This Note will consider the background to the introduction of the Magna Carta and consider the influence the Magna Carta has had in the 800 years since its creation.
A Brief History of the Magna Carta (328KB PDF)
This Note has not been written in preparation for a specific debate in the House of Lords, but is offered as a short guide for Members on a topic of general interest. In 2015, it will be 800 years since the Magna Carta, or ‘Great Charter’, is thought to have been sealed by King John on 15 June 1215. This Note will consider the background to the introduction of the Magna Carta, providing a summary of some of the factors that historians have identified as important in bringing the Charter into existence. It will look at the provisions of the original document and how these were amended in subsequent reissues; provide a brief account of the later history of the document; and consider the influence the Magna Carta has had in the 800 years since its creation.
A Brief History of the Magna Carta (328KB PDF)
The House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber Bill) [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru). It would require the secretary of state to carry out a consultation regarding proposals for replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber. The bill specifies whom the secretary of state would be required to consult with and the timeframe of that consultation.
![House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 11 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/House-of-Lords-568x426.png)
The bill is a government bill that would make a range of changes to the legal framework concerning elections, including extending the franchise for UK parliamentary elections and other reserved elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill was amended during both its committee and report stages in the House of Commons, with many of the government’s later amendments implementing recommendations from the Rycroft review on countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics.
Social media and other technologies have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign powers to spread false information online aimed at undermining UK democracy. Such disinformation campaigns are one type of interference operation. In parallel, researchers have noted a link between declining public trust and societal polarisation, which can be exacerbated by online discourse. This briefing provides introductory reading to these issues, including recent reports and government announcements.
