The UK government, the law and your role

How the UK is governed

The UK is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. The monarch is head of state but does not run the government; the Prime Minister leads it, appoints the Cabinet, and lives and works at 10 Downing Street, with Chequers available as a country residence.

Parliament

Parliament has two chambers. The House of Commons has 650 elected MPs, each for one constituency. The House of Lords is not elected by the public: most peers are appointed for their achievements, a small number of hereditary peers remain, and senior Church of England bishops sit as Lords Spiritual. Debates in the Commons are chaired by the Speaker, who is an MP elected to the role by fellow MPs in a secret ballot and who must be politically neutral in the chair.

A general election must be held at least every five years. You may vote from age 18 if you are registered on the electoral register, and voting is by secret ballot. By-elections fill single vacancies between general elections.

Devolved government

Powers were devolved in the late 1990s following referendums in 1997 and, for Northern Ireland, the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. Devolved matters typically include health, education, housing and local transport. Defence, foreign affairs and immigration remain reserved to the UK Parliament in Westminster.

The civil service and local government

Civil servants are appointed on merit, are politically impartial, and stay in post when governments change. Local councils provide local services and are funded partly by council tax and partly by central government. Local elections are usually held in May.

The courts and the police

The judiciary is independent of government. In England and Wales, serious criminal cases are heard in the Crown Court before a jury of 12; in Scotland a criminal jury has 15. Magistrates and Justices of the Peace handle less serious cases; sheriff courts do so in Scotland. The police must obey the law themselves and are held to account locally by elected Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales. Dial 999 or 112 in an emergency.

Everyday legal duties

Practical obligations that appear in questions include registering to vote, paying tax and National Insurance, insuring and taxing a vehicle, holding a valid MOT once a car is three years old, and holding a TV licence. Discrimination on grounds such as race, sex, disability, religion, age or sexual orientation is unlawful.

Taking part

The chapter closes on participation: joining a school's parent-teacher association or becoming a school governor, serving on a jury when called, volunteering, joining a political party, standing for office, or helping in your community. Questions here are usually "which of these can you do" rather than technical.

How this chapter is tested

Heavily by number and by role. Any question that names an institution probably wants its member count, its location, or whether the people in it are elected or appointed.