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What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

TLDR News

578K views 7 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you already know about the British Parliament? Where is it situated?
Have you ever seen the House of Commons on TV? Did it seem noisy or \"unruly\" to you?
What would you like to know about the British Parliament?
The House of Commons is the lower house – what do you think happens there on a daily basis?

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Start With: Word Definition

Order: Alphabetical Random

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What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

Introduction: What is the House of Commons and who controls debate? (00:00 – 03:42)

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1. What is the House of Commons mainly described as in the UK system?

The part of Parliament with elected MPs who make laws
A court that interprets laws
A public hall for political speeches
A committee that appoints government ministers

2. What is the House of Lords generally responsible for, according to the video?

Electing the Prime Minister
Writing all new laws from scratch
Checking that laws passed by the Commons are fit for purpose
Managing local elections in constituencies

3. What is the Speaker expected to do after being elected as Speaker?

Resign from their current political party to be impartial
Move to the House of Lords
Vote on every motion to break deadlocks
Campaign for the government’s next election

What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

How voting (a “division”) works: Aye/No, bells, lobbies, and tellers (03:42 – 07:13)

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1. In the Speaker’s wording, what does “aye” mean?

A request to speak next
A signal to start the bells
A vote against the motion
A slightly archaic term for “yes”

2. How long do MPs have to get to the lobby once the bells ring?

Five minutes
Two minutes
Eight minutes
Fifteen minutes

3. Who are the 'tellers' usually described as in this video?

Civil servants who write the motion
Journalists who report the result
Security staff who lock the doors
The whips of each party who verify who voted and how

What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

Why it looks unruly: space, layout, no clapping, and other rules/traditions (07:13 – 10:11)

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1. Why do MPs “bob,” according to the video?

To show they agree with the Prime Minister
To signal they want a vote immediately
To get the Speaker’s attention because the Speaker decides who speaks
To protest a decision by leaving their seats

2. What is one main reason the House of Commons is described as having a more intense atmosphere?

It can only seat 427 MPs despite there being 650 elected MPs
Debates happen outdoors most of the year
There is background music during debates
MPs must stand for the entire debate

3. What do MPs often shout because clapping is banned in the House?

“Division!”
“Aye aye”
“Hear hear”
“Order!”

What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

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1. What is a 'division' in the House of Commons?

A meeting between the Commons and the Lords
A break between debates
A formal vote where MPs physically separate into two lobbies
A speech by the Speaker at the start of the day

2. Why is the Speaker’s position described as 'unique' in the video?

The Speaker is always a member of the House of Lords
The Speaker must be impartial and stops voting except to break a tie
The Speaker is chosen by the monarch
The Speaker runs the government

3. Which factor is presented as contributing to shouting and confrontation in debates?

There are private booths for speeches
MPs sit in a circular arrangement
The public votes in the chamber with MPs
Government and opposition face each other across the room

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

What Actually Happens in the House of Commons?

Do you think voting by physically walking into different lobbies is a good idea? Why or why not?
Should clapping be allowed in parliament? What difference might it make to debate style?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having the government and opposition directly facing each other?
The Speaker is expected to be impartial. What challenges could that create in practice?
How does a discussion in the House of Commons compare to discussions in your country\'s parliament?
What did you find most surprising or interesting from the video.