Central Government
The leader of the political party with the most MPs in the
House of Commons is asked by the Queen to become Prime Minister and
to form a government that will manage the country. As the
Labour Party won the most seats in the May 2005 General Election,
its leader at that time, Tony Blair, was asked to form the
government.
Members of the government are nearly always MPs
or Peers; most are ministers who will work in a government
department, such as the Department of Health or the Treasury, to
run and develop public services. Departments are staffed by
permanent officials known as civil servants.
Parliament keeps a check on the work of
Government on behalf of citizens through investigative select
committees and by asking questions of ministers. The House of
Commons also has to approve proposals for government taxes and
spending. If a Government could not win support for its main
policies in the House of Commons, it would have to resign and a
general election would be called...
Please visit the United Kingdom Parliament website
for more information about Central Government.