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Members of Parliament

What do MPs do

The UK public elects Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons.

 

How MPs are elected

During an election, everyone eligible to cast a vote in a constituency (constituents) selects one candidate to be their MP.

 

What your MP can do for you

MPs can assist their constituents in a variety of ways, from making private enquiries on your behalf, to raising matters publicly in the House of Commons.

 

Raising matters in the House of Commons

By raising an issue in the House of Commons, MPs can bring it to the attention of the press and public.

 

The party system

Nearly all MPs represent political parties. Members of the Lords are also organised on a party basis; however, Members of the Lords do not represent constituencies and many are not members of a political party.

 
Standards

MPs and Members of the House of Lords are expected to adhere to high standards in their public life.

 

Pay and expenses for MPs

Find out the current annual salary for an MP and the additional allowances they are entitled to.

 

All-Party Parliamentary Groups

All-Party Groups (APGs) are informal cross-party groups that have no official status within Parliament. They are essentially run by and for Members of the Commons and Lords.

House of Commons Enquiry Service

The House of Commons Enquiry Service answers questions about the work, history and membership of the House.

Telephone: 0800 112 4272 (Freephone) or 020 7219 4272
Email: hcenquiries@parliament.uk
Text phone: Dial 18001 followed byour full number

Telephone enquiry service is open between 10am-12 midday and 2pm-4pm (Monday to Friday).

Find out more

Virtual tours of Parliament

Virtual tours of Parliament

Parliament is developing a series of virtual tours. The first of these is a visit to the House of Commons Chamber and surrounding rooms. This tour uses Flash Player.