The leader of the opposition appoints senior opposition MPs to be ‘shadow ministers’. They form the shadow cabinet and their role is to challenge the government and put forward alternative policies.

Protestants Elizabeth I succeeded in finding a balance between the views of Catholics and the more extreme Protestants. In this way, she avoided any serious religious conflict within England.

Several Church of England bishops sit in the House of Lords, also known as the Upper House.

In May 1940 Churchill became Prime Minister. He refused to surrender to the Nazis and was an inspirational leader to the British people in a time of great hardship. He lost the General Election in 1945 but returned as Prime Minister in 1951.

St Patrick, a Christian Missionary from Ireland, became the patron saint of Ireland and St Columba. He founded a monastery on the island of lona, off the coast of what is now Scotland.

The UK has hosted the Olympic Games on three occasions: 1908, 1948 and 2012. The main Olympic site for the 2012 Games was in Stratford, East London. The British team was very successful, across a wide range of Olympic sports, finishing third in the medal table.

Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. They also include people nominated by the leaders of the other main political parties or by an independent Appointments Commission for non-party peers. Since 1999, hereditary peers have lost the automatic right to attend the House of Lords. They now elect a few of their number to represent them in the House of Lords.

In the 18th century, simpler designs became popular. The Scottish architect Robert Adam influenced the development of architecture in the UK, Europe and America. His ideas influenced architects in cities such as Bath, where the Royal Crescent was built.

Governors and school boards have an important part to play in raising school standards. They have three key roles: setting the strategic direction of the school, ensuring accountability, and monitoring and evaluating school performance.

If judges find that a public body is not respecting someone’s legal rights, they can order that body to change its practices and/or pay compensation.

Britain traded all over the world and began to import more goods. Sugar and tobacco came from North America and the West Indies; textiles, tea and spices came from India and the area that is today called Indonesia.

In May 1660, Parliament invited Charles II to come back from exile in the Netherlands. He was crowned King Charles Il of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The government took into public ownership (nationalised) the railways, coal mines and gas, water and electricity supplies.

Anyone who does not pay enough National Insurance Contributions will not be able to receive certain contributory benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or a full state retirement pension.

British directors, including Sir David Lean and Ridley Scott, have found great success both in the UK and internationally.

There is no place in British society for extremism or intolerance.

MPs are elected at a General Election, which is held at least every five years. If an MP dies or resigns, there will be a fresh election, called a by-election, in his or her constituency.

In the late 1970s, the post-war economic boom came to an end. Prices of goods and raw materials began to rise sharply and the exchange rate between the pound and other currencies was unstable.

Most shops in the UK are open seven days a week, although trading hours on Sundays and public holidays are generally reduced. Many towns also have markets on one or more days a week, where stallholders sell a variety of goods.

There are many variations in language in the different parts of the UK. The English language has many accents and dialects. In Wales, many people speak Welsh - a completely different language from English - and it is taught in schools and universities.

In England, parliaments were called for the king to consult his nobles, particularly when the king needed to raise money. The numbers attending Parliament increased and two separate parts, known as Houses, were established. The nobility, great landowners and bishops sat in the House of Lords. Knights, who were usually smaller landowners, and wealthy people from towns and cities were elected to sit in the House of Commons. Only a small part of the population was able to join in electing the members of the Commons.

Adult citizens of the UK, and citizens of the Commonwealth and Ireland who are resident in the Uk, can vote in all public elections.

British artists, particularly those painting portraits and landscapes, became well known from the 18th century onwards.

Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. His books include the Just So Stories and The Jungle Book, which continue to be popular today. His poem ‘If’ has often been voted among the UK’s favourite poems.