On 6 February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Events and initiatives will take place throughout the year to celebrate this milestone, culminating in a four-day UK bank holiday weekend in early June.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: A Brief Parliamentary History of Her Reign (221 KB , PDF)
The monarchy holds a prominent place in British political life. As noted in Erskine May, Parliament can be regarded as the sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Collectively they form the legislature, and as distinct parts of the constitution they exercise functions and enjoy privileges peculiar to each.
Originally published in 2016 as part of a briefing examining the role of the sovereign as part of the constitution of Parliament, the following presents a brief updated overview of the Queen’s participation in key parliamentary events since she ascended to the throne.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: A Brief Parliamentary History of Her Reign (221 KB , PDF)
The Environment Act 2021 requires the government to publish an environmental principles policy statement outlining how environmental principles should be interpreted and applied by ministers when making policy. A draft of the first statement to be made under the act was laid before Parliament on 11 May 2022 and is due to be discussed by the Lords on 30 June 2022.
Members of both Houses of Parliament are expected to abide by the seven principles of public life, also known as the Nolan Principles, and to the principles and rules set out in each House’s code of conduct. In addition, ministers are expected to follow the ministerial code. Declines in public trust in government and politicians often follow episodes of perceived declines in standards, such as after the 2009 media coverage of politicians’ expenses.
The House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report in 2021 raising concerns about the government’s approach to introducing emergency measures and laws during the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, the committee believed there was limited opportunity for Parliament to properly scrutinise the measures and there were issues of legal clarity. This article summarises the report and the government’s response, and links to other recent committee reports on parliamentary scrutiny.
