The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
- The Prime Minister (PM): The Head of Government, leader of the political party with a majority of seats in the House of Commons. The official residence and executive office is 10 Downing Street in London.
- The Cabinet: A senior committee of around 20 ministers appointed by the PM to head government departments (e.g., Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary). Cabinet ministers operate under collective responsibility, supporting all agreed government policies.
- The Opposition: The second-largest party in the House of Commons forms the Official Opposition, led by the Leader of the Opposition who appoints a Shadow Cabinet to scrutinise government ministers.
Devolved Parliaments & Assemblies
Since 1999, certain administrative and legislative powers have been transferred (devolved) from Westminster to local parliaments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland:
1. The Scottish Parliament (Holyrood, Edinburgh):
- 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).
- Responsible for devolved matters: healthcare (NHS Scotland), education, civil and criminal law, housing, and local transport.
2. Senedd Cymru / The Welsh Parliament (Cardiff):
- 96 Members of the Senedd (MSs) following the May 2026 election; previously 60.
- Responsible for health, education, local government, agriculture, and Welsh language policy.
3. The Northern Ireland Assembly (Stormont, Belfast):
- 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
- Operates under a power-sharing executive between unionist and nationalist parties per the Good Friday Agreement.