3.3 (1) - The Power of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet

Question 1

Powers of the PM and Cabinet - Powers of the PM (4)

Answer 1

• PM is perceived by the public to be the gov leader and rep of the nation – this gives them great authority
• Prime ministerial patronage means the PM has power over ministers and can demand loyalty
• PM chairs Cabinet and controls its agenda which means they can control the governing process
• PM enjoys prerogative powers so can bypass the Cabinet on some issues

Question 2

Powers of the PM and Cabinet - Powers of the Cabinet (4)

Answer 2

• If the Cabinet is determined, a majority of members can overrule the PM
• Ultimately, the Cabinet can remove the PM from office EG Thatcher 1990 and Blair 2007
• Cabinet may contain powerful ministers with large followings who can challenge the will of the PM EG Brown rivalling Blair and Johnson rivalling May
• If the PM has a small or non-existent majority in the Commons, the Cabinet becomes more important in implementing their agenda

Question 3

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM (7)

Answer 3

• Party unity
• Experience
• Ability
• Allies and advisors
• External pressure
• Coalition agreement
• Diversity

Question 4

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Party unity - How it influences PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 4

A PM may wish to ensure a balanced Cabinet that reflects different political wings of their party – the more divided the party, the more difficult this becomes, however an authoritative PM may back one group over another for ideological reasons

Question 5

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Party unity - Examples (3)

Answer 5

• Theresa May appointed a mixture of hard and soft Brexit supporters in her Cabinet
• BJ removed many ‘soft Brexiteers’ from his Cabinet EG Jeremy Hunt
• Sunak appointing former ministers from the May, Johnson and Truss cabinets in his first Cabinet – ministers from across the Conservative spectrum

Question 6

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Experience - How it influences the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 6

PMs must decide whether or not to have senior heavyweights in their Cabinet who can be difficult to control – a new PM may find having experienced ministers useful (known as ‘big beasts’) while big beasts who sit on the backbenches can become powerful opponents to the PM and focal point of opposition within the Party

Question 7

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Experience - Examples (2)

Answer 7

• Cameron appointing former Con leaders William Hague and Ian Duncan Smith to his coalition cabinet
• May removing George Osborne and BJ removing Philip Hammond from their first cabinets as they were potential rivals

Question 8

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Ability - How it influences the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 8

PMs must identify talented MPs and give them an opportunity to apply their talents – a PM may promote a junior minister to the Cabinet or demote/remove less able ministers

Question 9

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Ability - Examples (1)

Answer 9

Rishi Sunak was made Chancellor by BJ in 2020 after proving himself as a junior minister (would go on to take his job)

Question 10

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Allies and advisors - How it influences the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 10

A PM may want to have close allies in senior positions in the Cabinet to help them formulate policy and add advice and support in Cabinet meetings

Question 11

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Allies and advisors - Examples (2)

Answer 11

• Cameron appointing his main political ally George Osborne as Chancellor
• Truss appointing James Cleverly as Foreign Sec after serving as junior minster under Truss ALSO Truss appointing close friend Thérèse Coffey as health Sec and deputy PM

Question 12

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - External pressure - How it may influence the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 12

Although a PM is technically free to make whatever selections they want to the Cabinet they also have to consider public attitudes, expressed through the media or demands made through Parliament – however a PM can ride out such public criticism in support of an ally

Question 13

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - External pressure - Examples (3)

Answer 13

• Amber Rudd forced to resign following public and parliamentary outcry at the Windrush scandal
• Jeremy Hunt survived public and Parliamentary calls for his resignation as Culture Sec over phone-hacking scandal
• Suella Braverman resigned in 2022 after sending a confidential Home Office letter from her personal email

Question 14

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Coalition agreement - How it influences the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 14

As part of the coalition agreement, Cameron had to have Nick Clegg as deputy PM and allowed Clegg to appoint four other Cabinet positions from LibDem MPs

Question 15

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Coalition agreement - Example (1)

Answer 15

When LibDem MP Chris Huhne was forced to resign as Sec of State for Energy and Climate, he was replaced by another LibDem, Ed Davey

Question 16

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Diversity - How it may influence the PM’s selection of Cabinet?

Answer 16

A PM may wish to make their Cabinet more reflective of the nation in order to get a wider range of opinions – this could prompt the appointment of people from diverse backgrounds, regions, racial backgrounds, gender, etc

Question 17

Factors that affect Cabinet appointments by the PM - Diversity - Examples (2)

Answer 17

• Since 1997 there has been an increase in the number of female and BAME Cabinet ministers, however this may also be a reflection of increased diversity within Parliament
• In 2022, Liz Truss appointed the mot diverse Cabinet ever seen – it was the first time ever that a white man did not hold one of the country’s four main Cabinet posts (PM, Chancellor, Home Sec, Foreign Sec)

Question 18

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - Up until the 1960s

Answer 18

• PM seen as a ‘first among equals’ – dominant member of the Cabinet but not able to command gov completely
• Allowed genuine debates amongst Cabinet ministers
• Often characterised as ‘Cabinet government’

Question 19

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - 1960s-2010 -

Answer 19

• This period is often described as ‘prime ministerial government’
• PM expected to dominate gov completely
• Cabinet existed and decisions were legitimised by the Cabinet but no expectation that Cabinet would act as a collective body, but rather that it should collectively support the PM
• Successive PMs made the Cabinet relatively insignificant
• This is not to say that individual ministers couldn’t be powerful, but that the Cabinet as a body was not powerful

Question 20

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - 1960s-2010 - Three notable examples - Wilson

Answer 20

• Harold Wilson (1964-70 and 1974-76) would allow cabinet ministers to play a prominent public role and develop their own policies, but when it came to deciding the overall direction of gov policy, Wilson would manipulate Cabinet by controlling the agenda and discussions, and by reaching agreements with ministers outside meetings

Question 21

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - 1960s-2010 - Three notable examples - Thatcher

Answer 21

Margret Thatcher (1979-90) dominated Cabinet through the force of her will and by ruthlessly removing or marginalising her opponents

Question 22

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - 1960s-2010 - Three notable examples - Blair

Answer 22

Tony Blair (1997-2007) marginalised Cabinet – adopted a system known as ‘sofa politics’ whereby he would develop ideas with a few advisers and senior ministers outside of Cabinet in informal discussions and then present the Cabinet with the policy – this went further than Wilson as ministers would have policy imposed on their departments and the PM himself would take the dominant role on key issues

Question 23

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - The Cabinet during weakened single party rule 2010-19 - What was the situation from 2010-2019 and in 2010

Answer 23

• From 2010-19 no party was massively dominant in the Commons at any point
• In 2010, facing the prospect of a minority gov, Cameron quickly joined forces with the LibDems to form a coalition

Question 24

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - The Cabinet during weakened single party rule 2010-19 - What were the terms of the coalition gov? (5)

Answer 24

• As leader of the larger party, Cameron was to be PM while Nick Clegg would be deputy PM
• An set of policies from both parties was agreed upon as a manifesto for the coalition gov – the Coalition Agreement
• Cabinet ratio was 22-5 in favour of Cons – non-cabinet positions similar in ratio
• Cameron controlled Con ministers while Clegg controlled Lib ministers
• Collective responsibility applied to all policies in the Coalition Agreement – ministers were free to publicly disagree over policies not in the agreement

Question 25

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - The Cabinet during weakened single party rule 2010-19 - How did Cameron still manage to marginalise the Cabinet?

Answer 25

However, Cameron still marginalised the Cabinet with an inner cabinet consisting of himself, Clegg, George Osborne and Danny Alexander – this group was known as the Quad

Question 26

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - The Cabinet during weakened single party rule 2010-19 - What were roles that Cabinet had during the coalition that it had never had before? (3)

Answer 26

- Disputes within the coalition were inevitable – the Cabinet was one of the key areas where these disputes could be resolved - Presentation of policy became difficult, so the Cabinet had to develop ways in which agreements between the parties could be explained - If there was a dispute between as to whether a policy had in fact been agreed between the coalition partners (bringing collective responsibility into play) Cabinet would be called on to clarify the issue

Question 27

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - The Cabinet during weakened single party rule 2010-19 - What happened in the buildup to the 2015 general, and under May?

Answer 27

- The coalition would begin to fracture in the lead up to the 2015 General, but it lasted for 5 years in spite of many predictions to the contrary, largely due to the temporary restoration of Cabinet government helping maintain its stability - Following Cameron’s resignation in 2016, May attempted to dominate gov but was unable to do so after no returning a majority in 2017 and therefore being unable to dominate Cabinet - It was also at least in part this issue that led BJ to call an early General in 2019

Question 28

The changing relationship between the PM and Cabinet - 2019-present

Answer 28

- BJ returned to PM gov of 1960-2010 – filling Cabinet with pro-Brexit allies and - However, scandal has recently gripped gov, arguably weakening its authority - It was arguably Cabinet resignations of key members such as Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid that proved to be the nail in the coffin of Johnson’s reign

Question 29

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the six permanent powers of the PM?

Answer 29

- Exercise of the royal prerogative - Patronage - Foreign policy leader - Party leader - Parliamentary leader - Chair of Cabinet

Question 30

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations to a PM's exercising of the royal prerogative?

Answer 30

The ability to exercise these powers depends on the PM’s relationship with Parliament and other factors

Question 31

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations to the PM's power of patronage?

Answer 31

Forced to promote senior party members who may be rivals (EG Cameron appointing Hague and Ian Duncan Smith

Question 32

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations to the PM's powers as foreign policy leader?

Answer 32

Must consult Parliament

Question 33

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations of the PM's powers as party leader?

Answer 33

Can be removed if party loses confidence through a vote of no confidence

Question 34

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations to the PM's powers as Parliamentary leader?

Answer 34

May not be able to rely on the parliamentary majority (EG May Brexit deals 2017)

Question 35

Permanent powers of the PM and their limitations - What are the limitations to the PM's powers as chair of Cabinet?

Answer 35

Can be removed by a majority in Cabinet (EG Thatcher 1990)

Question 36

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Having a large majority in the Commons - Explanation

Answer 36

- PMs with large majorities can afford to dismiss rebels and MPs who disagree with them as they can afford to lose these votes and still win in the Commons and not feel threatened by an MP rebellion on gov legislation - PMs with little or no majority are more likely to be pressured by rebel MPs and feel threatened by rebellions in the Commons - With large majorities PMs can be free from P and act presidentially

Question 37

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Having a large majority in the Commons - Examples

Answer 37

- Thatcher and Blair only suffered 4 defeats in the Commons in 11 and 10 years respectively - Callaghan – 34 defeats from 1976-97 - May – 33 defeats in 3 years – 2016-2019

Question 38

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Party cohesion - Explanation

Answer 38

- A unified party can give a PM support for bold legislation - If the Party is divided on key issues it will become much harder to manage and the PM will appear weak and allow rival factions to emerge

Question 39

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Party cohesion - Examples

Answer 39

- Cons largely united around Thatcher from 1983-90 and Lab united around Blair from 1997-2005 - However, deep divisions over John Major over the EU and the ‘Blairite’ ‘Brownite’ factions of Labour under Gordon Brown saw these PMs appear quite weak - May’s Cons were disunited over Brexit and her Brexit deals, but BJ’s Cons were united under him at least until 2022 and Partygate, after which there has been chaos, albeit with some stability and unity under Sunak

Question 40

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Securing an electoral mandate for manifesto commitments - Explanation

Answer 40

- A PM with a clear mandate from the people will be in a much stronger position to pass legislation that one who does not have a clear mandate from the people - MPs in the Commons are less likely to protest against a strong mandate while the Salisbury convention prevents the Lords from blocking policies on a winning manifesto - A PM with a weak or no mandate will face much more scrutiny in the Commons and the Lords

Question 41

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Securing an electoral mandate for manifesto commitments - Examples

Answer 41

- EG Cameron during the coalition - EG contrasting lack of support for May in 2017 and lots of support for BJ in 2019

Question 42

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Being a first term gov - Explanation

Answer 42

- Being a first-term gov can give PMs something of a honeymoon period where problems can be chalked up to the previous gov and they have no ‘history’ for which to apologise - If a PM continues into multiple terms they have more to answer for which will undermine their authority

Question 43

Factors that affect the balance of power between PM and Cabinet - Being a first term gov - Examples

Answer 43

- Blair being strongest from 1997-2001 but after the Iraq War lost authority as PM - Brown had to take responsibility during the 2008 financial crisis as he was Chancellor during the Blair years - John Major and Theresa May were also hurt by the reputations of their parties when taking office and by the role they had played in previous administrations