4. Prime Minister and the Executive Flashcards
What is the executive?
The decision making branch of government
PM and Cabinet
Explain the structure of the executive
Prime Minister
Cabinet
Government Departments
Executive Agencies
Junior Ministers
What is the role of the Prime Minister?
Head of the executive
Chairs Cabinet
Appoints ministers
Leads government
What is the role of the Cabinet?
20-23 senior ministers
Help to deliver policy
Each in charge of a government department
What is the role of government departments?
Responsible for different areas of policy, each headed by a Cabinet minister
What is the role of executive agencies?
Semi-independent bodies that carry out some functions of government departments
DVLA = Department for Transport
What are the main roles of the executive?
Proposes legislation
Proposes the budget
Makes policy decisions
Represents UK on a global level
Proposing Legislation
Introduces proposals for laws or amendments
Announces a programme in the Queen’s Speech
Introduce legislation to contend with emergencies
2015 Queen’s Speech
Conservative Government would hold an EU Referendum, legislate to protect essential public services against strikes and make sure the devolved nations and England agree on legislation together.
Proposing the Budget
Raise revenue in order to fund public services
Chancellor of the Exchequer - annual statement of the government’s plans for taxation and spending
Making Policy Decisions
Decide how to give effect to its aims for the future of the country
Royal Prerogative Powers
Royal Prerogative Powers historically belong to the monarch
PM exercises them on their behalf
Conventions
Declare war and authorise use of armed forces, sign treaties, issue passports, legal pardons, appoint ministers, award honours and act in emergencies
Examples of abolished Royal Prerogative Powers
2011 Fixed Term Parliaments act removed the right of the PM to determine the date of general elections
Governments accepted that military action requires prior parliamentary approval
Power of Patronage
Power and Limits
Appoint ministers and reshuffle cabinet
Needs to be an ideological balance and done carefully
Authority in the Cabinet System
Powers and Limits
Chair cabinet meetings and manage the agenda
Requires cabinet support on major issues
Party Leadership
Powers and Limits
Authority as leader of a political party
Support of party is not unconditional with backbench rebellions possibility
Prime Minister
Powers and Limits
Unpopularity with the electorate undermines authority
Policy Making Powers of the PM
Digest government policy Set agenda Takes key role in times of crisis Introduces proposals Proposes budget
Limitations on powers of the PM
Small parliament majority possibly Loss of party support Cabinet opposition Cabinet splits House of Lords Opposition Lack of media and cabinet support
How is legislation initiated?
Executive controls most of the parliamentary timetable
Government majority allows for the whipping system and patronage to push through its programme effectively
What is known as the ‘guillotine’ in initiating legislation?
Allocation of time motion
1887
Procedure that allows the government to curtail debate on the individual cases of a bill
APPLIES ONLY TO THE HOC
What is secondary legislation?
Power to change or amend the laws
Statutory instruments - modify or repeal existing legislation every time the government needs to amend without a new bill
Example of statutory instruments
2016 used to abolish maintenance grants for university students and to allow fracking in national world
How does the PM gain powers?
Popular mandate
Popular support
What is the cabinet?
Represents collective identity of the government
Makes all important decisions
Resolves disputes
Functions of the Cabinet
Present policy proposals
Resolves disputes
Sets agenda
Makes decisions
How is Cabinet formed?
Possibly need a balance d cabinet
Include the big party rivals
Political allies for support
Weakness of the Cabinet
PM is now dominant in it
Decisions mostly come from committees
Meetings are shorter and stage managed
What is individual ministerial responsibility?
Ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and for their departments
Form of accountability
Examples of IMR in action
Amber Rudd
Resigned as Home Secretary in 2018 following the Windrush Scandal and the failure of her government department
2019 Secretary of Transport Chris Grayling refused to resign despite criticism
Ferry contract awarded to a company with no ferries
What is collective ministerial responsibility?
Convention by which ministers must support all decisions of the government in public. They are responsible as a group to Parliament and thus to the people
United front presented
Examples of CMR in action
2016 - Ian Duncan Smith resigned as DWP Secretary as he did not support cuts to disability benefits
2019 Women and Equalities Minister Amber Rudd resigned as she did not agree with Boris Johnson and his policy on Brexit
Exceptions to CMR
Modified in allowing a free vote in:
- Liberal Democrats not bound by CMR in 2010-2015
- 2011 AV Referendum
- 2016 EU Referendum
What constrains the PM Power?
Cabinet Media Pressure of events Parliamentary majority PM's style of governance
What determines how much power the PM can exercise?
Devolution EU NATO Cabinet Control Events
