3.1 The structure, role, and powers of the executive Flashcards
the structure and role of the executive
what does the cabine tcompromise of
- heads of state departments including home secretary, foreign secretary, and chief whip
the structure and role of the executive
civil service
- senior civil servants serve the exexutive
they run administration on these departments - chief secretary to the cabinet is the most senior civil servant
the structure and role of the executive
who does the PM also take advice from
- cabinet office and policy unit at 10 Downing Street
the structure and role of the executive
how does the executive govern the nation?
EM, CCL, B, SL
- propoasals through election manfiesto
- legislation in response to changing circumstances, ‘the doctos mandate’
- budget presentd in autumn and drawn up by chancellor of the exchequer
- secondary/delegated legislation: statutory instruments. Eg. Covid 10 restrictions were introduced this way, and the speaker said this showed a ‘total disregard for the house’
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
where does their authority derive from?
- constitutional monarchy
- individual appointed by the monarch to be the PM will have been selected because they’re able to command the support of the majority of the MPs in the commons.
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
who does the PM also requrie support from? examples of this support being withdrawn?
- their party
- Eg. Thatcher, 1990, May, 2019, Johnson, 2022, Truss, 2022
- all resigned when it became clear they had lost the support of their MPs
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
PM is most likely…
+ example?
- leader of the largest party in the commons
- 1990 Major replaced Thatcher as conservative leader, and became PM
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
sometimes, the PM is not
- the party leader
1940 George VI asked Churchill to form a govenrment because the king was confident only he could establish an all-party wartime coalition government.
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
convention that the PM should be a member…
- of the house of commons
- Eg. Lord Home formed a government in 1963 but resigned his peerage and fought a by-election. This became a convention
Sources of power of the Prime Minister
The PM can also be asked to govern by the monarch, despite.?
- by the monarch to form a govenrment having won a general election, or if they’re replacing a PM who resigned.
- Eg. 1976-2022, 7 party leaders (Callaghan, Major, Brown, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak) became PM following the resignation of their predecessor rather than winning a G.E.
powers of the prime minister
what does the PM excercise?
royal perogative.
- commander of the armed forces, patronage, conduction of foreign policy.
- these powers have now been transferred into the PM who weilds them on behalf of the monarch without requiring consent of the legislature
powers of the prime minister
PMs power?
members, appointments, foreign, forces, nuclear.
- determine the mmebrship of government, including cabinet and cabinet committees
- making senior appointments to the civil service and judiciary
- reccommends most appointments of life peers to the HoL
- negotiates foreign treaties
- directs military forces in combat
- decides whether to activate the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent.
powers of the prime minister
how does the government share this? (2013) example.
- parliament
- 2013 Ministry of Justice requrested a posthumour royal pardon for Alan Turing, who was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ with another man
powers of the prime minister
how is the PM a main character ;p
- key figure in casting the narrative of their government
Eg. Thatcher: Free market, uncompromising spirit - Eg. Johnson: 80 seat majority, used this mandate to associate his government with a commitment to ‘levelling up
the role of government departments
cabinet ministers and departments role(s)
- ministers are in charge of departments of state (treasury, home office, foreign office, education, transport)
- function is to manage that area of governent and develop policy
- also comprises of junior ministers
the role of government departments
key figures in each department
- secretarys of state
- junior ministers (bound by collective ministerial responsibility)
- civil service: not accountable for the actions of a department, as they are defined by neutrality.
- chief secretary
