The British Parliament.0:03
In 1920, the British Empire controlled a lot of countries in the world.0:05
Most of them are independent now, but the UK is still a powerful industrial state.0:11
As you know, the Queen is the official head of state and for many people, she's a symbol of the nation's unity, but has little direct power.0:18
The real power in the country belongs to the British Parliament and to the British Government, whose leader is the Prime Minister.0:28
The Queen has a central role in state affairs through her ceremonial functions.0:37
She opens and closes the British Parliament.0:42
She also meets the Prime Minister every week and receives copies of all the important government papers.0:45
But she's above politics, and any advice she gives to the Prime Minister is carefully kept secret.0:52
The British Parliament is the centre of British politics.1:00
Its main functions are to make and change laws, to control the government policy and administration, to debate political problems.1:04
But the most important of them is making laws.1:14
The British Parliament consists of two houses the House of Commons and the House of Lords.1:19
Practically all the power of the Parliament is concentrated in the House of Commons, so it is more important than the House of Lords.1:24
Both Houses are situated in the building of Westminster Palace.1:33
This great building with the famous bell tower is known all over the world as the Houses Parliament.1:38
The members of the British Parliament are often called MPs or Members of Parliament.1:45
The 650 members of the House of Commons are elected every five years by the people of the UK.1:52
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