How politics works

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Government

Pawns and a map of the UK

The government is the name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Elected

When someone gets the most votes in an election.

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Pawns talking about the UK and Europe

The government has the power to make decisions that can affect the whole country and all the people who live here. They help make decisions about the European Union too.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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European Union

A group of 27 countries who have joined together to decide on policies and laws. 

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Pawns talking in front of a globe

The government also joins with the governments of other countries to make decisions that can affect people around the world.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Lots of pawns
Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Politician

Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.

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MP

Your MP is a politician who represents you when it comes to making decisions about things that affect the whole country.

You can vote to choose your MP at a General Election.

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A filled-in ballot paper going into a ballot box

We get to choose our government by voting for the people we want to become MPs and work for us in Parliament. This is called democracy.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Vote

Choosing someone in an election, or choosing an answer to a question.

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MP

Your MP is a politician who represents you when it comes to making decisions about things that affect the whole country.

You can vote to choose your MP at a General Election.

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Parliament

Parliament is made up of groups of people who run the country.

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Democracy

The system that means we can all have a say in who runs the country and how it is run.

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A calendar with "5 years" written on it

The election to vote for the government is called the General Election and we usually have one about every 5 years.

Election

The time when you get to choose a politician to represent you.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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General election

This is the time when people choose Members of Parliament and the Government to help run the country.

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A woman with her hands over her head in front of the Palace of Westminster

The government is made up of the political party who wins the general election.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Political party

This is a group of people who join together because they have similar ideas about things, like how to run the country.

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General election

This is the time when people choose Members of Parliament and the Government to help run the country.

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6 purple pawns facing 5 green pawns

The political party that comes second in a general election is called the official opposition. It is their job to keep an eye on what the government does, and to say what they would do if they were the government.

Political party

This is a group of people who join together because they have similar ideas about things, like how to run the country.

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General election

This is the time when people choose Members of Parliament and the Government to help run the country.

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Official opposition

This is the political party that comes second in a general election. It is their job to keep an eye on what the Government does, and to say what they would do if they were the Government.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Small pawns wearing rosettes around a larger pawn on a raised platform

The leader of the political party who wins the general election becomes the Prime Minister.

Leader

Person in charge.

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Political party

This is a group of people who join together because they have similar ideas about things, like how to run the country.

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General election

This is the time when people choose Members of Parliament and the Government to help run the country.

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Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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10 Downing Street

The Prime Minister is the head of the government. Once they are elected they get to live in the official house of the Prime Minister, which is 10 Downing Street, in London.

Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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10 Downing Street

The home of the Prime Minister.

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A large pawn wearing a rosette with a group of other smaller pawns on a podium

The Prime Minister's first job is to choose the other people who will help run the government. This group of people are called Cabinet ministers and they help the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Cabinet and Cabinet minister

The group that the Prime Minister chooses to run the Government. Each Cabinet minister runs a Government department, for example, the Minister for Health will run the Department for Health.

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Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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A folder

The Prime Minister and government have the job of coming up with ideas and plans about how to run the country. These ideas and plans are called policies.

Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Policy

This is a plan of action about how to do something.

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4 different folders

The government needs to think of lots of policies and so to make this easier the government is split up into different offices, called departments.

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Policy

This is a plan of action about how to do something.

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Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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Government department

The Government has lots of things to think about, like money, health, education, so to make it easier they set up different offices called departments. For example, the department responsible for people’s health is called the Department for Health.

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Two pawns talking about money and the UK by an open folder

The Prime Minister chooses Cabinet ministers to run each of these departments. Together with the Prime Minister they make decisions about how they want to run the country.

Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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Cabinet and Cabinet minister

The group that the Prime Minister chooses to run the Government. Each Cabinet minister runs a Government department, for example, the Minister for Health will run the Department for Health.

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Government department

The Government has lots of things to think about, like money, health, education, so to make it easier they set up different offices called departments. For example, the department responsible for people’s health is called the Department for Health.

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Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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A pawn wearing a rosette in front of an open folder with the words "Chancellor of the Exchequer" at the top

Cabinet ministers are responsible for different areas of life. The department responsible for the country’s money is called the Treasury and the Cabinet minister who runs the Treasury is called the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Cabinet and Cabinet minister

The group that the Prime Minister chooses to run the Government. Each Cabinet minister runs a Government department, for example, the Minister for Health will run the Department for Health.

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Government department

The Government has lots of things to think about, like money, health, education, so to make it easier they set up different offices called departments. For example, the department responsible for people’s health is called the Department for Health.

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Treasury

The Government department responsible for the country’s money.

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Cabinet and Cabinet minister

The group that the Prime Minister chooses to run the Government. Each Cabinet minister runs a Government department, for example, the Minister for Health will run the Department for Health.

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Treasury

The Government department responsible for the country’s money.

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Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Cabinet Minister who runs the Treasury.

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11 Downing Street

This person lives next door to the Prime Minister at 11 Downing Street.

Prime Minister

The leader of the Government.

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11 Downing Street

The home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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6 different folders and pawns

There are lots of other Cabinet ministers who run departments like the Department of Health, the Department of Transport, the Foreign Office, and the Home Office.

Cabinet and Cabinet minister

The group that the Prime Minister chooses to run the Government. Each Cabinet minister runs a Government department, for example, the Minister for Health will run the Department for Health.

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Government department

The Government has lots of things to think about, like money, health, education, so to make it easier they set up different offices called departments. For example, the department responsible for people’s health is called the Department for Health.

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Pawns wearing a £ sign in front of a folder with a "£ sign" in the front

There are lots of other people who are not politicians who work in these Government departments. They are called civil servants and anyone can apply for these jobs.

Politician

Politicians are ordinary people who decide they want to help run the country. They become politicians by winning an election.

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Government department

The Government has lots of things to think about, like money, health, education, so to make it easier they set up different offices called departments. For example, the department responsible for people’s health is called the Department for Health.

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Civil servants

They work in Government departments but they are not politicians. For example, if a minister needs information about accessible transport, they ask a civil servant who works in the Department of Transport to find it for them.

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A question mark

To find out more about the work of the government you can go to
www.direct.gov.uk (The website will open in a different window.)

Government

The name for the group of people who are elected to help run the country.

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