Dissolution of Parliament
The dissolution of Parliament took place on Thursday 30 May 2024. All business in the House of Commons and House of Lords has come to an end. There are currently no MPs and every seat in the Commons is vacant until after the general election on 4 July 2024.
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The evolution of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster has been a centre of power for over 900 years. In this section we chart the development of parliamentary sovereignty, from absolute rule by the Sovereign, to Parliament asserting its authority over the monarchy, through to a modern democratic legislature in a technological age.
The development of Parliament over one thousand years, from the Anglo-Saxon Witan to the reign of Elizabeth I
How Parliament acquired greater powers and authority over the course of the violent conflicts of the 17th century
How the scope of Parliament's authority gradually widened and how it affected people across the globe
How representation of the people, and the powers of those representatives, developed from the 19th century onwards
The House of Lords has existed since the middle ages but its composition and powers have gradually evolved
How Parliament has informed the public of its work, from 17th century news merchants to 21st century podcasts