A parliament (also called a legislature or congress) is the body that makes laws, including budgets, for a country. In a parliamentary system of government, executive power emanates from the legislative branch, and governments hold office and remain in power as long as they enjoy the confidence of parliament. Parliaments are also the forum for social and economic forces to express their concerns and assert their rights.
Modern parliamentary systems have evolved from medieval practices. Simon de Montfort, in a civil war against Henry III, summoned a council without royal authorisation, consisting of archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, and two knights from each of the shires and boroughs. In Tudor England the methods of Parliament underwent further changes when Thomas Cromwell radically reformed the institution to make it more like the modern version.
Today, the House of Commons is made up of 650 members who are directly elected from single-member constituencies to represent their constituents. The leader of the political party that wins more than half of the seats is invited by the Monarch to form a Government. The Government must win the ‘confidence’ of the House by demonstrating that more than half of the MPs will support them in key votes, such as tax and spending decisions. Parliamentarians are required to be informed on the issues they discuss and to make impartial judgments. This is achieved through briefing papers, often containing factual information and a range of opinions on each subject.