Explainers
Our explainers cover key subjects relating to our work, setting out key facts and figures and answering the most important questions about government.
Explore our explainers
How do Labour Party leadership contests work?
A Labour leadership election can only be triggered if the leader resigns, or if 20% of MPs nominate a challenger.
Replacing a prime minister during a general election campaign
Can a prime minister be replaced during an election campaign?
Preparation for government by opposition parties or leadership challengers
What is a transition of government?
By-elections
How are by-elections triggered?
Mayor of Greater Manchester
On 18 June 2026, Andy Burnham was elected as MP for Makerfield, leaving the post of mayor of Greater Manchester vacant.
By-elections since the 2024 general election
Labour’s Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election.
Civil service staff numbers
Who exactly are civil servants and how many are there?
How big is the Labour government’s majority?
There are 650 seats in parliament. At the general election, the government won 411 of them.
What has happened to the assisted dying bill?
Lauren Edwards confirmed she will bring back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which ran out of time in the 2024-26 parliamentary session.
Mayoral development corporations
What are mayoral development corporations and which mayors are using them?