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Where is Downing Street? The iconic address where the UK Prime Minister resides
After Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 UK general election on Thursday, there will be new a tenant at the famous London address.
Sitting in the middle of a cul-de-sac a few minutes away from the Parliament building, just off Whitehall, Number 10 Downing Street may be, along with the White House, one of the most iconic addresses in the world, and certainly one of the most well-known political hubs on the planet.
Its famous black door has opened up for Prime Ministers since 1735 and sitting in the heart of London, it has been the stage for some of the most impactful decisions ever to be taken in the modern age.
As put by the UK Government website, both the “First and Second World Wars were directed from within it, as were the key decisions about the end of the empire, the building of the British nuclear bomb, the handling of economic crises from the Great Depression in 1929 to the great recession, and the building up of the welfare state”.
Did you know?
The last private resident of Downing's terrace was one Mr Chicken.
Does the UK Prime Minister live in 10 Downing Street?
Number 10 Downing Street, according to the official government website, has three primary functions: “it is the official residence of the British Prime Minister: it is their office, and it is also the place where the Prime Minister has entertained guests from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to presidents of the United States and other world leaders”.
After steering his party to a landslide victory in Thursday’s 2024 general election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will become 10 Downing Street’s latest incumbent.
Despite its dainty appearance, ‘number 10′ has in fact taken over plenty of space from its neighbouring houses, including number 12, accessed by a corridor that runs through 11 Downing Street, the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
A real street with a genuine postcode - SW1A - the official government version of events states that the history of the area dates back to the time of the Romans, being “home to ancient Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Norman settlements” and being recognised as a “prestigious centre of government 1,000 years ago”.