2. Prime Minister and Cabinet Flashcards
UK Description of a traditional Cabinet Government
-Cabinet viewed as the decision making body.
-Any disputes within the government would be resolved in the cabinet.
-For a policy to become ‘official gov policy’, the cabinet would have to approve it.
-PM considered primus inter pares.
-The Prime Minister enjoyed a higher status than colleagues, but must make decisions with them.
Cabinet Function: Policy Formulation
Cabinet sets out the governments general principles over what legislation should contain. Detailed work on individual policy is carried out in smaller groups. The ban on smoking in pubs was debated in cabinet for example, but the actual wording of the text was drafted by the Department of Health.
Cabinet Function: Dealing with crisis:
-The cabinet often meets during difficult periods to present a show of unity and to agree a way forward.
Example: After black Wednesday when interest rates rocketed in 1992, the cabinet met to agree economic policy. In a crisis, the Prime Minister often relies on small teams of experts and advisors or upon the COBRA, the civil contingencies committee which handles matters of national emergency or major disruption.
Example: During the Iraq war for example, Blair relied on just a few ministers, including Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary and Jack Straw, the foreign secretary.
Cabinet Function: Controlling the parliamentary agenda
-The cabinet can be the forum whereby ministers compete to win parliamentary time for the legislation bad apartments wish to pass. Decisions on which legislation to prioritise are made elsewhere.
Example: In the 2010 to 2015 coalition, the cord met each week to discuss Liberal Democrat and conservative priorities.
Cabinet Function: Approving decisions made elsewhere such as in small cabinet committees
-Cabinet is an ‘endorsing body’.
Prime Minister can establish cabinet committees, which discuss, propose and, in some instances, decide policy. Boris Johnson created various Covid-19 committees that were tasked with implementing policies relating to health, economic matters and public services.
Cabinet function: Settling disputes
-Cabinet allows secretaries of state to advocate for their policy positions and to compromise when necessary.
-Example: decision to scrap Educational Maintenance Allowance for sixth-form students was only agreed upon once senior Liberal Democrat cabinet members in the 2010-2015 coalition secured extra funding for its replacement.
Bilateral Meetings with Cabinet members and PM:
-Also a method of resolving disputes.
Eg 2017 Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond held tense discussions over whether to scrap the planned rise in national insurance contributions.
Collective Ministerial Responsibility
The principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or leave the executive.
Individual Responsibility
Principle by which ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and for their departments.
Examples of Individual Ministerial Responsibility resignations:
-Amber Rudd inadvertently misled Parliament over whether she knew about regional removal targets for immigrants from the Windrush generation, and was forced to resign.
-Priti Patel arranged meetings with Israeli politicians without consulting the FCO (breach of ministerial code), and after an initial apology to PM May was forgiven, but more reports emerged of further meetings and she had to resign.
Examples of Ministerial resignations following personal misconduct:
-Chris Huhne 2012 Energy Secretary: criminal offence
-Andrew Mitchell 2012 Chief Whip: allegedly assaulting police officer at Downing Street with abusive language
Examples of erosion of Ministerial Responsibility:
-Gavin Williamson 2020 Education secretary made a serious mistake with his algorithm for A level and GCSE grades; he stayed in post, and instead head of OFQUAL had to resign.
-Priti Patel 2020 home secretary refused to resign over bullying allegations to Civil Servants despite them being proved in an inquiry.
Example of Ministers refusing to take Collective Ministerial Responsibility:
-Lady Sugg Junior Foreign Office Minister 2020: disagreed with ending commitment to spend 0.7% of UK budget on overseas aid.
-Sajid Javid Chancellor 2020 refused to accept replacement of his advisors with those chosen by PM.
Examples of Exceptions to Ministerial Responsibility:
-UK government was in coalition with Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, in 2010-2015, so CMR was abandoned for policies where there may be disagreement since there were two different parties, eg renewal of Trident Nuclear Missile system.
-Referendum debates Cameron’s government 2016; 5 members of his government campaigned to leave the EU while the rest wanted to remain; Cameron had to allow free expression of views over the matter.
