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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Chiltern Hundreds
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A parliamentary oddity. No member of the House of Commons is allowed to resign his or her seat during the course of a parliament. But equally no member is allowed to occupy any 'office of profit' belonging to the crown. Since the 18C these two restrictions have been neatly combined. A member wishing to resign a seat applies to become steward either of the Chiltern Hundreds (the three 'hundreds' or small areas of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham in the Chilterns) or of the Manor of Northstead; both offices once carried a salary from the crown, both are now defunct. The member who applies for either does nothing and is paid nothing but must relinquish the seat in parliament; he or she then resigns the stewardship to make it available for another applicant.
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