Understand how a bill becomes a law in the UK Parliament
Understand how a bill becomes a law in the UK Parliament
Learn how a bill becomes a law in the United Kingdom.
© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn how a bill becomes a law in the United Kingdom.
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© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn how general elections work in the United Kingdom in the early 21st century.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Historical consideration of London's Houses of Parliament.
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© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn about Simon de Montfort's baronial revolt against King Henry III and the importance of the Magna Carta in establishing Parliament.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Mark Andrews and Thomas Eagleton talk about how Congress passes legislation.
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© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Exploring the three branches of the U.K. Parliament—the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch—and how a bill becomes law.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Revisit the Battle of Britain's with 1963 documentary The Second World War: Triumph of the Axis.
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© UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Exploring the chamber of the House of Lords and the roles of its members.
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Public DomainWinston Churchill addressing Parliament in his first speech as prime minister, May 13, 1940.
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Transcript
Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords share the job of making laws. But where do laws come from in the first place? A law is a rule we've all agreed to live by. Laws help everyone understand what we must and must not do.
Ideas for new laws are called bills. They can be suggested by lots of different people, including political parties and campaign groups. A bill can begin in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. MPs and Lords always check bills very carefully because making and changing laws affects everyone in the country. They do this by holding debates in each House, where they can discuss what they agree and disagree with in the bill, and suggest changes.
Sometimes a bill can go backwards and forwards between the two Houses lots of times. This is called parliamentary ping pong. Once the two Houses agree, then it's the monarchs turn. It's their job to formally agree the bill. This makes it an Act of Parliament, and only then is it a law.
Ideas for new laws are called bills. They can be suggested by lots of different people, including political parties and campaign groups. A bill can begin in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. MPs and Lords always check bills very carefully because making and changing laws affects everyone in the country. They do this by holding debates in each House, where they can discuss what they agree and disagree with in the bill, and suggest changes.
Sometimes a bill can go backwards and forwards between the two Houses lots of times. This is called parliamentary ping pong. Once the two Houses agree, then it's the monarchs turn. It's their job to formally agree the bill. This makes it an Act of Parliament, and only then is it a law.
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