Show, shouts and unusual rules of the British Parliament at the most critical time

In addition to the fact that the general public lacks details about what is happening, there is something very clear for everyone in recent months: the heart of British political power is in Parliament. For better or for worse, it is the body that makes the important decisions, imposing it again and again on the government.

In all parliamentary systems, executive power comes from the legislature. But this link is particularly strong in the United Kingdom. Not only because the prime minister is a legislator who comes to the position of leading the majority partybut because all ministers must occupy a bank to access the cabinet. If they lose their seat, they must leave the government.

That's why May is present in all important debates, trying to lead the conservatives and listening to the critics, recriminations and even boos of their rivals. This is just one of the many rules and traditions that are maintained despite the changes of the time.

The same can be said of the particular form of voting typical of another millennium, protocols surrounding the relationship with the queen and the eccentricities of some authorities. All these rituals make this institution a great game. in which power is exercised, but measures are also taken.

The inauguration of the legislative year in the British Parliament, with the characteristic door slamming

A very special structure

The antecedent of the British Parliament is the English, formed after the writing of the Magna Carta in 1215, under the reign of Juan I (Juan Lackland). The promoters were feudal lords who refused to continue paying taxes without influencing political decisions. Thus began a slow but steady process in which the Crown lost more and more power to become a formal institution.

Like many parliaments in the world, its structure is bicameral. It is composed of the House of Commons, composed of representatives of the people, and the House of Lordswhich was historically the domain of the nobility. What is amusing is that even today, as part of a complete democracy, there is a legislative body in which none of its members is elected to the popular vote.

There are currently 781 lords divided into two groups: the "spiritual" and the "temporary". The first are 26 bishops of the Anglican Church. Formerly, these were members of the aristocracy who inherited the bank of their ancestors. Over the years, hereditary lords have been reduced to 92.

The rest of the temporary members are for life, but after their death or resignation, they can not transfer their seat to another. Vacancies are appointed by the Queen at the request of the Prime Minister. To be in the cabinet, you must have a place in Parliament, the prime minister can ask you to name lord a staff member who wants to be part of your teambut it's not in the lower house.

Originally, the upper house was the most powerful, but with the advance of democracy, we lost powers, to the point of becoming almost an advisory body, of revision, rather than eminently legislative. It is true that for a law to be sanctioned, it must also be approved by the House of Lords, but it has many limitations.

"He has the power to amend and delay legislation, but ultimately the House of Commons has a democratic legitimacy that is lacking in the lords, and has special legal powers that you can use to circumvent them, although you rarely use them. Governments are founded on the support of municipalities, not lords, "said Andrew Blick, director of the Center for British Policy at King & s College London, accessed by Infobae.

The real command center is the lower house, consisting of 650 legislators elected in single-member constituencies. In general elections, each of the 650 electoral districts votes for one representative. At most every five years, there must be a new election in which the whole body is renewed, although the Prime Minister has the power to anticipate when it suits him.

The two legislative chambers have their respective precincts in the Westminster Palace, located on the banks of the Thames, in the Westminster district of central London. A distinctive feature of both rooms is that they do not have individual seats, but long benches where legislators must be uncomfortable to participate in debates. In the House of Lords, they are lined up in red, the color of royalty. In that of the communes, they are green.

"The UK Parliament works largely on precedents and tradition." In his biography, Labor MP Chris Bryant stated that "the evidence that there is a smart plan behind the development of Parliament are extremely rare"& # 39; He added: "It is rather a great improvised experience, in which fantasy has played a role as important as any constitutional ideology persecuted consciously," he said. Infobae Alexandra Meakin, researcher at the Sir Bernard Crick Center for Public Understanding of Politics at the University of Sheffield.

This is a split vote in the House of Commons

What is most unusual of all, is that in neither of the two sites is there, not even remotely, a place for everyone. At most, it is estimated that the House of Commons organizes itself so that only 437 seated representatives can register. That is to say more than 200 are left outside or have to see what's going on cluttered in the hallways.

To explain what seems incomprehensible, Meakin quoted Winston Churchill. The historic prime minister, who led the United Kingdom during the Second World War, explained in 1943 why it was not planned to enlarge the site.

"The cause has long been an enigma for the untrained uninitiated, and has often excited the curiosity and even criticism of new members, but it's not that difficult to understand if you look at it from a favorable angle. If the House were big enough to hold all of its members, almost all of its debates would take place in the depressing atmosphere of a half empty room.. The essence of a good speech in the House of Commons is conversational style, ease with interruptions and quick and informal exchanges (…). This requires a relatively small space and there must be a great sense of crowd and urgency the importance of much of what is said and the magnitude of the problems solved. "

In important debates, the central locations are reserved for the main personalities of each party. Unlike modern congresses, where the distribution of seats is circular, in the UK, they are confronted and separated by a corridor: on one side, the government and on the other side. Between the two sides is, on a special chair, the president of the chamber (speaker in English).

As in any room, the movements of the actors are delimited. For example, The Queen is forbidden to enter the Commons since 1642. This is an answer to the badault of King Charles I, who attacked and arrested several lawmakers.

When he attends Parliament for the opening of the legislative year – with a speech drafted by the Prime Minister – he must give it to the House of Lords. In a carefully written ritual, send an officer to look for him. When he approaches the lower house, where all lawmakers wait, he is greeted with a violent slam. Only after knocking the door three times and pbad the Queen 's order, the locals leave behind to go and listen to it.

The monarch can not enter, but must almost always be "present". In all sessions where invoices are discussed the "ceremonial mallet" must be pressed on the central table. It is a scepter that represents the crown. If it is not in place, nothing that is resolved is considered valid.

It is placed under the table only when budget initiatives are discussed. One way to clarify that public money is the exclusive prerogative of Parliament. For that, it was created.

Behind the mbad are the "office boxes", which previously held important documents and currently serve as lecterns for exhibitors. In the middle is a series of books, among which stand out the manual of procedures of the camera, the Bible and collections of laws.

A voting system from another time

In most current congresses, the voting procedure is very simple and is done using technology. Members sit on the bench badigned to them, press a button and the result automatically appears on a screen. But things are done in a very different way in the UK.

Once the debate is over, the president announces that he will vote and strongly asks who is in favor. To communicate their support, lawmakers must shout "Yes". Then ask who is against. Those who shout "No".

If there are many exclamations on one side and no or very little on the other, the president announces the result directly.. It does not matter how many representatives are present in the room or who defends each position.

So the parliamentary bell rings when there is a split vote

But what's really interesting is what happens when the vote is disputed. If you hear as much yes as no, the head of the camera shouts: "Division! Empty the room!". At the same time, the legislators present start to leave and an officer who stands at the door rings the bell. In fact, it is not, but there are about 384 in different parts of Westminster Palace and Central London.

It's logical. Since there is no room for everyone, many lawmakers may want to vote, but they are elsewhere. Since the division is announced, the parliamentarians have eight minutes to enter the room. Those on the Yes enter on one side – usually on the right – and those on the No enter on the other side. When you pbad the respective doors, there are two wickets on each side, one from the government and the other from the opposition, which write the names, which then allows to add the number of adhesions of each posture and identify the corresponding side.

After eight minutes, the doors are closed and no one else can enter to vote. The count is then carried out and sent to the chairman by one of the four tellers. He then goes to his chair and gives him the paper on which the result is recorded. Finally, the owner of the camera repeats the result of the vote aloud and officially declares who wins and who loses.

Although everything indicates that it is an institution frozen in time, this image is not completely faithful. "Parliament has been modernized in various ways over the years. Often, reforms are a reaction to certain events, which means that they are piecemeal rather than fit into a comprehensive strategy. One of the most important modernizations we've seen, for example, is the decision taken a decade ago to create an independent body to deal with the salaries and expenses of parliamentarians after a public scandal in this regard. In recent months, We also witnessed the introduction of voting by handover to members who have a newborn. This allows them to vote officially without having to go to the House of Commons, "said Alice Lilly, head of parliamentary oversight at the Institute for Government, in dialogue with Infobae.

The eccentric John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons

An extravagant authority

Screaming at the time of the vote and overcrowding that occurs during important sessions help to make some days chaotic in the House of Commons. That's why the role of the president is so relevant. In addition to formalizing the results and moderating the debates, which appear to be minor functions, it has considerable power over the agenda, since it can give priority to the processing of certain projects by relationship to others.

After each general election, the legislators concerned apply and the one who obtains the greatest number of votes retains the position. According to tradition, if the elected one keeps his seat after the following elections, he generally regains a renewed confidence.

Although all occupy their seats on behalf of a party, it is expected that this authority will be independent and impartial, which is not always the case. John Bercow, for example, came to the House in 1997 for the Conservative Party and has been president since 2009. Interestingly, many of his former colleagues accuse him of being closer to the Labor Party than the Labor Party. Tory.

"The president has several different functions," said Lilly, "partly a referee, partly a director and partly a symbol of Parliament." This helps to control the debate and makes it possible to decide who is speaking and which amendments are discussed and voted upon. He is also responsible for enforcing the rules of the house and maintaining order, and is the collective voice of the body. All of this means that it plays a very important role, both in the daily work and in the broader relationship with the government. "

Unlike many of his predecessors, who went unnoticed, Bercow usually attracts attention. His colorful bonds, his restless calls for order and his sense of humor have earned him new during the heated sessions of these months.

"The honorable gentleman must learn the art of patience", "If you are patient, if you deploy zen, you will realize that it is in everyone's interest", "Zen, self-control, patience"are expressions he has used to appease parliamentarians. Some even recommended doing yoga to calm down and telling others to meditate. Every good job requires a cartoon character, and Bercow plays that role perfectly.