A Member of Parliament is the person elected to represent a House of Commons constituency.
This is usually the first person users want to identify from a postcode.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Political glossary
Plain-English explanations for the jargon, procedures and traditions that appear across UK politics.
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Parliament
The House of Commons is the elected chamber where MPs debate, scrutinise government, and vote on legislation.
Most postcode and MP activity views will focus on Commons records first.
Source: How Parliament works
The House of Lords is the second chamber of Parliament. Its members examine legislation and scrutinise government.
Bills usually move through both Houses before they can become law.
Source: How Parliament works
A bill is a proposal for a new law, or a proposal to change an existing law, before it becomes an Act.
Policy promises often become real only when they appear in bills and votes.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A division is a formal recorded vote in Parliament, usually counted as ayes and noes.
This is the source-backed record behind many MP voting-history rows.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
To abstain is to not vote either for or against when a vote takes place.
A missing vote is not always the same as voting against something.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A select committee is a cross-party committee that examines a subject area, public body, or government department.
Committee work can show what MPs are investigating beyond headline votes.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A written question is a formal question from an MP or Lord that receives a written answer from government.
Written questions are useful evidence of what a representative is asking about.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A parliamentary session is a period of parliamentary time within a Parliament, usually including several sitting periods and recesses.
Sessions explain why the calendar has openings, recesses, bill carry-over points, and planned legislative programmes.
Source: Parliamentary sessions and sittings
A sitting is a daily meeting of either House of Parliament, or a meeting of a committee.
Sitting days are when debates, questions, votes, and committee work can appear in the public record.
Source: Parliamentary sessions and sittings
A recess is a break in a parliamentary session when neither the House of Commons nor the House of Lords meets for normal business.
Recess helps explain why fewer votes or debates may appear during certain weeks of the year.
Source: Parliamentary sessions and sittings
The Speaker chairs debates in the House of Commons, calls MPs to speak, and is expected to be politically impartial while in the chair.
Beginners hear the Speaker named often during debates and PMQs, but the Speaker is not speaking for a party in that role.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A backbencher is an MP or Lord who is not a government minister or opposition frontbench spokesperson.
Backbenchers can still speak, vote, sit on committees and raise constituency issues.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Devolution means some powers are held by elected bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland instead of being decided only at Westminster.
It helps users understand why health, education or transport may be decided differently in different parts of the UK.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Elections
A constituency is a geographic area that elects one MP to the House of Commons.
Postcode lookup starts here: postcode to constituency to current MP.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A by-election is an election held in one constituency between general elections, usually because a seat becomes vacant.
By-elections can affect Parliament and often draw national attention.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
First Past the Post is the voting system used for UK general elections, where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins.
This explains why seat counts and vote share are not the same thing.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A hung Parliament happens when no single party has an overall majority in the House of Commons.
It helps users understand coalitions, confidence arrangements, and minority governments.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Parties
Whips are party organisers who help coordinate how party members vote and attend Parliament.
Whipping helps explain why many MPs from the same party vote the same way.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A manifesto is a party's published set of commitments and priorities for an election.
Manifestos are one of the highest-value sources for explaining party positions.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The Government is usually formed by the party, or parties, that can command support in the House of Commons and run government departments.
It explains why one party may be responsible for ministers, budgets and most bills while others scrutinise them.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The Opposition is made up of MPs and parties that are not in government. The largest opposition party is called the Official Opposition.
Opposition parties do not run departments, but they question ministers, debate bills and offer alternatives.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The Cabinet is the senior group of government ministers who lead major departments and help decide government policy.
Cabinet roles explain who is publicly responsible for areas such as health, education, home affairs and the Treasury.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The Prime Minister is the head of the UK Government and appoints ministers to run government departments.
The Prime Minister is central to government decisions, but Parliament still debates, scrutinises and votes on laws.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The Shadow Cabinet is a team from the Official Opposition that follows government departments and challenges ministers on those areas.
Shadow roles help users understand who is responding to the government from the main opposition party.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
A coalition government is formed when two or more parties share government, usually because no single party has enough seats to govern alone.
Coalitions explain why parties may compromise on policies after an election.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Left wing is a broad political label. It often points toward more emphasis on equality, public services and a larger role for the state in the economy, but the meaning changes by country and issue.
The label is a shortcut, not a full explanation. People and parties can hold left-wing views on one issue and different views on another.
Source: TIME explainer on left and right
Right wing is a broad political label. It often points toward more emphasis on tradition, private enterprise and a smaller economic role for the state, but the meaning changes by country and issue.
The label is often used loosely or as an insult, so Plain Politics should explain specific policies instead of relying on the label alone.
Source: TIME explainer on left and right
Centre or centrist describes political positions that sit between, or deliberately mix, ideas commonly described as left wing and right wing.
Centre does not automatically mean neutral or moderate on every issue, so users still need the policy detail.
Source: TIME explainer on left and right
Traditions
Prime Minister's Questions is a regular Commons session where MPs question the Prime Minister.
It is one of the most visible political traditions, but it is not the whole job.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
The King's Speech sets out the government's planned laws and priorities at the State Opening of Parliament.
It is a useful date for tracking what the government says it will try to do.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Royal Assent is the formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act.
It marks the point where a bill becomes law.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
Black Rod is an officer of the House of Lords with ceremonial and administrative duties.
Some traditions look odd to beginners, so the site should explain what is ceremony and what affects lawmaking.
Source: UK Parliament glossary
State Opening is the formal start of a parliamentary session, when the monarch's speech sets out the government's planned laws and priorities.
It is a recurring civic moment that can anchor explainers, timelines, and checks on proposed legislation.
Source: State Opening of Parliament