Ministers of the crown

Ministers of the crown are MPs or members of the House of Lords (peers) who are appointed by the prime minister to specific roles within the government. They are responsible for setting the policy direction of government departments and are accountable to parliament for their actions. All ministers, from the prime minister down to the […]

Ministerial code

The ministerial code is the official rulebook that sets out the standards of conduct expected of all government ministers in the United Kingdom. It is a document issued by the prime minister of the day, and it is a condition of holding ministerial office that all ministers adhere to its rules and principles. The code […]

Confidence and supply agreements

A confidence and supply agreement is a political arrangement that can enable a party without a majority of seats in a legislature to form a stable minority government. It is a formal deal in which a smaller party or independent members agree to support the government in key parliamentary votes. These agreements are a means […]

Cabinet

The cabinet is the ultimate decision-making body of the government of the United Kingdom. It is composed of the prime minister and the most senior government ministers, most of whom are secretaries of state in charge of major government departments. These ministers are accountable to parliament for decisions taken by the cabinet. The prime minister […]

Collective responsibility

Collective cabinet responsibility is a key constitutional convention that shapes the government of the United Kingdom. It dictates that all members of the government are jointly responsible for its policies and decisions and must publicly support them, regardless of any private reservations. The convention is not a law but a binding rule of political conduct […]

Cobra / COBR

Cobra is the United Kingdom’s national crisis management committee. It is convened on an ad-hoc basis to coordinate the central government’s response to emergencies or major disruptions that have a national impact. The name Cobra or COBR is a widely used shorthand for the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms, the suite of secure meeting rooms in […]

Coalition government

A coalition government is a form of administration in which two or more political parties join together to govern, sharing ministerial posts, cabinet positions and responsibility for policy. Coalitions are most common when a general election produces a “hung parliament”, where no single party has won an overall majority of seats in the House of […]

Civil service

The civil service is the permanent, politically impartial organisation that supports the government of the day in developing and implementing its policies. It is the operational and administrative tool of government, responsible for delivering public services and providing evidence-based advice to elected ministers. While government ministers set policy and make political decisions, civil servants are […]

Cabinet committees

Cabinet committees are sub-groups of the main UK cabinet, appointed by the prime minister to consider specific areas of government policy. They are a forum where the detailed work of government can be conducted, inter-departmental disagreements resolved and collective decisions made. The decisions reached by a cabinet committee have the same authority as a decision […]