3.3- prime minister and the cabinet Flashcards
what are the factors that influence the selection of ministers
- competetence and specialist knowledge
- establishing their authority by removing previos cabinet ministers and appointing allies
- loyalty and political reliability: must be sure ministerial responsibility will be upheald
- ideological balance: keeping favour with different party factions
- representation and diversity
who is an example of a specialist minister
ben wallace
- served as secretary of state for defence under johnson, truss and now sunak
- experience as a former soldjer
give examples of a pm appointing inexperienced ministers
lizz truss appointing Kwazi Kwarteng who had only served in cabinet for 2 years
give an example of an ideologically balnced cabinet. And explain how a focus on ideological balance has changed.
- theresa may appointed both remainers and leavers in her cabinet
- recently there has been les of a focus on ideological balance
what is the diversity of the current cabinet?
7/23 are women and 4/23 are ethnic minorities
what are the factors that affect the relationship between the prime minister and the cabinet?
- ability to manage their cabinet through their power of patronage, prime ministers depend on minister to effectively run their department
- use of cabinet meetings to set the agenda
- size of downing street
- use of bylateral meetings
- use of cabinet commitees
- size of the parliamentary majority
- electoral prospects and popularity of the prime minister
- divisions within the party (brexit under theresa may)
- wider political and economci situation
give an example of when cabinet was not effectively managed
- theresa may was costantly undermined by leaking and briefing agaisnt the government (by boris johnson in particular)
- boris johnson voted against the government on many occasions
give 2 examples of when the prime minister bypassed cabinet and used informal groups to make desisions.
- tony blairs ‘sofa government’ as he used informal meetings with individual ministers to influence them more significantly
- ‘the quad’ under the coalition goveernment
how was margaret thatcher accused of using government?
as a rubber stamp
give 2 examples of prime ministers using cabinet committees to influenc policy.
- theresa may used the cabinet committee on exiting the european union to make important desisions on brexit
- johnson used the COVID-19 strategy committee to make desisions on covid restrictions
give an example of a special advisor with too much power.
Dominic Cummings under boris johnson.
- Boris Johnson sacrificed popularity when he defended Cummings after he broke covid rules (shows how important cummings was to government desision making)
- sajid javid resigned as he was told by boris that he could only keep his job if cummings was able to pick his advisors
what did David Cameron implement (in downing street) to increase control over policy
the implementation unit
what was tony blairs majority and how does a large majority influence the prime ministers power?
- 179 seat majority
- much more power as they can risk upsetting factions of the party while still knowing they will be able to pass legislation
give an example of when the popularity of the prime minister influenced their abiltity to exert control over cabinet.
- boris johnson was initally very popular with the public (won many red wall seats)
- as he became less popular due to the partygate scandal the cabinet gained power and he was eventually forced out by key cabinet members such as rishi sunak and sajid javid
what are the agruments that the prime minister has become more presidential?
- often behave like a head of state in the context of foreign policy and emergencies
- increased media focus on the leadership: creating an image idependent from the party
- prime ministers increasingly rely on unelected advisors
- decline of cabinet meetings
- mp can use perogative powers to hold ministers to account
what did boris johnson create that emulated the president approach to media?
2021 created the downing street press briefing room
give 2 examples of when the prime minister has behaved as a head of state.
- tony blair drove foreign plicy on the iraq war
- boris johnson rallied the country against the pandemic and help regular press conferences
what does the prime ministers use of SPADS resemble in the us
- the west wing
What are the arguments that the prime minister isn’t becoming increasingly presidential?
- policy must still be approved by cabinet
- cabinet is crutial in policy coordination- it is important to maintain a unified cabinet image
- cabinet can bring down the PM
Give an example of when the cabinet played a significant role in decision-making. why might it be argued that the role of the cabinet is increasing
- under Theresa May, the hard-line brexiteers (e.g Boris) pushed her to a harder Brexit deal
which prime ministers have struggled in the past to act as a head of state?
- David Cameron- had to gain the support of the Liberal Democrats- failed to pass the vote on military action in syria
- there’s may due to her weak majority
what was Margaret Thatcher’s relationship with her cabinet?
- implementation of the poll tax 1989 (ignored public opposition and warnings from the treasury)
- refused to tone down her 1981 monetarist budget
- was forced by her chancellor, John Major, to join the **exchange rate mechanism **
- forced to resign by her cabinet in 1990 as she alienated her cabinet through her use of SPAD’s
What characterised Blair’s relationship with cabinet?
- 2003 Iraq war (based on unsubstantiated claims): cabinet members were denied access to key documents
- promoted party unity
- sofa government
- growth in Downing Street
- brown had significant power- led to conflicts between ‘The Blairites’ and ‘Brownites’
how did blair try to expand his influence over policy implementation?
2001 creation of the ‘prime ministers delivery unity’ and stratergy unit
give an example of when brown exerted significant influence over the government.
Brown denied Blair’s desire to join the European single currency.
- brown devised ‘tests’ that must be passed before the UK could join the single currency
What characterised Cameron’s relationship with the cabinet?
- United Conservatives and Lib dem behind austerity
- “The quad”
- coalition limited his power of patronage and his ability to come up with and pass policies
- had to include ministers in desisions in order to uphold the stability of the coalition
how did cameron prevent challenges to his leadership?
- formed strong bonds with osborne, clegg and may
- kept political opponents such as Gove and Johnson near the center of goverment
how many of the cabinet committees did theresa may chair?
- 3/5 cabinet committees
give an example of blairs attempts to control cabinet.
- all speeches and press releases had to be approved by number 10’s press office and alistar campball
how did thatcher try and distance herself from the rest of government.
- presented herself as the sensible grocers daughter who was critical of establishment
- repeatedly criticized the ‘mandarins’ of the civil service
how many ministers resigned under johnson?
57 ministers resigned
6 cabinet ministers
