Current system[edit]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy^[2] governed via a Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. It comprises the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.^[2][3]


The UK operates a system of devolution from a central UK parliament and prime minister as head of government, to the devolved legislatures of the Scottish Parliament, Senedd and Northern Ireland Assembly with their respective first ministers. In England, Greater London, combined authorities, and the counties of Cornwall and Yorkshire, have varying degrees of devolved powers. There are proposals for an England-wide or regional devolution.^[4][5]


The constitution of the United Kingdom is an uncodified constitution. There are two chambers of the UK parliament: the House of Commons and House of Lords. The UK has various overseas territories and crown dependencies, and is composed of three legal jurisdictions.