Chapter 5 of 515% of exam
The UK Government, the Law and Your Role
This chapter explains how the UK is governed, the role of Parliament and the monarchy, and how people take part.
Parliament and the Monarchy
The UK is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The monarch is head of state but has limited powers, while elected representatives make the laws. Parliament has two Houses: the House of Commons, whose Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected by the public, and the House of Lords.
Voting and Devolution
People aged 18 or over who are on the electoral register can usually vote in public elections. Powers over some matters have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Senedd and the Northern Ireland Assembly, a process known as devolution.