2.3.3 Roles of the cabinet

Question 1

How does the cabinet deal with the rest of the executive?

Answer 1

• since many decisions are taken elsewhere within the executive, a core function of the cabinet is to approve them, so providing them with the seal of government policy: this maintains the unity of the government
• the cabinet provides the key forum in which government policies are legitimised

Question 2

How does the cabinet determine key issues of policy?

Answer 2

example one - in 1976, James Callaghan allowed the cabinet to freely debate whether to accept a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF);

all sides presented their cases on the understanding that at the end a consensus would be reached & that would be government policy;

example two - in 2018, May summoned the cabinet Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat, to determine what the government’s bargaining position should be in the final stages of her Brexit negotiations

Question 3

What impact does the cabinet make on the government?

Answer 3

• a key role of cabinet is to decide how the government will determine business:
• if controversial legislation is going to be introduced into Parliament, the cabinet will need to discuss how it is best presented & minister will need to know when they should be available on the front benches to enthusiastically support it;
• the chief whip will also explain whether there is likely to be a sufficient government majority for a bill & so the cabinet may debate any concessions they may need to make in order to win parliamentary support

Question 4

How do the cabinet help with disputes?

Answer 4

if a dispute between two departments of state is proving impossible to resolve, the issue may be brought to cabinet as a final court of appeal to resolve it; **this was particularly significant when departmental conflicts had to be resolved during the 2010-15 coalition

Question 5

What impact do PMs make on the cabinet?

Answer 5

• PMs also appoint cabinet committees to develop & implement specific policy
• This can be an effective way of enhancing prime ministerial authority, since the prime minister determines the membership, number & remit (department) of the committees
• the decisions of cabinet committees possess the same legitimacy as decisions of the full cabinet: the PM chooses to chair committees on issues that are particularly important to the government; for example, Boris Johnson decided to chair the COVID-19 Strategy Committee & the Climate Action Strategy Committee