The higher court system, which had existed since the Middle Ages, was completely reorganised by the Judicature Acts passed by Parliament in 1873 and 1875. The demand for such reform came from ...

Tally sticks were a form of receipt for government income which originated in the middle ages. Tallies were regularly destroyed over the centuries by the Exchequer which had offices in the Palace of ...

The ceremony today begins with an announcement, on behalf of the King, read in the House of Lords by the Leader of the House. The announcement states, ‘My Lords, it not being convenient for His ...

The Sandwich Student Scheme is an opportunity for undergraduate students to work within the House of Commons, offering a unique insight into governance and the running of Parliament in general.

The West Lothian Question refers to the perceived imbalance between the voting rights in the House of Commons of MPs from Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland constituencies and those of MPs from ...

After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 moves were made to revise and re-introduce the Prayer Book. In May 1662 Parliament passed another Act of Uniformity which authorised the use of a revised ...

The Commons Chamber looks very different to that of the Lords. The current Chamber was rebuilt after the Blitz by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in relatively austere style (although it was ...

The Recording Angel memorial in St Stephen's Porch, Westminster Hall, is dedicated to Peers, MPs, officers and their sons. This memorial is the main memorial to Members and staff of both Houses, ...

In 1820 the merchants of Britain's largest trading cities - London, Manchester and Glasgow - petitioned the House of Commons for the abolition of all duties, in other words, for 'free trade'. It led ...

The removal of James II by the protestant William of Orange in 1688 – the Glorious Revolution – changed matters. The resumption of war with Catholic France in the 1690s meant that British Catholics ...

Vastly improved life expectancy, one of the great triumphs of the last century, looks set to be one of great challenges of this one. Between 2015 and 2020, over a period when the general population is ...

Its last remaining monopoly over the China tea trade was abolished in 1833. Parliament allowed the Company to maintain its political and administrative duties in India, but the charter of 1813 ...