The prime minister is chief of the executive branch and the holder of the highest political office in the United Kingdom. The office of prime minister has evolved over nearly three centuries. It is both a cause and a consequence of that evolution that there is no single authoritative source of information on the prime minister’s role and powers.
With the role itself difficult to define, it is not surprising that the powers of the person who fulfils the role are similarly difficult to outline and assess. Most powers exercised by the prime minister are not defined in statute and cannot be found in one place. That the prime minister is powerful is not in doubt, but this power waxes and wanes over time and is dependent on many factors, including the political context within which the prime minister is operating.
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