Government of the United Kingdom

His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the <a href="/facts/Central_government/toUqRMws">central executive authority</a> of the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Northern_Ireland/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland</a>. The government is led by the <a href="/facts/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom/Uf40UlBb">prime minister</a> (<a href="/facts/Keir_Starmer/rzH0yIHu">Keir Starmer</a> since 5 July 2024) who appoints all the other <a href="/facts/British_Government_frontbench/4PfeznHn">ministers</a>. The country has had a <a href="/facts/Labour_Party_(UK)/jr0wYRdF">Labour</a> government since <a href="/facts/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election/MEpNJrYu">2024</a>. The prime minister and his most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision-making committee, known as the <a href="/facts/Cabinet_of_the_United_Kingdom/TeaChH7c">Cabinet</a>.
<a href="/facts/Minister_of_the_Crown/N7XqWWvM">Ministers of the Crown</a> are <a href="/facts/Responsible_government/gSgDvLlf">responsible</a> to the <a href="/facts/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom/7bFbPI9g">House</a> in which they sit; they make statements in that House and take questions from members of that House. For most senior ministers this is usually the elected <a href="/facts/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom/IyyztqLo">House of Commons</a> rather than the <a href="/facts/House_of_Lords/ycQphmgj">House of Lords</a>. The government is <a href="/facts/Fusion_of_powers/vydKEmQy">dependent on Parliament</a> to make <a href="/facts/Primary_legislation/urbAlxS3">primary legislation</a>, and <a href="/facts/Elections_in_the_United_Kingdom/0RqKgFn0">general elections</a> are held every five years (at most) to elect a new House of Commons, unless the prime minister advises the <a href="/facts/Monarchy_of_the_United_Kingdom/hLC5tHrf">monarch</a> to <a href="/facts/Royal_prerogative_in_the_United_Kingdom/pn2xK3bW">dissolve Parliament</a>, in which case an election may be held sooner. After an election, the monarch selects as <a href="/facts/Prime_minister/RKQSQbMy">prime minister</a> the leader of the party most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons, usually by possessing a majority of MPs.
Under the <a href="/facts/Uncodified_constitution/d6r0eFP9">uncodified</a> <a href="/facts/Constitution_of_the_United_Kingdom/01xsoHkM">British constitution</a>, <a href="/facts/Executive_(government)/fPCCh3VU">executive authority</a> lies with the sovereign, although this authority is exercised only after receiving the advice of the <a href="/facts/Privy_Council_(United_Kingdom)/05w1cyyh">Privy Council</a>. The prime minister, the House of Lords, the leader of the opposition, and the police and military high command serve as members and advisers of the monarch on the Privy Council. In most cases the cabinet exercise power directly as leaders of the <a href="/facts/Departments_of_the_United_Kingdom_Government/8YhJsRb0">government departments</a>, though some Cabinet positions are <a href="/facts/Sinecure/rfINFkga">sinecures</a> to a greater or lesser degree (for instance <a href="/facts/Chancellor_of_the_Duchy_of_Lancaster/NufPXEa0">Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster</a> or <a href="/facts/Lord_Privy_Seal/97l7YAuS">Lord Privy Seal</a>).
The government is sometimes referred to by the <a href="/facts/Metonym/EdwzPEyE">metonym</a> "<a href="/facts/Westminster/fpfm7LnR">Westminster</a>" or "<a href="/facts/Whitehall/0GnuK4zH">Whitehall</a>", as many of its offices are situated there. These metonyms are used especially by members of the <a href="/facts/Scottish_Government/ettgIz7G">Scottish Government</a>, <a href="/facts/Welsh_Government/WkRLquvy">Welsh Government</a> and <a href="/facts/Northern_Ireland_Executive/aJV6zI5M">Northern Ireland Executive</a> to differentiate their government from His Majesty's Government.

Government of the United Kingdom open-in-new

Government of the United Kingdom