The UK Government and Prime Ministers

The UK has no President. Constitutionally the Head of State is the Queen who has very few formal powers and stays above party politics. In practice, the most important person in the British political system is the Prime Minister. In theory, the Prime Minister simply chooses the ministers who run Government departments and chairs the Cabinet – the collection of the most senior of those Ministers. In practice, however, the Prime Minister is a very powerful figure and increasingly has been behaving much like a president in other political systems, especially in the area of foreign policy. The most important political department is called the Treasury – in most countries, this would be called the Ministry of Finance. It is responsible for the raising of all taxes and the control of all government expenditure plus the general management of the economy. The head of the Treasury is called the Chancellor of the Exchequer (казна).

The official residence of the Prime Minister is at 10 Downing Street. One of the most famous world political addresses, Downing Street, was built as a result of one man’s scheming (мошенничество). Downing was one of the earliest graduates of Harvard University. He came back to England during the Civil War, and by 1650 he was Cromwell’s intelligence chief. Then he served the king, bought the lands near Westminster with the help of his political influence and built houses for a quick turnover. They were built cheaply, with poor foundations for the boggy ground. Different people built their homes there including the daughter of Charles II.

In 1730 King George II presented one of the houses on Downing Street to Robert Walepole, who served as the first prime minister. Walpole refused the property in Downing Street as a personal gift. Instead he asked the King to make it available to him, and future First Lords of the Treasury, in their official capacity. To this day prime ministers occupy Number 10 in the role of First Lord of the Treasury. The brass letter box on the black front door is still engraved with this title.

To the present day 51 men and one woman have passed through the doors of Number 10 Downing Street as British Prime Minister. During this time an extraordinary range of characters have been handed the keys to one of the most famous front doors in the world.

Today regarded as the first British prime minister, Walpole would not have described himself as such. The title was officially recognized in 1905. Walpole did, however, have many of the duties of the modern prime minister. Walpole was also the first to live and work in 10 Downing Street.

Walpole prevented Britain of wares and it was one of the reasons of the countries economical rise in the XVIII. Walpole was an effective politician, but often reached his purposes with the help of corruption. In 1728 “The Beggars’ Opera” by John Gay was staged in London. It made a grandiose success. It was a satire of the British political life and personally Walpole. Once he visited the performance and heard a song hinting his bribery. Public began to applaud and glanced with an interest at Walpole’s box. On the ending of the song, Walpole put out from the box and a loud voice asked to repeat a song. The public was delighted, and there was a storm of applause for Prime Minister.

With his 20 years Walpole was the longest-ruling prime-minister. Walpole also left behind a famous collection of art which he had assembled during his career. This collection was sold by his grandson to the Russian Empress Catherine II in 1779. This collection — which was regarded as one of the finest in Europe — now lies in the Hermitage.

Taking up office at the age of 24 William Pitt was the youngest ever prime minister. A popular ditty commented that it was “a sight to make all nations stand and stare: a kingdom trusted to a schoolboy’s care.” But his care led the country through major events including the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, allowed to regain financial stability for Britain after the American War of Independence, and brought Union with Ireland. He was unmarried on his death and in debt to the tune of £40,000. Parliament agreed to pay the sum on his behalf, and granted Pitt the honour of burial in Westminster Abbey.

Robert Peel’s period in government – as prime minister and in other offices – was a milestone for social reform: cutting working hours for women and children, creating cheap and regular rail services and organising the police of London. Peel’s father was extremely ambitious for him, grooming him for politics and buying him his Commons seat. It is claimed that he told his son “Bob, if you do not become prime minister some day I’ll disinherit you”. As Home Secretary, Peel also created the Metropolitan Police in 1829, leading to the nicknames of “Bobby” for London’s police officers.