3.3 The Prime Minister And The Cabinet Flashcards
What is the cabinet, and how often does it meet?
- The cabinet consists of 20-25 senior government ministers who lead major government departments.
- It usually meets once a week for around two hours, often on Thursday mornings, but emergency meetings can be called if needed.
What is the prime minister’s role in cabinet meetings?
- The prime minister leads the meeting, sets the agenda, approves decisions, and summarizes discussions.
- Ministers are expected to support government decisions publicly due to collective ministerial responsibility.
- If a minister disagrees with a government policy, they are expected to resign rather than oppose it publicly.
What are the key roles of the cabinet?
- Approving government policies – Gives official backing to major policies.
- Making major policy decisions – Discusses key policies, e.g., IMF Loan (1976), Brexit (2018).
- Managing government business in Parliament – Decides when and how to introduce new laws.
- Resolving disputes between government departments – Acts as the final decision-making body when ministers disagree.
Why is managing government business in Parliament an important role of the cabinet?
- The cabinet decides how and when new laws should be introduced.
- If a law is controversial, they discuss the best way to present it and may make compromises to win support.
- The chief whip ensures the government has enough MPs to pass laws.
How does the cabinet resolve disputes between government departments?
If two departments disagree, the cabinet acts as a final decision-making body.
This was crucial during coalition governments (2010-2015), where the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats often clashed over policies.
What are cabinet committees, and why are they important?
- Cabinet committees focus on specific policies and are controlled by the prime minister.
- The prime minister decides who is in the committees and how many exist, increasing their authority.
- Decisions made in committees have the same power as full cabinet decisions.
Can you give an example of a prime minister leading cabinet committees?
Boris Johnson chaired the Covid-19 Strategy Committee and the Climate Action Strategy Committee.
How much power does the prime minister have in appointing the cabinet?
The prime minister chooses the cabinet, but some high-profile politicians must be included due to their influence and party status.
Excluding them could cause instability or a political backlash.
What did Walter Bagehot say about cabinet appointments?
In The English Constitution, he noted that the PM cannot appoint whoever they want, as some senior figures must be included for political stability.
Why do prime ministers appoint political rivals to their cabinet?
To control them and prevent them from causing trouble. If a rival is inside the cabinet, they must follow government decisions and cannot criticize the prime minister openly.
What happened when Margaret Thatcher left Michael Heseltine out of the cabinet?
Heseltine resigned and later challenged her leadership, which contributed to her downfall.
Why did Theresa May keep Boris Johnson in her cabinet despite their difficult relationship?
Instead of pushing him out, she made him Foreign Secretary, limiting his ability to criticize her from the outside.
Why do prime ministers reward loyal supporters with cabinet positions?
They trust them and rely on them during political crises.
How did Tony Blair use cabinet appointments to ensure his reform plans?
He gave key positions to Alan Johnson and Alan Milburn, who supported his modernization of the Labour Party.
Why do prime ministers balance their cabinet with different political views?
If a cabinet is one-sided, it can cause party divisions. A balanced cabinet helps maintain party unity.
How did Tony Blair balance his cabinet?
He was seen as a modernizer, but he made John Prescott Deputy PM to reassure traditional Labour supporters.
How did Theresa May balance her cabinet after Brexit?
She included both Remain supporters and Leave supporters to prevent party divisions.
How do coalition governments affect cabinet appointments?
The PM has less freedom because they must share power with another party.
Why did Boris Johnson have more control over his cabinet?
Unlike coalition governments, he had a large Conservative majority (2019) and could appoint only his allies.
How did Liz Truss cause divisions in her cabinet appointments?
She promoted her own supporters, excluding those loyal to Rishi Sunak. This created instability, and after key resignations, she was forced to step down as prime minister.
How did Rishi Sunak take a different approach when forming his cabinet?
He included people from different party factions to create stability.
Why is the cabinet considered important?
Walter Bagehot called it “the most powerful body in the state.”
It historically played a central role in decision-making but has become less influential over time.
Why has the cabinet’s role declined in recent years?
Prime ministers now rely more on advisers (SPADs) and policy units for advice.
Cabinet meetings are often used to approve decisions rather than debate them.
The UK has shifted from cabinet government to prime-ministerial government.
How did Harold Wilson strengthen the prime minister’s power in 1974?
He created the Downing Street Policy Unit to provide independent advice, reducing reliance on the cabinet.
What changes did Tony Blair introduce to expand prime ministerial power?
- The Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit – planned long-term policies.
- The Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit – ensured policies were carried out properly.
How did these changes made by Tony Blair weaken the cabinet?
- Prime ministers could now make decisions with advisers instead of consulting their full cabinet.
- Fewer key decisions were discussed in full cabinet meetings, reducing its influence.
How did Tony Blair control his cabinet?
- Blair used “sofa government”, where he made key decisions informally with advisers before cabinet meetings.
- This meant decisions were already made before cabinet discussions, limiting ministers’ influence.
How did Boris Johnson manage his cabinet?
Johnson personally approved all major policy decisions and political advertisements. He preferred a centralized decision-making approach, reducing cabinet debate.
When do prime ministers rely more on their cabinets?
- When they have a small parliamentary majority, they need cabinet support for stability.
- When they have a large majority, they can make decisions without much cabinet discussion.
How did Margaret Thatcher’s use of her cabinet change over time?
- First term (1979-83): Allowed some cabinet debate but kept firm control.
- Later years (1983-90): Became more dominant, ignored cabinet discussions, and lost support.
- In 1990, her cabinet withdrew support, leading to her resignation.
How did Tony Blair limit the role of the cabinet?
With a large majority (1997-2007), he made key decisions privately before cabinet meetings.
Ministers like Mo Mowlam (2001) argued cabinet was “dead” as it no longer played a role in decision-making.
How did Boris Johnson use the cabinet during national crises?
- During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (2022), Johnson called a cabinet meeting to ensure a united response.
- During the Omicron COVID-19 outbreak (2021), he held cabinet debates on possible restrictions.
Why do some argue that the cabinet still plays a central role?
- Prime Ministers need cabinet advice during crises (e.g., COVID-19, Ukraine War).
- Major military decisions require cabinet approval (e.g., Falklands War 1982, Syria Airstrikes 2018).
- Losing cabinet support can lead to resignations (Thatcher 1990, Johnson 2022, Truss 2022).
Why do others argue that the cabinet is no longer central?
- Some prime ministers ignore cabinet discussions and rely on small teams (e.g., Blair, Johnson).
- Prime ministers with strong majorities (e.g., Blair, Johnson) dominate decision-making.
- Cabinet meetings now often serve as a formality rather than real decision-making.
What was the IMF Loan Crisis (1976), and how did it show cabinet influence?
Labour’s government debated whether to accept an IMF loan due to economic crisis. Some opposed, yet some supported. Prime Minister James Callaghan allowed full cabinet debate before making a final decision. This showed cabinet unity and collective ministerial responsibility in action.
What was the Westland Affair (1986), and how did it show cabinet tensions?
Dispute over whether to sell Westland Helicopters to an American or European company. Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine wanted a European deal, while Thatcher supported the American bid. Thatcher ignored cabinet discussions and made the decision alone.
Heseltine resigned dramatically during a cabinet meeting, showing how prime ministerial dominance can cause cabinet divisions.
