Parliament is the legislative body of the UK government. It is responsible for creating laws, taxation, oversight of government policy and administration, and debating important issues. General elections are held every 5 years, where eligible registered voters in each of the 650 constituencies vote for the candidate they want to represent their area as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. The party with the most MPs after the election usually forms the government. If no party has an overall majority, a coalition government between two or more parties may be formed.

1. UK POLITICAL SYSTEM
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Parliament
Parliament is the (1)_____________ of the UK government.
The main functions of Parliament are to (2)___________ laws, to finance through taxation the work
of government, to scrutinise government (3)___________and administration, including proposals for
expenditure, and to debate the major (4)___________ of the day.
General Elections
In a general election, every area in the country votes for one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent
them in the House of (5)___________. There are 650 geographical areas, called (6)______________.
To be eligible to vote in a general election you must be (7)____________to vote and aged 18 or over.
Each eligible voter has one vote in their local constituency, and the (8)_____________with the most
votes becomes the MP for that area. This voting system is called 'first past the post'. Usually the
political party with the most MPs then forms the (9)_____________– though if there is no overall
winner, a hung parliament may result. Two or more parties with a combined majority of MPs may
form a (10)_____________ government.
There has to be a general election at least every five years. The Prime Minister decides when to
(11)___________ an election. The last general election was (12)___________ on 6 May 2010.
If an MP dies or (13)___________ between elections, there is a (14)__________in their constituency.
seat pass policy issues Commons constituencies
registered candidate government coalition call
held resigns by-election