Parliamentary Division Bells

A major part of any politician’s job is to cast votes on the important matters of the day. There are many ways of doing this, from electronic ballots to the roll call method used in the United States Congress. In the United Kingdom, Westminster has a particularly peculiar system, with an amusing side effect. 

Votes in the House of Commons or the House of Lords are known as a division, with members dividing into “Ayes” or “Noes” (Content or Not-Content for their lordships). The moment a division is called, members have eight minutes, and not a second longer, to make it to the voting lobbies in person.