The United Kingdom is governed by an elected government, led by the Prime Minister, that is accountable to Parliament. Understanding how the government works — and how laws are made — is an important part of life in the UK.
The Prime Minister and Cabinet
The Prime Minister (PM) is the head of the UK government. The Prime Minister:
- Is the leader of the political party with a majority in the House of Commons
- Is appointed by the monarch following a general election
- Lives and works at 10 Downing Street in London
- Has an official country residence at Chequers in Buckinghamshire
The Prime Minister chairs the Cabinet — approximately 20 senior ministers, each responsible for a major government department:
- Chancellor of the Exchequer — economy and public finances; works at 11 Downing Street
- Home Secretary — law, order, and immigration
- Foreign Secretary — UK's international relationships
All ministers publicly support government decisions — a principle known as collective Cabinet responsibility.
NOTE
The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street. The Chancellor of the Exchequer works at 11 Downing Street. The PM's country residence is Chequers.
The civil service
Civil servants are professional staff who work in government departments. They are:
- Politically neutral — they serve whichever party is in government
- Permanent — they stay in post when governments change
- Responsible for supporting ministers in developing and implementing policy
How laws are made
New laws begin as Bills. A Bill must pass through several stages in both Houses before it can receive Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament:
- First Reading — formal introduction; no debate
- Second Reading — main principles debated
- Committee Stage — detailed line-by-line examination
- Report Stage — full House considers amendments
- Third Reading — final debate on the Bill
- Royal Assent — monarch's formal approval; Bill becomes law
NOTE
A Bill becomes law (an Act of Parliament) after passing through both Houses and receiving Royal Assent. The stages are: First Reading → Second Reading → Committee → Report → Third Reading → Royal Assent.
Elections and the voting system
MPs are elected using first past the post:
- The UK is divided into 650 constituencies
- Each constituency elects one MP
- The candidate with the most votes wins
- The party winning the most constituencies forms the government
General elections must be held at least every five years.
NOTE
The UK uses first past the post for general elections. There are 650 constituencies and 650 MPs.
The opposition and local government
The party with the second-largest number of MPs forms the Official Opposition, led by the Leader of the Opposition, who heads the Shadow Cabinet — scrutinising each government minister.
Local councils are responsible for local services including education, social services, libraries, rubbish collection, and local roads. Local councillors are elected by residents.
Key facts about The government for the Life in the UK test:
- Prime Minister — 10 Downing Street; country home = Chequers; Cabinet ~20 ministers
- Chancellor of the Exchequer — 11 Downing Street; economy
- Civil service — politically neutral; permanent
- How laws are made — Bill → First Reading → Second Reading → Committee → Report → Third Reading → Royal Assent → Act of Parliament
- First past the post — 650 constituencies; candidate with most votes wins; elections every 5 years
Up next: The UK and international institutions — explore Britain's role in the United Nations, NATO, the Commonwealth, and other key international organisations.