The House of Commons is designed to seat about 400 people, but has to accommodate 650 MPs.

That’s why at big events like Prime Minister’s Questions many MPs are forced to stand in clusters around the Speaker’s chair and at the back of the chamber.

Here's a look at who sat where today, as MPs returned to the Commons for the first time since the election (as a reminder Sinn Féin MPs don't attend Parliament):

Down the corridor, in the House of Lords, another swearing in session is under way.

These sessions are being held both today and tomorrow, and require new members to take an oath of allegiance or make a solemn affirmation to the Crown.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Image source, EPA

Let's break away from the Commons briefly to bring you some earlier comments from Lisa Nandy.

In her first speech as culture secretary, Nandy declared that “the era of culture wars is over".

Nandy had been shadow international development minister but was moved to the culture brief by Sir Keir Starmer on Friday.

Addressing staff at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport this afternoon, Nandy said: “In recent years we’ve found multiple ways to divide ourselves from one another. And lost that sense of a self-confident, outward looking country which values its own people in every part of the UK.

“Changing that is the mission of this department. The era of culture wars is over.”

Nandy said that “for too long, for too many people, the story we tell ourselves, about ourselves as a nation has not reflected them, their communities or their lives. This is how polarisation, division and isolation thrives.”

She added that as culture secretary she wanted to enable “brilliant working class kids to succeed in drama, dance or journalism - their raw talent so obvious, but for too many of whom geography is destiny.”

MPs are patiently waiting to be sworn in one at a time. But when the time comes, what do they actually have to say?

They have two options in accordance with the Oaths Act 1878, external.

First, they can swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown as specified in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868, external, with the wording: “I, [name], do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”

A slightly different phrase can be used for MPs wanting to be sworn in in the Scottish manner.

The second option is by making what's called a solemn affirmation, by saying: “I, [name], do solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.”

No doubt to the MPs' relief, they don't have to learn these statements by heart – they're helpfully written out on a card that is held up for them when they reach the front of the line.

After members of the cabinet file through, it's Conservative leader Rishi Sunak's turn to be sworn in.

He will be followed by members of his shadow cabinet.

The former PM chooses to swear his allegiance to the Crown.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is next to be sworn in.

Starmer opts to affirm his allegiance to the Crown, before signing the Commons roll.

He's followed by Deputy PM Angela Rayner and other cabinet members.

Sir Edward Leigh, Father of the House, and Mother of the House, Diane Abbott, have just been sworn in.

First up to be sworn in is new Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

He makes his oath of allegiance before signing the Common's roll.

Let's return now to Parliament, where the new MPs are assembling in the House of Commons for the start of the swearing in process.

As per tradition, the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, will be sworn in first.

Hoyle, along with Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak and several members make their way to the House of Lords, where the process will soon get under way.

Parliament loves its traditions as afternoons like this show.

So, new and returning MPs begin as they are supposed to go on - with a ritual that dates back at least 400 years.

Before anyone can take part in a debate, vote or even sit down on the iconic green benches, they have to "swear in" with an oath of allegiance to the Crown.

They even risk not being paid if they don't take the oath in their first six months in the job.

Non-believers can instead make a "solemn affirmation" that leaves out any mention of God.

Anyone who refuses or forgets to swear in at the start of a new Parliament and tries to carry on regardless faces serious penalties.

They can be fined £500. And they lose their seat, too -"as if they were dead" say the rules, rather firmly.

So MPs start work after the election with a combination of two great British traditions: the oath of allegiance and a long queue.

While we wait for the Commons to reconvene, let's return to one of the more eccentric moments from this afternoon – Sir Lindsay Hoyle being dragged to the Speaker's chair after being re-elected.

When a new Speaker of the House of Commons is elected, the candidate is physically dragged to the chair by other MPs.

This is because historically, the Speaker was responsible for relaying the opinions of the House of Commons to the monarch. If the monarch didn't agree with the message, the Speaker's early death could follow.

Understandably, those taking on the role were reluctant to accept it and needed some gentle persuasion in the form of dragging.

The custom of dragging the official to the chair has also continued in some Commonwealth realms, including Australia and Canada.

Emily Atkinson
Live page editor

Having blitzed through those final speeches from party representatives, it's time for a short ceremony in the House of Lords known as the Royal Approbation.

MPs will then return to the House for swearing in, taking place in this order:

• Speaker
• Father of the House - i.e. the longest continuously serving MP
• Members of the cabinet and shadow cabinet

• Other privy councillors
• Other ministers, then other members by length of service

Image source, UK Parliament

Last to speak is Jim Allister, Traditional Unionist Voice leader.

"With me on my best behaviour and you at your tolerant best", he tells the Speaker, adding that he's sure they'll have a mutually cordial relationship going forward.

Allister says he has come on behalf of the constituents in Northern Ireland with a clear message: "Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom must be restored.

"We must end the partitioning of our Kingdom by a foreign border."

Image source, UK Parliament

Sorcha Eastwood, speaking on behalf of the Alliance Party, "warmly congratulates" Sir Lindsay Hoyle on his re-election.

She says the Speaker allows smaller parties to be heard and Eastwood says she wants to put on record that she echoes the remarks from the prime minister.

Eastwood concludes her short speech by saying she won't forget constituents and committing to public service.

The Westminster leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood, now says he looks forward to holding the new government to account for the promises they have made to the people in Northern Ireland.

He reminds the new MPs that the Speaker "doesn't just chair the meeting, he's the boss", warning them good naturedly not to "fall out with him" as a result.

Eastwood goes on to joke that "even some sucking up sometimes is good".

"I want to take this opportunity to say that, to thank you, congratulate you for all the fantastic work you did over the last Parliament," he adds.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay is comes next. He says the Speaker has gone out of his way to show support to Green MPs and other new members of the House.

He says all Green MPs are very conscious that they are there to represent their constituents.

He then mentions a comment from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where he said politics was about public service, and says he hopes the new Parliament can move to a less tribal form of politics.

Let's return again to the Commons speeches.

Liz Saville-Roberts, leader of Plaid Cymru in the House of Commons, also congratulates the Speaker on his re-election.

She says she's heartened that the proportion of women in Parliament is more than 40%.

Saville-Roberts also congratulates the smaller parties at Westminster.

She says each party was all elected in the same way and that principle should be cherished and defended.

Emily Atkinson
Live page editor

The House has been suspended until 15:45 BST, at which point the swearing-in ceremony will begin.

We'll catch you up on the key lines from the remaining party leaders' and representatives' speeches shortly.

Stay with us.

Up next is Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who starts off with a joke about the number of attempts it took for him to be elected as an MP.

He says his party are the "new kids on the block" and unable to judge the Speaker from inside the Parliament, but will consider how he is judged outside of the chamber.

He says PMQs is "box office".

Farage says it is clear Sir Lindsay Hoyle acts with "neutrality and dignity" and that he "entirely endorses" him for the Speaker role.

He is greeted by a few groans as he says it is a "marked contrast" to his predecessor John Bercow.

Gavin Robinson, leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, acknowledges that not everyone voted for Hoyle as Speaker.

He tells a story about being approached by a constituent on polling day, who told him: "I'm not voting for you, I'm voting for Lindsay Hoyle."

Robinson says the man was from Chorley, the Speaker-elect's constituency, and expressed how fondly Hoyle is is thought at home.

"He impressed on me the constituency grounding you have, the commitment you have to your community," he adds.