Cabinet of the United Kingdom facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

For the current Cabinet, see Cabinet of the United Kingdom#Current Cabinet. For a list of former Cabinets, see List of British governments.

Quick facts for kids
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Cabinet overview
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Cabinet Room, 10 Downing Street
Formed	1644 (381 years ago) (1644)
Type	Committee of the Privy Council
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Headquarters	Cabinet Room, 10 Downing Street

The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is a very important group of senior leaders in the Government of the United Kingdom. Think of it as the main team that makes big decisions for the country. The Prime Minister leads this team. Its members are usually chosen from people who work in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, either the House of Commons or the House of Lords. These members are called Secretaries of State and other senior Ministers.

The Cabinet's main job is to discuss and decide on big issues that affect everyone in the country. They also sort out disagreements between different government departments. Another group, called the Shadow Cabinet, watches what the Cabinet does very closely. This Shadow Cabinet is made up of members from the main political party that is not in power.

The Cabinet's Story: How it Began
Who is in the Cabinet?
Cabinet Meetings
- Where and When They Meet
- How Meetings Work
Why the Cabinet is Important
Meet the Current Cabinet
See also

The Cabinet's Story: How it Began

Early Days of Royal Advice

For a long time, back in the 1500s, kings and queens in England had many different officials. Each official had their own job and powers. The king or queen and a group called the Privy Council were the only ones who brought everyone together. People started using phrases like "cabinet counsel" in the late 1500s. This meant private advice given to the monarch in a small, private room, often called a "cabinet."

Kings and Advisors

King Charles I started a more formal "Cabinet Council" in 1625. This was like his private group of advisors. The word "cabinet" by itself was first used for this group in 1644. Later, after England and Scotland joined together in 1707, the Cabinet became the main group running the British government. This happened especially during the time of King George I and King George II. They weren't native English speakers and didn't know British politics well. So, they relied a lot on a chosen group of advisors.

The Modern Cabinet Takes Shape

The way the Cabinet works today was mostly set up by Prime Minister David Lloyd George between 1916 and 1922. He created the Cabinet Office to help organize meetings and keep records. This change was very important during the First World War. The government needed to make quick and coordinated decisions about things like getting soldiers and making weapons. A smaller "War Cabinet" helped manage the war effort.

The Cabinet Office building in London, where important government work happens.

Who is in the Cabinet?

Choosing the Team

The Prime Minister gets to choose who is in the Cabinet. Most Cabinet members are also members of Parliament. This means they are either in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. This tradition helps make sure that the government is connected to the people's representatives.

Important Roles and Rules

There's a limit to how many Cabinet ministers can get a salary, usually around 21, plus the Lord Chancellor. Some other important people, like the Attorney General (who gives legal advice), might attend meetings. However, they usually don't join in the discussions. This helps them stay neutral when giving legal opinions.

Support Staff

Even though they don't vote or discuss, other people attend Cabinet meetings. These include civil servants from the Cabinet Office. They help organize everything and keep records. Also, special advisors to the Prime Minister might be there.

Cabinet Meetings

Where and When They Meet

Most Cabinet meetings happen in a special room called the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street in London. This is the official home and office of the Prime Minister. Sometimes, meetings have happened in other places too.

Historically, Cabinet meetings often took place on Thursdays. However, different Prime Ministers have changed this. For example, Gordon Brown and Theresa May held their meetings on Tuesdays. David Cameron brought them back to Thursdays during his time.

The famous Cabinet table where important decisions are made.

A fun old picture from the 19th century showing "Her Majesty's Cabinet."

How Meetings Work

The length of meetings can change a lot. It depends on the Prime Minister's style and what's happening in the country. Modern meetings can sometimes be quite short, lasting only about 30 minutes. All ministers in the Cabinet must follow a rule called "collective ministerial responsibility." This means that once the Cabinet makes a decision, all ministers must support it publicly, even if they disagreed with it in private. It's like a team agreeing to stick together.

Why the Cabinet is Important

The Prime Minister's Role

The Prime Minister leads the Cabinet and has a lot of power. They choose who becomes a Cabinet minister and can also remove them. The Prime Minister also decides what each minister and their department will be responsible for. While the Prime Minister used to be seen as "first among equals" (meaning just one of the important people), today they are clearly the main leader of the government.

Making Big Decisions

The Cabinet is the top group for making decisions in the government. It's where the most important choices about how the country is run are made. In the past, people like Walter Bagehot described the Cabinet as the "efficient secret" of the British political system. This meant it was the key to how things really got done.

How Power Has Changed

Over time, the power of the Prime Minister has grown. Leaders like David Lloyd George, Stanley Baldwin, and Winston Churchill became very strong figures. Some people think that the Prime Minister now has even more power than the Cabinet as a whole. This is sometimes because Prime Ministers have their own small group of trusted advisors, often called a "kitchen cabinet." These advisors might help make big decisions even before the full Cabinet meets.

Working Together

The amount of power a Prime Minister has can depend on many things. It depends on how much support they have from their political party. If a party is divided, the Prime Minister might need to include different powerful members in the Cabinet to keep everyone working together. Also, if the government is a coalition (two parties working together), the Prime Minister's power might be shared more.

Meet the Current Cabinet

As of September 5, 2025, the Cabinet is led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This is his second Cabinet, formed after the General Election in 2024. Below are the people who are currently part of this important team.

Minister		Office(s)	Department	Took office
Starmer ministry
Cabinet Ministers
	Sir Keir Starmer MP for Holborn and St Pancras	Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service Minister for the Union	Cabinet Office	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	David Lammy MP for Tottenham	Deputy Prime Minister	Cabinet Office	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	David Lammy MP for Tottenham	Lord Chancellor Secretary of State for Justice	Ministry of Justice	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Rachel Reeves MP for Leeds West and Pudsey	Chancellor of the Exchequer Second Lord of the Treasury	HM Treasury	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Shabana Mahmood MP for Birmingham Ladywood	Secretary of State for the Home Department	Home Office	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Yvette Cooper MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley	Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	John Healey MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough	Secretary of State for Defence	Ministry of Defence	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Darren Jones MP for Bristol North West	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Cabinet Office	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Darren Jones MP for Bristol North West	Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister	Cabinet Office	1 September 2025 (14 days ago) (2025-09-01)
	Steve Reed MP for Streatham and Croydon North	Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South East	Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Minister for Intergovernmental Relations	Department for Work and Pensions	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Wes Streeting MP for Ilford North	Secretary of State for Health and Social Care	Department of Health and Social Care	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Bridget Phillipson MP for Houghton and Sunderland South	Secretary of State for Education Minister for Women and Equalities	Department for Education	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Ed Miliband MP for Doncaster North	Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Liz Kendall MP for Leicester West	Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Peter Kyle MP for Hove and Portslade	Secretary of State for Business and Trade President of the Board of Trade	Department for Business and Trade	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Heidi Alexander MP for Swindon South	Secretary of State for Transport	Department for Transport	29 November 2024 (9 months ago) (2024-11-29)
	Emma Reynolds MP for Wycombe	Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Lisa Nandy MP for Wigan	Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport	Department for Culture, Media and Sport	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Hilary Benn MP for Leeds South	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland Office	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Douglas Alexander MP for Lothian East	Secretary of State for Scotland	Scotland Office	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Jo Stevens MP for Cardiff East	Secretary of State for Wales	Wales Office	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon Life peer	Leader of the House of Lords Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	Office of the Leader of the House of Lords	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
Ministers Who Also Attend Cabinet Meetings
	Sir Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth	Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council	Office of the Leader of the House of Commons	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	Jonathan Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde	Government Chief Whip Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	HM Treasury	5 September 2025 (10 days ago) (2025-09-05)
	James Murray MP for Ealing North	Chief Secretary to the Treasury	HM Treasury	1 September 2025 (14 days ago) (2025-09-01)
	Anna Turley MP for Redcar	Minister without Portfolio	Cabinet Office	6 September 2025 (9 days ago) (2025-09-06)
	Richard Hermer, Baron Hermer Life peer	Attorney General for England and Wales Advocate General for Northern Ireland	Attorney General's Office	5 July 2024 (14 months ago) (2024-07-05)
	Jenny Chapman, Baroness Chapman of Darlington Life peer	Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office	28 February 2025 (6 months ago) (2025-02-28)