Understanding how the UK government works is essential for the test and for life as a citizen. From Parliament to the Prime Minister, from elections to laws, this topic covers the machinery of British democracy.
Key facts
- The UK Parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and sits at the Palace of Westminster.
- Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected to the House of Commons. There are 650 constituencies, each represented by one MP.
- The House of Lords is not elected. Members include life peers, hereditary peers, and bishops.
- The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in a general election.
- General elections must be held at least every 5 years. The voting age is 18.
- The UK uses the 'first past the post' system for general elections - the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins.
- The Cabinet is a group of senior ministers chosen by the Prime Minister to run government departments.
- The Speaker of the House of Commons chairs debates and ensures rules are followed. The Speaker is politically neutral.
In depth
The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. Parliament - the supreme law-making body - consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is the more powerful chamber and is made up of 650 elected MPs, each representing a constituency. General elections use the first-past-the-post system, meaning the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins the seat. The party that wins the majority of seats forms the government, and its leader becomes Prime Minister.
The House of Lords acts as a revising chamber, scrutinising and suggesting changes to laws proposed by the Commons. Its members are not elected - they include life peers (appointed by the monarch on the advice of the PM), hereditary peers, and bishops of the Church of England. The Prime Minister leads the government and appoints the Cabinet - senior ministers who head departments like the Treasury, Home Office, and Foreign Office. The Speaker of the House of Commons is an important constitutional figure who chairs debates and maintains order. The Speaker must be politically impartial once in office.
Be clear on how Parliament works: it has the House of Commons (elected MPs) and the House of Lords, while the monarch is head of state and the Prime Minister leads the government. General elections are normally held every five years, and the party with the most MPs usually forms the government. The civil service supports ministers but stays politically neutral.