3.2 Ministerial Responsibility Flashcards
What is individual ministerial responsibility?
Ministers are accountable to Parliament for their department’s actions and must answer questions, justify decisions, and take responsibility for major mistakes.
What does the Ministerial Code of Conduct require from ministers?
Ministers must act with integrity, avoid misconduct, be accountable to Parliament, provide honest information, and maintain the confidence of the Prime Minister.
What happens if a minister knowingly misleads Parliament?
They are expected to resign, as providing inaccurate information is a serious breach of ministerial responsibility.
Why was Priti Patel’s case controversial regarding ministerial responsibility?
She was found to have bullied staff (breaking the Ministerial Code), but Boris Johnson allowed her to remain in office, showing that resignations depend on the Prime Minister’s decision.
What is an administrative failure?
It occurs when a government department makes a serious policy or operational mistake, often leading to public criticism and calls for ministerial accountability.
Why did Lord Carrington resign as Foreign Secretary in 1982?
He resigned over the government’s failure to anticipate Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands, demonstrating clear ministerial responsibility.
What scandal led to Estelle Morris resigning as Education Secretary in 2002?
An error in A-Level grading caused thousands of students to receive incorrect results, and she took full responsibility for the failure.
Why did Norman Lamont refuse to resign after Black Wednesday (1992)?
He argued that the economic crisis was a collective government decision, not just his responsibility as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
How did Michael Howard handle the 1995 Parkhurst Prison escape scandal?
Instead of resigning, he fired the head of the Prison Service, shifting blame to civil servants, which was controversial.
What was the 2020 A-Level Algorithm Scandal under Gavin Williamson?
An algorithm used to calculate grades during COVID-19 downgraded many students unfairly. Despite public anger, Williamson did not immediately resign and was later removed by Boris Johnson.
Why did Amber Rudd resign as Home Secretary in 2018?
She misled Parliament about immigration removal targets, and after evidence proved she was incorrect, she resigned.
Why are ministers expected to resign over personal scandals?
Ministers must take responsibility if their behavior damages the government’s reputation. However, media scrutiny and political pressure often determine if they actually resign.
What was the John Profumo scandal (1963)?
John Profumo, Secretary of State for War, had an affair with Christine Keeler, who was also involved with a Soviet spy, Yevgeny Ivanov. The main issue was that Profumo lied to Parliament about the affair. Once the truth came out, he had no choice but to resign, as misleading Parliament is a serious breach of the Ministerial Code.
Why did Priti Patel resign as International Development Secretary in 2017?
She held secret meetings with Israeli ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, without informing the UK government.
This broke the Ministerial Code, which requires ministers to report meetings with foreign officials. Once the scandal became public, she resigned.
What scandal led to Matt Hancock’s resignation in 2021?
Photos were published showing Matt Hancock kissing a colleague, Gina Coladangelo, which breached Covid-19 social distancing rules—rules he had enforced as Health Secretary. The public reacted with outrage, and after political and media pressure, he stepped down.
Why did Gavin Williamson resign in 2022?
He was accused of bullying MPs and civil servants, sending abusive and threatening messages, and creating a toxic work environment. These serious allegations of misconduct forced him to resign.
What is the ‘Good Chaps’ theory in ministerial responsibility?
The idea that prime ministers and ministers act responsibly without needing strict rules. This theory was challenged during Boris Johnson’s government in 2022 when he resisted accountability.
Why was Boris Johnson accused of breaking ministerial responsibility in 2022?
Boris Johnson imposed strict restrictions on public gatherings. However, it was later revealed that several parties and gatherings took place in 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister’s official residence and office) while these restrictions were in place. These included Christmas parties, drinks events, and birthday celebrations, involving government staff and even Boris Johnson himself.
What was Sue Gray’s report on Boris Johnson’s government?
The Sue Gray report accused No. 10 Downing Street of “failures of leadership and judgment” over the Partygate scandal. It increased pressure on Boris Johnson to resign.
How did Boris Johnson weaken the Ministerial Code?
He removed key principles such as integrity, honesty, and leadership in the public interest, arguing that resignations should not be automatic for minor breaches.
What event finally led to Boris Johnson’s resignation?
The Chris Pincher scandal—where Johnson appointed an MP despite knowing about past misconduct allegations—caused 62 ministers to resign, making it impossible for him to stay in office.
Why was Johnson’s resignation significant for ministerial responsibility?
His approach challenged the traditional expectation that prime ministers should resign when they lose credibility. It raised concerns that future leaders might resist accountability rather than stepping down.
What is collective ministerial responsibility?
Collective ministerial responsibility means that all government ministers must publicly support government decisions, even if they personally disagree. If a minister cannot support a policy, they are expected to resign rather than publicly oppose the government.
Why is collective ministerial responsibility important?
It helps keep the government united and strengthens the authority of the prime minister. If ministers openly disagreed while staying in government, it would cause confusion and weaken leadership.
When has collective ministerial responsibility broken down?
• 1979: James Callaghan’s Labour government lost a vote of confidence by one vote (311-310), showing that without Parliament’s support, a government cannot function effectively.
• 2017-2019: Theresa May’s government struggled with Brexit, as many ministers resigned or publicly opposed her policies.
When has collective responsibility been suspended?
• 1975: Ministers were allowed to campaign on both sides of the EEC referendum.
• 2016: David Cameron allowed ministers to publicly disagree over Brexit, leading to figures like Michael Gove and Boris Johnson campaigning against his position while remaining in government.
Why did Peter Thorneycroft resign in 1958? (Public spending policy)
He resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer because he disagreed with the government’s public spending policies. However, Harold Macmillan dismissed the resignation as minor, and the government remained strong, winning the 1959 general election.
Why did Robin Cook resign in 2003?
He opposed the Iraq War, believing Saddam Hussein was not a real threat. In his resignation speech, he stated:
“I intend to join those tomorrow night who will vote against military action. It is for that reason, and for that reason alone, that I resign.”
Despite his resignation, Blair continued with the war and won the 2005 general election.
Why did Boris Johnson resign as Foreign Secretary in 2018?
- He opposed the Chequers Agreement, believing it kept the UK too closely tied to the EU after Brexit.
- His resignation deepened divisions in the Conservative Party, making it harder for Theresa May to govern.
- These divisions eventually led to her resignation in 2019.
How did Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid’s resignations in 2022 bring down Boris Johnson?
Sunak resigned due to policy disagreements, stating:
“It has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different.”
- Javid’s resignation was more personal, criticising Johnson’s lack of integrity.
- Their resignations triggered a wave of resignations, and within 48 hours, Johnson was forced to resign as Prime Minister.
How did David Cameron allow ministers to break collective responsibility in 2016?
- He allowed ministers to publicly disagree over Brexit.
- This led to figures like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove openly campaigning against Cameron’s position while still being in government.
How did coalition governments weaken collective responsibility?
• 2010-2015 Coalition: The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives had different policies, meaning ministers sometimes publicly disagreed.
Why did Theresa May struggle with collective responsibility over Brexit?
- 2019: Her Brexit deal suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat in UK history (lost by 230 votes).
- 118 Conservative MPs voted against her, deeply dividing her party.
- Jeremy Corbyn called a vote of no confidence, but May survived by just 19 votes (325-306).
Why did Theresa May resign as Prime Minister in 2019?
She lost two more Brexit votes in Parliament:
• 12 March 2019: Lost by 149 votes.
• 29 March 2019: Lost by 58 votes.
• She failed to unify her party, meaning she could not govern effectively.
Eventually, she resigned in July 2019.
