Parliament of the United Kingdom/Timelines
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- 1215 Magna Carta[1][2] (1215) - traditionally regarded as the founding document of the English Constitution.
- 1295 The Model Parliament[3]
- 1381 Peasants' Revolt [4].- a violent campaign for the abolition of the poll tax and the removal of the restrictions of serfdom.
- 1429 The Franchise Act [5] - restricted voting in elections for county seats to freeholders of land worth more than 40 shillings per annum.
- 1641 Parliament's "Grand Remonstrance"[6] [7] is rejected by the King.
- 1642 Parliament's "Nineteen Propositions"[8] ultimatum is rejected by the King.
- 1649 The Agreement of the People[9] - the demand by the Levellers for rule by a representative assembly elected by universal male suffrage.
- 1688/9 "The Glorious Revolution" and Bill of Rights [10] - severely limit the power of the king over Parliament.
- 1690 John Locke's Treatise on Government [11] - the people's delegation of power to a sovereign is conditional upon their continued consent,
- 1707 Union with Scotland: 45 MPs & 16 peers added
- 1801 Union with Ireland: 100 MPs, 28 peers & 4 bishops added
- 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act [12] enables Catholics to sit as Members of Parliament.
- 1848 Peoples' Charter [13] - a petition for male suffrage, secret ballots, equal constituencies, no property qualification, payment for MPs, annual elections.
- 1848 Peoples' Charter [14] - a petition for male suffrage, secret ballots, equal constituencies, no property qualification, payment for MPs, annual elections.
- 1903 Women's Social and Political Union[15]- "suffragettes" launch a "votes for women" campaign.
- 1911 Parliament Act 1911[16] - removed from the House of Lords the power to veto a Bill, except one to extend the lifetime of a Parliament. Instead, the Lords could delay a Bill by up to two years. The Act also reduced the maximum lifespan of a Parliament from seven years to five years.
- 1918 Representation of the People Act - gave the vote to men over 21 and women over 30 - increasing the electorate from 8 million to 21 million.
- 1928 Representation of the People Act - gave women the right to vote on the same terms as men.
- 1949 Parliament Act 1949 - further reduced the Lords' delaying powers to one year.
- 1958 Life Peerages Act[17] - enabled life peerages, with a seat and vote in the House of Lords, to be granted to both men and women.
- 1983 Representation of the People Act 1983[18]
- 1998 Devolution[19]
- Scotland Act [20] - set up a Scottish Executive (later "The Government of Scotland") and an independent Scottish Parliament.
- Government of Wales Act[21] - established a National Assembly for Wales.
- Good Friday Agreement[22] - a plan for the devolution of power to Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Act[23] sees the installation of a devolved coalition government.
- 2000 Representation of the People Act 2000 [24]
- 2011 Fixed Term Parliaments Act - set a fixed 5-year term unless the government loses a vote of no confidence that fails to be reversed in 14 days, or unless a motion for dissolution is carried by MPs for at least 2/3 of seats.