Cabinet of the United Kingdom facts for kids
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Royal Arms version used by the UK Government since October 2024
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.jpg) Cabinet Room, 10 Downing Street |
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| Cabinet overview | |
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| Formed | 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 top government officials in the United Kingdom. It's like a special committee of the Privy Council. The Prime Minister leads it, and its members are important people like Secretaries of State and other senior Ministers. The Prime Minister chooses these members. They are usually from the House of Commons or the House of Lords, which are the two parts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The Cabinet's main job is to make big decisions about how the country is run. This includes important public issues and solving disagreements between different government departments. The Shadow Cabinet, made up of members from the main opposition party, watches over the Cabinet's work.
Contents
History of the UK Cabinet
How the Cabinet System Started
For a long time, back in the 1500s, government officials had their own jobs given by the King or Queen. The King and the Privy Council were the only groups that brought everyone together. The idea of "cabinet counsel" meant private advice given to the monarch in a small room.
The word "cabinet" for a group of advisors first appeared in 1644. Back then, it was seen as a new and perhaps not-so-good idea, often linked to foreign ways of governing.
From Chief Ministers to Modern Cabinets
Before the modern Cabinet, England had "chief ministers" who led the government for the monarch. These groups of ministers were like early versions of today's Cabinet.
The Cabinet became the main decision-making group in British government during the time of King George I. He and George II relied a lot on these advisors. This was because they weren't native English speakers and didn't know much about British politics. The word "minister" came from royal officers who "ministered" (served) the King or Queen. Many English-speaking countries now use the term "Cabinet" for their top government groups.
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The way the modern Cabinet works was largely set up by Prime Minister David Lloyd George between 1916 and 1922. He created the Cabinet Office and a system for meetings, notes, and clear roles for ministers. This new system was needed during the First World War. Faster and more organised decisions were vital for the war effort. This included decisions on joining the army, working with other countries, and making weapons. These big decisions were made and watched over by a special "War Cabinet."
After the war, the country faced many challenges. These included a big strike in 1926, the Great Depression in the early 1930s, and the rise of new political ideas like Bolshevism and fascism. Events like the Spanish Civil War and Germany getting stronger also led to the Second World War. The Cabinet system helped the government deal with these difficult times.
Who is in the Cabinet?
Choosing Cabinet Members
The Prime Minister decides who will be a member of the Cabinet and who attends its meetings.
There's a limit to how many Cabinet ministers can get a salary, which is 21, plus the Lord Chancellor. Some ministers, like the Attorney General, might attend Cabinet meetings but are not full members. This is because their job needs them to be independent and not too involved in political decisions.
All Cabinet ministers must also be privy counsellors. This is a traditional requirement.
Most Cabinet members are chosen from the House of Commons or the House of Lords. This is a long-standing rule, though it has been broken for short times in the past. Today, almost all Cabinet members are from the House of Commons.
Other people, like civil servants from the Cabinet Office and special advisors, can attend Cabinet meetings. However, they do not take part in the discussions or decision-making.
Some experts think the modern Cabinet has become too big. They have suggested ideas like combining some government jobs to make it smaller and more efficient.
Cabinet Meetings
Most Cabinet meetings happen in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street, which is the Prime Minister's official home. Sometimes, they meet in other places too.
The day of the week for meetings has changed over time. It used to be Thursday, then Gordon Brown changed it to Tuesday. David Cameron moved it back to Thursday, and Theresa May switched it back to Tuesday.
How long meetings last depends on the Prime Minister's style and what's happening in politics. Modern meetings can be as short as 30 minutes. All ministers in the Cabinet must agree with the decisions made, even if they disagreed in private. This is called collective ministerial responsibility.
Why the Cabinet is Important
The Prime Minister's Role
The King or Queen officially appoints and can remove Cabinet ministers, but they always do this on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also decides which ministers are responsible for which government departments.
The Cabinet has always been led by the Prime Minister. In the past, the Prime Minister was seen as "primus inter pares" (first among equals). But today, the Prime Minister is the main leader of the government. They have the power to choose and remove Cabinet ministers and control what the Cabinet discusses. How much power the Prime Minister has compared to the rest of the Cabinet can change depending on political situations and the people involved.
Decision-Making and Power
In theory, the Cabinet is the main group that makes decisions for the government. This idea was popular in the 1800s. However, some people believe that the Cabinet's power to make decisions has gone down over the years. They think that the Prime Minister now has more power, leading to a "prime ministerial" government. Today, the Prime Minister usually releases a list showing the order of importance of all Cabinet ministers.
The power of the Prime Minister grew a lot in the early 1900s. Leaders like David Lloyd George, Stanley Baldwin, and Winston Churchill became very strong figures.
Some groups, like the Institute for Government, say that fewer full Cabinet meetings mean the Cabinet is less important as a formal decision-making body. However, others, like expert Vernon Bogdanor, argue that this actually makes the Cabinet stronger. He believes it allows more work to be done efficiently in smaller Cabinet committees.
Many Prime Ministers have had a "kitchen cabinet." This is a small group of trusted advisors, who might or might not be official Cabinet members. Some people have said that in recent governments, especially under Tony Blair, many big decisions were made before the actual Cabinet meetings. This was called "sofa government" and was criticised for not involving the whole Cabinet enough.
The Prime Minister's ability to control the Cabinet and the government's power in Parliament gives the British Prime Minister a lot of influence. This has sometimes been called an "elective dictatorship." The media often questions the government strongly because Parliament might not always be able to hold it accountable.
The classic idea of Cabinet government was that the Prime Minister was "first among equals." But later, experts like Richard Crossman and Tony Benn argued that the Prime Minister had gained more power. They felt that "prime ministerial government" was a better description. Crossman said this was due to strong political parties, a united civil service, and the growth of the Prime Minister's personal office.
Politician Graham Allen and academic Michael Foley have even suggested that the Prime Minister's job has become like a president's. However, a Prime Minister's power over their Cabinet depends on how much support they have from their political party. If the party is divided, the Prime Minister might have to include powerful members from different groups in the Cabinet. The Prime Minister's power is also less if their party is sharing power or in a formal coalition with another party, like the Cameron–Clegg coalition from 2010 to 2015.
Current Cabinet
The current Cabinet is led by the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He took over after the Sunak ministry following the 2024 General Election. As of November 29, 2024, Prime Minister Starmer is still putting his Cabinet together.
Starmer ministry |
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| Minister |
Office(s) | Department | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet ministers | ||||
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The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP for Holborn and St Pancras |
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury |
Cabinet Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP for Ashton-under-Lyne |
Deputy Prime Minister
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government |
Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP for Leeds West and Pudsey |
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Second Lord of the Treasury |
HM Treasury | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South East |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
Cabinet Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon David Lammy MP for Tottenham |
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley |
Secretary of State for the Home Department | Home Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon John Healey MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough |
Secretary of State for Defence | Ministry of Defence | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP for Birmingham Ladywood |
Lord Chancellor
Secretary of State for Justice |
Ministry of Justice | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP for Ilford North |
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Department of Health and Social Care | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP for Houghton and Sunderland South |
Secretary of State for Education
Minister for Women and Equalities |
Department for Education | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon 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 |
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The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP for Leicester West |
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Department for Work and Pensions | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde |
Secretary of State for Business and Trade | Department for Business and Trade |
5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP for Hove and Portslade |
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP for Swindon South |
Secretary of State for Transport | Department for Transport | 29 November 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Steve Reed MP for Streatham and Croydon North |
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP for Wigan |
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP for Leeds South |
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP for Edinburgh South |
Secretary of State for Scotland | Scotland Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP for Cardiff East |
Secretary of State for Wales | Wales Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP for Manchester Central |
Leader of the House of Commons | Office of the Leader of the House of Commons | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon The Baroness Smith of Basildon Life peer |
Leader of the House of Lords | Office of the Leader of the House of Lords | 5 July 2024 |
| Ministers who also attend Cabinet | ||||
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The Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth |
Government Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury |
HM Treasury | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP for Bristol North West |
Chief Secretary to the Treasury | HM Treasury | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon The Lord Hermer Life peer |
Attorney General for England and Wales
Advocate General for Northern Ireland |
Attorney General's Office | 5 July 2024 |
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The Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP for Oxford East |
Minister of State for Development
Minister of State for Women and Equalities |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 6 July 2024 |
Images for kids
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Cabinet Office, London
See also
- British Government frontbench
- List of female cabinet members of the United Kingdom
- Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet
- United Kingdom cabinet committee
