any other potentate on earth." The concept of the Crown took form under the feudal system . Though not used this way in all countries that had this system, in England, all rights and privileges were ultimately bestowed by
9951-565: The reign of Henry VIII in the Ecclesiastical Appeals Act 1532 which declared that 'this realm of England is an empire ... governed by one Supreme Head and King having the dignity and royal estate of the imperial Crown of the same'. In William Blackstone 's 1765 Commentaries on the Laws of England , he explained that "the meaning therefore of the legislature, when it uses these terms of empire and imperial , and applies them to
10058-439: The relevant jurisdiction's name. (In countries using systems of government derived from Roman civil law , the state is the equivalent concept. ) However, the terms the sovereign or monarch and the Crown , though related, have different meanings: The Crown includes both the monarch and the government. The institution and powers of the Crown are formally vested in the king, but, conventionally , its functions are exercised in
10165-584: The representation of both parts at Westminster. The number of Northern Ireland seats was increased again after the introduction of direct rule in 1973. The Irish republicans responded by declaring the elections to these home rule Parliaments, held on the same day in 1921 , to be the basis of membership for a new Dáil Éireann. While the elections in Northern Ireland were both contested and won by Unionist parties, in Southern Ireland, all 128 candidates for
10272-398: The ruler. Land, for instance, was granted by the Crown to lords in exchange for feudal services and they, in turn, granted the land to lesser lords. One exception to this was common socage : owners of land held as socage held it subject only to the crown. When such lands become ownerless, they are said to escheat ; i.e. return to direct ownership of the Crown ( Crown land ). Bona vacantia
10379-528: The secession of the Irish Free State . The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was created on 1 January 1801, by the merger of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland under the Acts of Union 1800 . The principle of ministerial responsibility to the lower house (Commons) did not develop until the 19th century—the House of Lords was superior to the House of Commons both in theory and in practice. Members of
10486-522: The sovereign's name by ministers of the Crown drawn from and responsible to the elected chamber of parliament . Still, the king or queen is the employer of all government officials and staff (including the viceroys , judges, members of the armed forces, police officers, and parliamentarians), the guardian of foster children ( Crown wards ), as well as the owner of all state lands ( Crown land ), buildings and equipment (Crown property), state-owned companies (Crown corporations or Crown entities ), and
10593-419: The state. Whilst the privy council can also issue legislation through orders-in-council , this power may be limited by Parliament like all other exercises of the royal prerogative . The legislative authority, the King-in-Parliament , has three separate elements: the Monarch, the House of Lords , and the House of Commons . As a result, a bill must be passed by both houses (or just the House of Commons under
10700-416: The term the Crown , at its broadest, now means the government or the polity known as the state , while the sovereign in all realms is the living embodiment of the state, or symbolic personification of the Crown. The body of the reigning sovereign thus holds two distinct personas in constant coexistence, an ancient theory of the "King's two bodies"—the body natural (subject to infirmity and death) and
10807-450: The two lobbies alongside the Chamber; their names are recorded by clerks, and their votes are counted as they exit the lobbies to re-enter the Chamber. The Speaker of the House of Commons is expected to be non-partisan, and does not cast a vote except in the case of a tie; the Lord Speaker, however, votes along with the other Lords. Speaker Denison's rule is a convention which concerns how the Speaker should vote should he be required to break
10914-428: The upcoming year. Thereafter, each House proceeds to the transaction of legislative business. By custom, before considering the Government's legislative agenda, a bill is introduced pro forma in each House—the Select Vestries Bill in the House of Lords and the Outlawries Bill in the House of Commons. These bills do not become laws; they are ceremonial indications of the power of each House to debate independently of
11021-446: The whole House whilst the other 75 are elected by all the hereditary peers , including those not sitting in the Lords. Currently, a standing rule divides these seats between the parties with a replacement peer from one party subject to an election only by peers of that party. Formerly, all hereditary peers were members of the Lords, until the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999 limited their numbers to 92. Life peers are appointed by
11128-510: Was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Treaty of Union by Acts of Union passed by the Parliament of England (established 1215) and the Parliament of Scotland ( c. 1235 ), both Acts of Union stating, "That the United Kingdom of Great Britain be represented by one and the same Parliament to be styled The Parliament of Great Britain." At the start of the 19th century, Parliament
11235-442: Was further enlarged by Acts of Union ratified by the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland , which abolished the latter and added 100 Irish MPs and 32 Lords to the former to create the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 formally amended the name to the "Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", five years after
11342-446: Was presided over by a Lord Chancellor (a Cabinet member), whose influence as Speaker was very limited (whilst the powers belonging to the Speaker of the House of Commons are vast). However, as part of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 , the position of Speaker of the House of Lords (as it is termed in the Act) was separated from the office of Lord Chancellor (the office which has control over
11449-510: Was seen to be inconvenient to have no Parliament at a time when succession to the Crown could be disputed, and an Act was passed that provided that a Parliament was to continue for six months after the death of a Sovereign, unless dissolved earlier. Under the Representation of the People Act 1867 Parliament can now continue for as long as it would otherwise have done in the event of the death of
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