🏠How Someone Becomes Prime Minister

How a general election leads to a government being formed.

1. A General Election

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   MPs are elected at a General Election, which is held at least every five years. The UK is divided into constituencies, each electing one MP.

2. First past the post

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   MPs are elected through first past the post. In each constituency the candidate who gets the most votes is elected.

   using the system of

3. A party wins a majority

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   The government is usually formed by the party that wins a majority of constituencies. If no party wins a majority, two parties may join to form a coalition.

   and then

4. The monarch invites a leader

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   The monarch invites the leader of the party with the most MPs, or the leader of a coalition, to become the Prime Minister.

   so the monarch

5. The PM appoints a cabinet

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   The new Prime Minister appoints about 20 senior MPs as cabinet ministers in charge of departments such as the economy, the Home Office and defence.

   who then

6. Government and opposition

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   The largest party forms the government, while the second-largest party becomes the opposition, challenging the government's policies.