Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Uk Politics > 3 - The Prime Minister and Cabinet > Flashcards

3 - The Prime Minister and Cabinet Flashcards

1
Q

What must all members of the government must display

A

loyalty to the PM and defence of all policy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the main functions of the pm

A

Leading the government

Selecting the cabinet and junior ministers

Being the dominant figure in the core executive

Party leader

Main “Defender and explainer” of policy

charing cabinet meetings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Example of the pm representing the country abroad

A

The 2021 Glasgow COP26 Conference on climate change

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the Prime ministers main powers

A

Prerogative powers
shaping and deciding policy
commander in chief of armed forces
Arangeing the structure cabinet committees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the PM’s resources

A

High media profile
Their party majority’s (Often)
THe civil service

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Example of a PM without a mandate

A

In 2007 Gordon Brown was said to be weaker due to not having a mandate to rule

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How big is the cabinet and who’s in it

A

Team of just over 20, includes ministers and the chief whip and more senior members

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Who are part of cabinet committees

A

Most members are mp’s, can normally a couple of peers including the HOL leader

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why do prime ministers do a cabinet reshuffle

A

To bring in new talent or freshen up the team, to sack underperforming ministers or gaps from resignations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is collective cabinet responsibility

A

The principle that the cabinet ministers always backs it’s decisions in public

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Example of a formal vote in cabinet

A

In may 2018 the brexit “War cabinet” subcommittee rejected the prime ministers plan for a customs partnership with the eu 6-5

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Example of an inner cabinet and explanation

A

When a small group on senior cabinet members

Blairs sofa government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a cabinet committee

A

Groups of ministers that take collective decision many of them routine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What happened to committees in 2017

A

A reduce to leave only 5 with the pm chairing 4 of them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Are decisions made by cabinet committees as binding as a cabinet meeting

A

YES

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

3 Examples of cabinet committees

A

national security council

European union exit and trade committee

Covid-19 strategy committee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Function of the european union exit and trade committee

A

Oversees the uk’s exit negotiations with the eu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Function of the national security council committee

A

the main forum for discussion and consideration of government objectives for national security

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Example of a PM’s policy agenda

A

Johnsons “get brexit done”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Significance of the pm policy agenda

A

PM’s seek to prioritise their key polices so to leave their mark and leave a tangible legacy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Examples of how the cabinet plays in policy making

A

Will discuss and debate policy

Where here are disagreements, such as spending priorities they are sorted in cabinet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Significance of the cabinet in policy making

A

Often considerable, especially if the party is divided eg, much of the finer details for the brexit negotiations from 2017 onwards was in the cabinet

23
Q

Examples of how senior civil servants have a hand in policy making

A

Can offer advice and guidance to government ministers, crucial in the delivery of the policy eg the 2012 London olympics

Influence ministers by “Speaking truth into power”,

24
Q

Significance of senior civil servants in policy making

A

AS permanent and non-party political views, they have an unbiased view

Provides long experience of government and how to handle issues

25
Q

Examples of special advisors roles in policy making

A

Party-political figures hand picked by the pm

temporary civil servants, so not required to be unbiased

Normally replaced by an incoming PM

26
Q

Significance of special advisors role in policy making

A

Have assumed increasing prominence and notoriety in recent years eg, Dominic Cummings

Frequently seen to have the ear of the prime minister and have a big part in policy eg, most of Johnsons hard-line approach to brexit was due to the influence of cummings

27
Q

What the easiest method to get policy decided upon

A

The manifesto pledges - Get Brexit done 2019

28
Q

Why is it bad if PM’s are isolated

A

Policy’s are hard to pass with Backbench rebellions and arguments in cabinet

29
Q

Example of a policy that would be made from unforeseen circumstances

A

Policy’s after the 7/7 london bombings and covid-19

30
Q

In theory how should the pm and cabinets relationship be

A

Harmonious and fruitful with the cabinet being selected by the pm and them mostly being from the same party

31
Q

Examples of cabinet factions

A

Mays - Remainers vs brexiteers

32
Q

What do most cabinets have and an example

A

Big Beast politicians eg, Johnson in Mays government until his resignation over her brexit deal in july 2018

33
Q

Key ideas for individual ministerial responsibility

A

Ministers are responsible for their actions
Answers questions from the commons and public
In theory mistakes and policy failure should lead to a resignation
Ministers who break the ministerial code should resign

34
Q

Example of a minister blaming someone else for their policy failure

A

In 2020 the chief civil servant for the department of education Johnathan slater, was sacked over the a levels and gcse controversy while gavin Williamson stayed until a reshuffle

35
Q

Key principles of the ministerial code

A

Avoiding conflicts of interest between public and private life
Not accepting gifts/bribes
Upholding civil servants impartiality
Abiding by collective cabinet responsibility

36
Q

Example of the pm breaking the ministerial code

A

Jonson in 2021 accepted a donation of 60k to refurbish his downing street house

37
Q

Key ideas of collective cabinet responsibility

A

The convention that all ministers should publicly support policies and promote them
A minister who cannot agree to a policy should resign
Helps them look united in the media

38
Q

When is collective cabinet responsibility suspended

A

When clear divisions happen and major votes, eg david Cameron before the Brexit vote

39
Q

Example of ministers not resigning after breaking collective ministerial responsibility

A

Ken clarke and Theresa May had conflicting statements about the future of the human rights act in 2010-11

40
Q

Example of a minister resigning due to individual responsibility

A

An inquiry found serious flaws in procedures and practises from civil servants regarding a selling of land for an airfield

Sir Thomas dugdale resigned as minister of agriculture in 1954 due to it, while not even having a decision on the final agreement. He resigned due to taking responsibility for his ministers

41
Q

Example of a minister resigning due to collective responsibility

A

Iain Duncan Smith’s resigned as work and pensions secretary in 2016

This was due to planned disability costs which he couldn’t support

42
Q

Examples of resignations over policy difference

A

Rubin Cook 2003 over iraq war

Caroline Ansell in 2020 over funding of free school meals over half terms ( A conservative that wanted it to happen)

43
Q

Reasons for ministers to lose office

A

Cabinet reshuffle
Seen as underperforming
Ill health
Personal scandal

44
Q

Example of a minister losing office

A

2021 Matt Hancock broke social distancing rules while going to town in a secret affair

45
Q

Background and motives of the poll tax 1990

A

It was a longstanding conservative policy to reform local government taxation and create a domestic tax in the 1987 manifesto

Many conservatives wanted to rein in high-spending labour councils

Made by a desire to spread the costs of local governments

The tax was a flat rate so everyone payed the same

Was supported by thatcher

46
Q

Outcome of the poll tax 1990

A

The left got angry and many refused to pay the tax
Mass protests
Many of her mp’s didn’t like it
Was speedily removed after her resignation in 1993

47
Q

background and motivations for the dealing with Covid-19

A

The pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to johnsons 2020 government

Government policy was mostly determined by pragmatism and events

A lot of criticism about track and trace and PPE to frontline health workers

The government had to borrow lots to fund the costs of the furlough scheme

Johnson could only create domestic laws eg Could only force a lockdown in england

The opposition couldn’t go against all the policy’s as it was making people safe

48
Q

Outcome of the dealings of covid-19

A

Government handling of the pandemic was volatile with early stages such as track and trace made by private company’s being considered shambolic, whereas in the later stages the vaccine roll out proved much more successful

The financial costs will affect fiscal policy for months

The pm was found to attend party’s a No10 which he refused, then got found out, then didn’t resign, then months later did after graysons

48
Q

Outcome of the dealings of covid-19

A

Government handling of the pandemic was volatile with early stages such as track and trace made by private company’s being considered shambolic, whereas in the later stages the vaccine roll out proved much more successful

The financial costs will affect fiscal policy for months

The pm was found to attend party’s a No10 which he refused, then got found out, then didn’t resign, then months later did after graysons

49
Q

Similarities of the dealing of covid and the poll tax

A

Both very damaging to the pm’s
Strong personal commitments by the pm to promote the policy’s
Aroused criticism in their party

50
Q

Differences of the dealing of covid and poll tax

A

During covid johnson managed to peel back support for the vaccine roll-out

One was a manifesto pledge while covid was dealt pragmatically

The global pandemic was more damaging

Johnson didn’t get much criticism from his backbenchers

51
Q

In theory how should relations between the government and parliament be

A

The government should be checked and answerable to parliament.

Government should easily get policy through due to a majority and whips

52
Q

In reality was is the best government scrutiny and an example

A

Select committees or bodies such as the National audit office NAO , eg The NAO produced a report in 2021 on the crossrail project that identified a shortfall in funding from 30m to 218m.

Uk Politics (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions