House Of Commons Seating Plan 2017

# House of Commons Seating Plan 2017: A Comprehensive Guide The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is made up of 650 members of Parliament (MPs), who are elected by the public to represent their constituencies. The House of Commons meets in the Palace of Westminster in London. ## The Chamber The Chamber of the House of Commons is a large, rectangular room with green benches on either side. The Speaker of the House sits at the front of the Chamber, and the Prime Minister and other government ministers sit on the front bench to the Speaker's right. The Leader of the Opposition and other opposition MPs sit on the front bench to the Speaker's left. Behind the front benches, the MPs sit on benches arranged in rows. The benches are divided into two sides, with the government MPs sitting on the right-hand side and the opposition MPs sitting on the left-hand side. ## Seating Arrangements The seating arrangements in the House of Commons are based on the principle of "opposites." This means that the government and opposition MPs sit opposite each other in the Chamber. The seating arrangements also reflect the party political balance in the House of Commons. The government party sits on the right-hand side of the Chamber, and the opposition parties sit on the left-hand side. ## The Speaker's Role The Speaker of the House of Commons is responsible for maintaining order in the Chamber. The Speaker also decides who is allowed to speak in the Chamber and for how long. The Speaker is also responsible for interpreting the rules of the House of Commons. ## The Government and Opposition The government is the party that has the most MPs in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is the leader of the government party. The opposition is made up of the parties that do not have a majority of MPs in the House of Commons. The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest opposition party. ## Voting When a vote is held in the House of Commons, the MPs vote by walking through one of two lobbies. The lobby on the right-hand side is for "Aye" votes, and the lobby on the left-hand side is for "No" votes. The Speaker then announces the result of the vote. ## Conclusion The House of Commons is a complex and fascinating institution. The seating plan of the House of Commons reflects the party political balance in the House and the principle of "opposites." The Speaker of the House of Commons plays a vital role in maintaining order and interpreting the rules of the House. The government and opposition parties play key roles in the democratic process.