Editing 11 Downing Street

{{Short description| Official residence of Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox building
| name             = 11 Downing Street
| image            = Ambassador Johnson meets Chancellor Hammond (36560214560).jpg
| image_alt        = A white building with a black door, with the number eleven on the door
| caption          = 
| location_town    = [[City of Westminster]]<br />[[London]], [[SW postcode area|SW1]]
| location_country = United Kingdom
| coordinates      = {{Coord|51.5034|-0.1278|region:GB-LND_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
| completion_date  = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1684}}
| architect        = [[Christopher Wren]]
| embedded         = {{designation list|embed=yes|designation1=Grade I|designation1_number=1356989<ref name="NHLE">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1356989|desc=11 Downing Street|accessdate=15 July 2016}}</ref>}}
| map_type         = United Kingdom London Westminster
| map_caption      = Location in Westminster
| client           = 
| current_tenants  = [[Rachel Reeves]] ([[Chancellor of the Exchequer]])
| logo             = 
| website          = http://www.number10.gov.uk/
| engineer         = 
| construction_start_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1682}}
| date_demolished  = 
| style            = [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]]
}}
'''11 Downing Street''' in [[London]], also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as '''Number 11''', is the official residence of the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] (who traditionally also has the title of [[Second Lord of the Treasury]]). The residence, in [[Downing Street]] in London, was built alongside the official residence of the Prime Minister at [[10 Downing Street|Number 10]] in 1682.

The first Chancellor to live there was [[Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne|Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice]] in 1806, but Number 11 did not become the Chancellor's official residence until 1828.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Number 11 Downing Street|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/history/11-downing-street|publisher=UK Government|access-date=16 October 2014}}</ref>

From 1997 to 2022, [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]]s [[Tony Blair]], [[Gordon Brown]], [[David Cameron]], [[Theresa May]] and [[Boris Johnson]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 July 2019 |title=Boris Johnson and girlfriend take bigger Downing Street flat, leaving smaller one for Javid family |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-prime-minister-downing-street-home-sajid-javid-no-10-family-a9025141.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-prime-minister-downing-street-home-sajid-javid-no-10-family-a9025141.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |access-date=31 January 2020 |website=The Independent}}{{cbignore}}</ref> chose to reside for all or part of their term of office in the flat above Number 11, as its residential apartment is larger than at Number 10. [[Rishi Sunak]] broke with this by resuming residence in the smaller flat above Number 10.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wingate |first=Sophie |date=2022-10-29 |title=Removal vans in Downing Street as Rishi Sunak moves in |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/rishi-sunak-downing-street-london-chequers-treasury-b1036170.html |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2022-10-26 |title=Living in Downing Street: Rishi Sunak and family move back in |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63404315 |access-date=2023-03-22}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-25 |title=Rishi has multi-million-pound pads, but he's the first PM since John Major to live in 10 Downing Street's flat |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/will-rishi-sunak-be-the-first-pm-to-shun-downing-street |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Tatler |language=en-GB}}</ref> Current Prime Minister [[Keir Starmer]], his wife [[Victoria Starmer|Victoria]], and their two children are expected to live above Number 11.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2507npnxqeo|title=Starmer thanks Hunt's children for 'sweet' notes|website=BBC News|date=12 July 2024|access-date=12 July 2024|last1=Mason|first1=Chris|last2=Capella|first2=Hannah}}</ref>

==Background==
Number 11 is part of a (blackened) yellow-brick Georgian-era [[10 Downing Street#A .22vast.2C awkward house.22: 1735.E2.80.931902|converted mansion]]. The building overlooks [[St. James's Park]] and [[Horse Guards Parade]] and consists—from left to right—of Numbers 12, 11 and 10.<ref>{{cite web|title='Plate 112: Nos. 10, 11, and 12, Downing Street, plan of ground floor', in Survey of London: Volume 14, St Margaret, Westminster, Part III: Whitehall II|first1=Montagu H.|last1= Cox |first2= G.|last2= Topham Forrest|location=London|year=1931|page=112|publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol14/pt3/plate-112 |access-date= 20 October 2022}}</ref>

Number 11 is located on the left side of [[10 Downing Street|Number 10]], the official residence of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] (or [[First Lord of the Treasury]]) since the early 19th century.  [[12 Downing Street|Number 12]], to the left of Number 11, is the official residence of the [[Chief Whip]], but it is now used as the Prime Minister's press office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/politics/nine-key-moments-as-leeds-hosts-rishi-sunak-and-liz-truss-conservative-leadership-hustings-3786324|title=Nine key moments as Leeds hosts Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss Conservative leadership hustings|date=29 July 2022|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post| access-date=20 October 2022}}</ref>

As a result of many internal alterations over the years, the three terraced houses are internally a single complex; one can walk from number 11 to number 10, via an internal connecting door, without using the street doors. The [[Cabinet Office]] on Whitehall is also directly connected to these at its rear making up an executive office of the prime Minister and senior [[Privy Councillor]]s.<ref>A. Seldon & J. Meakin (2016) ''The Cabinet Office, 1916-2016: The Birth of Modern Government'', London: Biteback, Chapter 6</ref>

The terraced house was one of several built by Sir [[Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet|George Downing]] between 1682 and 1684 to designs by [[Christopher Wren]]. It was altered c. 1723–35; refaced c. 1766–75 by [[Kenton Couse]] and with early C.19 alterations. Along with Number 10, it underwent a major reconstruction by [[Raymond Erith]], 1960–64.<ref>The Architect and Building News, 25 December 1963</ref> Despite reconstruction, the interior retains a fine staircase with carved bracket tread ends and three slender turned balusters per tread. The fine Dining Room of 1825–26 is by Sir [[John Soane]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://collections.soane.org/object-m546|title=Model for the domical ceiling to the eating-room at No. 11 Downing Street, designed by Sir John Soane|publisher=Sir John Soane's Museum|access-date=20 October 2022}}</ref>

==Recent occupancy==
When [[Tony Blair]] became Prime Minister in 1997 he chose to reside in Number 11, rather than Number 10, as it has a larger living area; Blair was living with his wife and their several young children, while [[Gordon Brown]], the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was still a bachelor.<ref>{{cite web | title=10 Downing Street Today | url=http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page7410.asp | access-date=29 May 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070607025140/http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page7410.asp| archive-date= 7 June 2007 <!--Added by DASHBot-->}}</ref> In 2007, when Brown became Prime Minister, he at first chose to live in Number 11,<ref>{{Cite report|url=https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN03367|title=Ministerial Residences|first1=Michael|last1=Everett|first2=Keith|last2=Parry|date=21 July 2016|access-date=31 January 2020|via=researchbriefings.parliament.uk}}</ref> but soon moved back to Number 10.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/shortcuts/2016/aug/22/who-lives-no-9-downing-street-brexit|title=Who lives at No 9 Downing Street?|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 August 2016| access-date=10 October 2022}}</ref>

Following the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], the incoming prime minister, [[David Cameron]], moved into 11, and [[George Osborne]] chose to remain in his [[Notting Hill]] home.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/georgeosborne/7855145/George-Osborne-spurns-Downing-Street-to-remain-a-Notting-Hill-Tory.html | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=George Osborne spurns Downing Street to remain a Notting Hill Tory | date=26 June 2010}}</ref> In early August 2011, Osborne moved into Number 10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3LrMh99XJ1Xsh7GtrvH1s8H/10-surprising-facts-about-number-10-downing-street|title=BBC Radio 4 – Gardeners' Question Time – 10 Surprising facts about Number 10 Downing Street|website=BBC|access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref>

[[Boris Johnson]] lived in Number 11, instead of his first and second Chancellor ([[Sajid Javid]] and [[Rishi Sunak]], respectively). In March 2020, Johnson refurbished the residential apartment at Number 11. An [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] inquiry investigated the financing of this refurbishment.<ref>{{Cite news|date=28 April 2021|title=Electoral Commission to investigate Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat renovations|work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56915307|access-date=29 April 2021}}</ref> This was known in the press as the [[Downing Street refurbishment controversy|Cash-for-Curtains scandal]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Cash for curtains: will No. 10 refurb inquiry end up costing PM? |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/politics/952681/cash-for-curtains-how-will-downing-street-refurb-inquiry-end |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The Week}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ivens |first1=Martin |title=Boris Johnson's Wallpaper Is a Gamble on Britain's Class Divisions |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-05-01/cash-for-curtains-boris-johnson-should-have-a-nicely-decorated-home |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=Bloomberg}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |title=Boris Johnson furious as inquiry launched into 'cash for curtains' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/apr/28/boris-johnson-fury-inquiry-cash-for-curtains-electoral-commission-downing-street |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Maise |first1=Desné |title=DESNÉ MASIE: Could the 'cash for curtains' scandal be the UK's Nkandla? |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2021-05-02-desn-masie-could-the-cash-for-curtains-scandal-be-the-uks-nkandla/ |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=Business Day}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=BoJo 'Cash for Curtains' scandal: "Why lie and cover up in order to bring gaudy gold wallpaper?" |url=https://theglobalherald.com/news/bojo-cash-for-curtains-scandal-why-lie-and-cover-up-in-order-to-bring-gaudy-gold-wallpaper/ |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The Global Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Joe |title=Boris and Carrie may have to hand over personal emails to 'cash for curtains' inquiry |url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/29/boris-johnson-and-carrie-symonds-may-have-to-hand-emails-to-electoral-commission-14491067/ |access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Woodcock |first1=Andrew |title=Labour seeks Commons standards probe into Boris Johnson flat funding |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-flat-standards-commissioner-b1839733.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-flat-standards-commissioner-b1839733.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |agency=The Independent}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Rishi Sunak broke with this by resuming residence in the smaller flat above Number 10.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=67935 11 Downing Street] section from the ''[[Survey of London]]'' online
{{Downing Street}}

[[Category:Official residences in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Houses in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:National government buildings in London]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses in London]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures on Downing Street]]