The British Parliament is one of the oldest parliaments in the world. It is often called "the mother" - would be more accurate to say "ancestor" of all parliaments. From the second half of the XIII century, it continues to function without interruption throughout the political history of the country.

Thanks to the Parliament of England was the most free in the political and legal sense, the country, the most powerful state of the Western world, the center of a huge colonial Empire.

Sometimes the term "Parliament" is used to refer to both houses of Parliament: the upper chamber of the house of lords and the lower house - the House of Commons, but more often, when people talk about the Supreme legislative power, under the "Parliament" means the main part of the House of Commons. The house of Commons is the only elected the Central public authority in the country. Members of the House of Commons referred to as "members of Parliament".
the historical beginning of the class representative meetings were vassals of the king, who from the mid-twelfth century became a mandatory part of public life. In 1146 with the participation of barons and bishops (both secular and ecclesiastical vassals of the crown) were approved Clarendons article: consent of the class representation on legislative proposals of the kings. Assembly of vassals of the king, called them, began to play and the role of the Supreme court - the court of peers (equals)[1]. In the second half of the XII century in the collections had higher and secondary vassals. In the great Charter of 1215, was stipulated the obligation of the crown to call such meetings as necessary. In the future, based on the Charter class led the political struggle for influence on the distribution of Royal posts