Government of the United Kingdom
The Government of the United Kingdom, formally known as His Majesty’s Government (HMG), is the central executive authority of the UK led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer since July 2024. While King Charles III serves as head of state, executive power is exercised by the government, with the Prime Minister selecting all ministers. The Cabinet, comprising the PM and senior ministers, forms the supreme decision-making committee. Ministers are typically members of Parliament, accountable to either the House of Commons or Lords, though the government primarily depends on Commons’ confidence. The government operates through 24 ministerial departments and 20 non-ministerial departments, supported by approximately 560,000 civil servants. Government ministers lead legislative debates, answer questions during Prime Minister’s Questions and departmental sessions, and appear before parliamentary committees. While the monarch possesses constitutional authority through the Royal Prerogative, these powers are largely delegated to ministers and exercised conventionally with minimal direct royal involvement in governing.
