UK politics, explained
Britain is split on the big questions. Here is how it all works, in plain English, with both sides of the argument.
Economy
- What is inflation?
- What is a recession?
- What is GDP?
- What are interest rates?
- What is the base rate?
- What is the national debt?
- What is the deficit?
- What is the budget?
- What is austerity?
- What is quantitative easing?
- What is a gilt?
- What are gilt yields?
- What is the cost of living crisis?
- What is the triple lock?
- What is universal credit?
- What is PIP?
- What is the state pension?
- What is the minimum wage?
- What is the MPC?
- What is the spending review?
- What is the autumn statement?
- What are the fiscal rules?
- What is fiscal headroom?
- What is public sector net debt?
- What is debt interest?
- What is CPI?
- What is stagflation?
- What is productivity?
- What is privatisation?
- What is nationalisation?
- What is the two child benefit cap?
- What is the living wage?
- What is universal basic income?
- What is the NHS budget?
- What is the defence budget?
Tax
- What is fiscal drag?
- What is income tax?
- What is national insurance?
- What is VAT?
- What is council tax?
- What is stamp duty?
- What is capital gains tax?
- What is inheritance tax?
- What is corporation tax?
- What is the personal allowance?
- What is a wealth tax?
- What is land value tax?
- What is a windfall tax?
- What is the energy profits levy?
- What is fuel duty?
- What is the higher rate tax threshold?
- What is the 60% tax trap?
- What is the marriage allowance?
- What is dividend tax?
- What is the isa allowance?
- What is the personal savings allowance?
- What is employer national insurance?
- What is salary sacrifice?
- What is business rates?
- What is the pension annual allowance?
- What is the residence nil rate band?
- What is agricultural property relief?
- What is VAT on private school fees?
- What is the sugar tax?
- What is air passenger duty?
- What is the apprenticeship levy?
- What is the digital services tax?
- What is a land value tax UK?
- What is the carbon border adjustment mechanism?
- What is the ev pay per mile tax?
- What is the mansion tax?
- What is full expensing?
- What is carried interest?
- What is the bank levy?
- What is a financial transaction tax?
- What is the frequent flyer levy?
Ideologies
- What is capitalism?
- What is socialism?
- What is communism?
- What is fascism?
- What is liberalism?
- What is conservatism?
- What is neoliberalism?
- What is populism?
- Left wing vs right wing
- What does left wing mean?
- What does right wing mean?
- What is keynesian economics?
- What is monetarism?
- What is modern monetary theory?
- What is social democracy?
- What is libertarianism?
- What is nationalism?
- What is classical liberalism?
- What is the third way?
- What is green politics?
- What is centrism?
- What is marxism?
- What is thatcherism?
Voting system
- What is a hung parliament?
- What is first past the post?
- What is proportional representation?
- How does a general election work?
- What is a by-election?
- What is a referendum?
- What is a coalition government?
- What is a minority government?
- What is confidence and supply?
- What is a majority government?
- How many seats for a majority UK?
- How many MPs are there?
- What is a constituency?
- What is tactical voting?
- What is the single transferable vote?
- What is the additional member system?
- What is the alternative vote?
- What is a snap election?
- When is the next general election?
- How is the prime minister chosen?
Institutions
- What is the bank of england?
- What does the chancellor do?
- What is the OBR?
- What is the house of lords?
- What is the house of commons?
- What is PMQs?
- What is a whip?
- What does the prime minister do?
- What is a vote of no confidence?
- What is the king's speech?
- What is royal assent?
- What does the king do in politics?
- What is a constitutional monarchy?
- What is the cabinet?
- What is the shadow cabinet?
- What is the opposition?
- What is the civil service?
- What is the cabinet office?
- What is the treasury?
- What is the home office?
- What is the speaker of the house of commons?
- What is a select committee?
- How does a bill become law?
- What is a private members bill?
- What is a white paper?
- What is a green paper?
- What is a free vote?
- What is an MP?
- What is a peer?
- What is a life peer?
- What is the supreme court?
- What is parliamentary sovereignty?
- Does the UK have a written constitution?
- What is a recall petition?
- What is the fixed term parliaments act?
- What is a quango?
Parties
- What is reform UK?
- What is a leadership election?
- What is a tory?
- What does labour stand for?
- What do the conservatives stand for?
- What does reform UK stand for?
- What do the lib dems stand for?
- What does the green party stand for?
- What is the SNP?
- What is plaid cymru?
- What is the DUP?
- What is sinn fein?
- What is a manifesto?
- Which political party am i?
Devolution
- What is devolution?
- What is the barnett formula?
- What is the scottish parliament?
- What is the senedd?
- What is stormont?
- What are reserved powers?
- What is the good friday agreement?
- What is the windsor framework?
- What is the first minister?
- What is a metro mayor?
- What is a combined authority?
- What is the west lothian question?
- What is scottish independence?
Laws/issues
- What is brexit?
- What is net zero?
- What is a four day week?
- What is the single market?
- What is the customs union?
- What is the echr?
- What is the human rights act?
- What is assisted dying?
- What is the generational smoking ban?
- What is trident?
- What is national service?
- What is the rwanda scheme?
- What is net migration?
- What is the levelling up fund?
- What is the disestablishment of the church of england?
- What is the right to roam?
- What is ecocide?
- What is minimum unit pricing?
- What is the age of criminal responsibility UK?
- What is gender self ID?
- What is conversion therapy ban?