2.4.1 Ministerial responsibility - description & overview

Question 1

Describe the concept of collective responsibility

Answer 1

• the principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or leave the executive
• governing the UK is a collective exercise on the whole; while the PM does have prerogative powers, decisions are taken collectively by the executive: this means that all ministers (whether in the cabinet or not) are collectively responsible for all executive policies & decisions
• it is a constitutional convention that has existed since the 18th century & is considered a cornerstone of cabinet government

Question 2

Describe the two main components of collective responsibility

Answer 2

1. the principle that ministers should be able to have free & frank discussions prior to coming to a collective decision, & that these discussions should remain confidential
2. once a position has been agreed in cabinet, all ministers are expected to abide by that position & vote with the government, or else resign from office

Question 3

What expectations are PMs typically following?

Answer 3

• PMs can take a flexible approach to collective responsibility, such as overlooking media coverage which suggests there are ministerial disagreements or leaks of information from government: however, in both cases it depends on the severity of the breach & the context in which it has occurred
• the strength of the PM’s own position can influence his or her’s willingness to enforce collective responsibility

Question 4

Example: How did Boris Johnson approach his ministerial role?

Answer 4

• between 2016 & 2018, the then foreign secretary Boris Johnson wrote articles & participated in newspaper interviews in which he set out positions that were not government policy
• but Theresa May, the PM at the time, decided not to discipline him for these transgressions