What Is UK Parliament And Why Should I Care?

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So, if you’ve ever found yourself feeling confused or overwhelmed by Government, Parliament, and what it all means for the country and for you, then we’ve got some good news for you…

When it comes to politics, making informed decisions is pretty important. But, having the understanding to make all these informed decisions can sometimes feel a little intimidating. Especially when things like global pandemics happen and how the government and UK Parliament works is in the spotlight even more than usual!

Luckily, UK Parliament really wants people to have an understanding of how it works so they can get involved and influence the decisions that get made. Because the more you know, the more you can effect change.

And they also understand that young voters, especially, are passionate about positive change and getting their voices heard. 

So what can you do with your passion for climate change, gender equality, LGBTQA+ rights, housing and benefits, education, mental health, or whatever gets you fired up...when you aren’t quite sure where to start?

To help out, UK Parliament have created a YouTube channel called Teach Parliament, full of videos that explain, in bitesize chunks, the whats, the hows and the whys when it comes to Parliament. 

In the first set of videos, you’ll find out about how Parliament is structured, how Parliament checks and challenges the work of the Government, how ideas become laws, different types of elections and how to have a voice in Parliament, from voting to petitioning and campaigning.

There are also videos on the House of Commons, explaining its history, how it has evolved over time, what it means today...and even a sneak peek into the chambers!

And videos about the importance of diversity in Parliament and the changing nature of representation across the UK.

And, if you’re looking to get even more informed, the UK Parliament has also got a series of online learning sessions called Live Learn. The sessions are streamed live on YouTube (and kept online for catch-up), are all around 30 minutes long and cover everything from votes for women to how laws are made. Amazing!

The UK Parliament’s outreach service is also running workshops that will help you learn what your local representatives can do for you, and how to engage with them. This will be really useful for any social action projects you’re involved with - having the support of your local decision makers can make a huge difference! To get involved, sign up for Keep Doing Good - our push to help communities get back on their feet this summer through volunteering and social action - or email engage@parliament.uk to find out more.

So, now you’ve got your starting point, the question is...what are you going to do next? How will you get your voice heard?