5 Fun Facts and Myths About British Laws
1. It's illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. Yep, if you were thinking of kicking the bucket in the Houses of Parliament, you should be aware that it's illegal. And, one would assume, that it's punishable by death. Or at least a stern telling off. The law was brought in because anyone who dies in the Houses of Parliament is entitled to a State Funeral (usually reserved for the reigning Monarch) and we can't have any old Tom, Dick, or Harry getting one of them. Nope. That's a total myth. There is no evidence to support this common myth. In fact, four people are known to have died within the grounds of the Palace of Westminster. Guy Fawkes and Sir Walter Raleigh were both executed there. Spencer Percival, the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated, was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons, and Sir Alfred Billson died whilst casting a vote. None were prosecuted for dying in a Royal Palace, and none were given a State Funeral. It is, however, il...