How government works

Find out what the government is, what it does and who works there.

What is a government?

The government is the group of people we elect – or vote for – to run the country.
What is an MP?

An MP is an ordinary person who decides they want to become a politician and help run the country by working in Parliament. MP is short for Member of Parliament.
How do we choose who is in the government?

We choose our government by voting for the people we want to become MPs.
What does the prime minister do?

The leader of the political party that wins the general election becomes the Prime Minister (PM for short).
What does a cabinet minister do?

Cabinet ministers look after departments that manage different areas of life.