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Downing Street

Downing Street is a street located in Central London, in the Whitehall area of the City of Westminster. The street is famous worldwide for housing the official residences of the Prime Minister (Number 10, Downing Street), and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (11, Downing Street). Technically, the residences are specifically designated for the First and Second Lords of the Treasury, and it is the case that all modern Prime Ministers have been First Lord of the Treasury, and after 1827, all Chancellors of the Exchequer have been Second Lord of the Treasury.

Latest articles

PM backs Harman over ‘crash while she was on phone’

20.11.09
Harriet Harman given strong backing by Gordon Brown after she denies breaking law by crashing her car while using a mobile... more

From the pearls of Zadie to the D cups of Jordan

20.11.09
As 2010 draws nearer, the literary world is starting to ask: what were the defining novels of the Noughties?... more

Troops abroad 'are deprived of right to vote'

19.11.09
Ministers are facing demands to ensure that British troops fighting in Afghanistan or based abroad will be able to vote in the general election... more

2.4m pensioners face benefit cuts to fund care at home

19.11.09
Two benefits currently claimed by 2.4 million pensioners may be axed to fund free personal care, the Government confirmed... more

£50bn down the line, trains are worse than ever

19.11.09
Far from the grandiose promises of ministers and the Queen's Speech, there's a more simple statement that sums up the start of the day for thousands in the nation's capital... more

Designer to the stars returns with her creative guru (aged eight)

19.11.09
For more than a decade she was the height of fashion, designing clothes for Kate Winslet, Cherie Blair and Princess Diana... more

Tony Blair's supporters admit defeat in bid to win EU presidency

16.11.09
Allies of Tony Blair conced he is unlikely to win his fight to become Europe's first full-time president... more

Downing Street work experience girl gives Prime Minister 10 out of 10

03.08.09
She became the most famous work experience girl in the country after asking the Prime Minister for a placement in Downing Street... more

Met rebels win battle to wear £1 flag badges backing troops

29.07.09
Scotland Yard has been forced into a U-turn after officers revolted against a ban on wearing Union flag badges in support of British troops... more

Browns show off the fruits of their labour in Downing Street garden

23.07.09
Gordon and Sarah Brown have shown off their own vegetable patch in the back garden at Downing Street... more

No 10 aides work through night to keep lid on coup

05.06.09
A Downing Street rescue operation was in full swing as Gordon Brown’s allies moved to prevent James Purnell’s resignation from tipping into a full-blown coup... more

Reid ‘told PM to stand down at No 10 meeting’

04.06.09
Labour heavyweight John Reid has told Gordon Brown that he should consider quitting, the Standard has learned... more

You're fired, Gordon... or is Sir Alan a new No10 apprentice?

04.06.09
Sir Alan Sugar, the star of TV's The Apprentice, produced a swirl of rumours around Westminster today as he visited 10 Downing Street... more

David Cameron throws down gauntlet on constitutional reform in wake of MPs expenses

26.05.09
David Cameron moves to outflank Gordon Brown over the MPs expenses scandal with plans to slash the powers of Downing Street and open up Parliament... more

I've shared in the hell of the No 10 bunker

15.05.09
I remember it well. You could cut the despair like one of those maggot-filled cheeses they serve you in northern Spain. Downing Street is not a nice place to be in the death-throes of a regime... more

Harman pledges to relax Gurkha rules

07.05.09
Harriet Harman announced that concessions would be made to end the Gurkha row... more

Leaders to leave No10 party with goodie bags

31.03.09
World leaders will be given a G20 goodie bag as they leave a dinner in Downing Street tomorrow evening... more

Pork is scratched off the menu for Jamie Oliver's diplomatic dinners

27.03.09
Jamie Oliver may have lobbied us to buy British pork but he won't be serving it to the world's most powerful leaders at next week's G20 banquet in Downing Street... more

£1.3m spent on Downing Street repairs

13.03.09
More than £1 million of taxpayers' money was spent on repairs and maintenance on the Downing Street estate in 2007-08, the Prime Minister said... more

Demonstrators bear down on Westminster in fight against Heathrow expansion

20.02.09
Climate change activists demonstrated outside Downing Street against the Government's permission for a third Heathrow runway... more

Exploit No 10, Blears tells candidates

03.02.09
Labour faced a new sleaze row after a Cabinet minister urged election candidates to use Downing Street to promote themselves... more

Exploit No 10, Blears tells candidates

03.02.09
Labour faced a new sleaze row after a Cabinet minister urged election candidates to use Downing Street to promote themselves... more

Athletes' fury as basketball funding is cut

17.12.08
Athletes objecting to government cuts to their funding for the 2012 Olympics are protesting at Downing Street... more

'Downing St dirty tricks behind outing of Kelly'

24.09.08
Claims of "dirty tricks" and "black ops" by Downing Street were rife as allies of Ruth Kelly feared she had become the latest victim of a campaign to flush out Labour rebels... more

Home Office confirms that leaked crime forecast is real

01.09.08
A Home Office document predicting a surge in crime, violence and extremism was confirmed as genuine... more

The feminist grandee with her eyes firmly fixed on Number 10

29.07.08
This week Harriet Harman is holding meetings in Downing Street and launching policy while the PM is away. Is she merely minding the shop - or positioning herself for power?... more

Don't panic ... and petrol will keep flowing

10.06.08
Downing Street urges drivers not to panic-buy fuel in the run up to a four-day tanker strike... more

The art of government is revealed

14.09.07
The Government's private collection of art, founded in 1898, is to be thrown open for a rare public viewing.... more
  • Facts
  • Number 9 Downing Street is the official residence of the Chief Whip, as well as being the Downing Street entrance to the Privy Council Office
  • The street was built by Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet, in the 1680’s on a plot of land awarded to him by Charles II for services to the King
  • Number 12 Downing Street is currently the home of the Prime Minister’s Information and Research Unit, Press Office, and Strategic Communications Unit.
  • In some cases, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer will agree to swap residences, the PM living in Number 11, and the Chancellor in Number 10. The last time this happened was after the 1997 General Election, when new PM Tony Blair took residence in the bigger Number 11 in order to have more space to raise his family, while then-single Chancellor Gordon Brown moved into Number 10
  • Due to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer being potential high value targets for organisations or individuals attempting to strike at the British government, armed police patrol the street, and there is always a uniformed police officer posted outside the door of Number 10.

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