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House of Commons of the United Kingdom
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<p>The House of Commons is the <a href="/facts/Lower_house/kxk4o5B7">lower house</a> of the <a href="/facts/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom/7bFbPI9g">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a>. Like the <a href="/facts/Upper_house/c1en2HMa">upper house</a>, the <a href="/facts/House_of_Lords/ycQphmgj">House of Lords</a>, it meets in the <a href="/facts/Palace_of_Westminster/HCUIhwQR">Palace of Westminster</a> in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 members known as <a href="/facts/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)/VegqN6nl">members of Parliament</a> (MPs), who are elected to represent <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_constituencies/YhSuSdcC">constituencies</a> by the <a href="/facts/First-past-the-post_voting/RJ11du1H">first-past-the-post</a> system and hold their seats until <a href="/facts/Dissolution_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom/26qm5w9g">Parliament is dissolved</a>. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/House_of_Commons_of_England/9vIKKNGB">House of Commons of England</a> began to evolve in the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1707 it became the <a href="/facts/House_of_Commons_of_Great_Britain/txzglcTT">House of Commons of Great Britain</a> after the <a href="/facts/Acts_of_Union_1707/6JDrg6sj">political union with Scotland</a>, and from 1801 it also became the House of Commons for Ireland after the <a href="/facts/Acts_of_Union_1800/hlo5qNHK">political union of Great Britain and Ireland</a>. In 1922, the body became the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after the independence of the <a href="/facts/Irish_Free_State/rjjaevUC">Irish Free State</a>. Under the <a href="/facts/Parliament_Acts_1911_and_1949/YI4RmbTN">Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949</a>, the Lords' power to reject legislation was reduced to a delaying power. The government is solely responsible to the House of Commons and the <a href="/facts/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom/Uf40UlBb">prime minister</a> stays in office only as long as they retain the confidence of a majority of the Commons. </p>