Finn Baker
Research Assistant
All work
Downing Street chief of staff
The Downing Street chief of staff is the UK prime minister’s most senior political adviser.
Shadow cabinet
The shadow cabinet is made up of senior members of the main opposition party in Westminster who act as spokespeople for the opposition.
Gender balance in politics
This explainer takes a closer look at how women are represented in parliament, cabinet, the civil service and among ministers and special advisers.
Privy council
The privy council is formally a body of advisers to the King.
Ministers’ private offices
Every government minister has a private office. This is a small team of civil servants dedicated to supporting ministerial duties and decisions.
Direct ministerial appointments to the House of Lords
If the prime minister wants to appoint a minister who is not a sitting MP or serving peer, they must ennoble them.
Cabinet
The cabinet is the senior decision-making body in government.
Rules for funding for political parties
How much funding do political parties receive?
Government reshuffles
A reshuffle is when government ministers are moved between posts.
Government majority
There are 650 seats in parliament. To have an overall majority, a political party must win over half of these seats: at least 326.