Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom: Head of government of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom or British prime minister is the head of government in the United Kingdom.
The prime minister controls the Government of the United Kingdom through the cabinet. The prime minister is the chairman of the British cabinet and a member of the Privy Council. It is normal for the prime minister to be the leader of the political party which has a majority in the House of Commons.
| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
.svg) Royal arms of His Majesty's Government | |
.svg) | |
| Style | Prime Minister (informal) The Right Honourable (formal) (UK and Commonwealth) His Excellency (diplomatic) |
| Status | Head of Government |
| Residence | 10 Downing Street |
| Seat | Westminster |
| First holder | Sir Robert Walpole |
| Unofficial names | P.M. |
The prime minister is not the head of state, but is the most important politician in Parliament. By tradition, the monarch of the United Kingdom chooses the prime minister. The monarch chooses the leader of the political party with enough votes to get laws passed in Parliament.
Rishi Sunak (Conservative Party) became prime minister on 25 October 2022.
Background
The prime minister is usually the leader of the political party which wins most seats after a general election. There are 650 are available in the United Kingdom. Voters vote for their own local member of parliament, not for the prime minister. Voters in their constituency choose their member of parliament. The prime minister is a member of parliament, and only voters in one constituency can vote for them.
The first prime minister was Robert Walpole in the eighteenth century. He was known as the "First Lord of the Treasury". The first person to be use the title "prime minister" officially was Henry Campbell-Bannerman in 1905.
Well-known prime ministers in the 20th century included David Lloyd George, Stanley Baldwin, Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair. The prime ministers usually live and work at 10 Downing Street or Chequers while in office. Chequers was donated to the country by Winston Churchill.
There are several other official residences, some owned by the government, others held by trusts. The 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) Chevening House estate, in Kent is an example. Dorneywood is another.
Living former prime ministers
There are seven living former British prime ministers:
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Related pages
References
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