7.3 - The Prime Minister and the Cabinet Flashcards
How many people are in the cabinet?
20 to 25.
How often does the cabinet meet?
Usually, once a week on Thursday morning for no more than 2 hours.
Who sets the agenda, chairs and approves minutes of the cabinet meeting?
The PM.
What important roles do cabinet play?
- Many decisions are taken elsewhere in the executive, so cabinet approves them.
- Cabinet determines key issues of policy.
- Decides how the government will determine business.
- If an dispute between two departments of state is impossible to resolve, the issue can be brought to cabinet as a final court of appeal.
- Cabinet committees develop and implement specific policy.
Why is the PM under pressure to appoint influential colleagues into their cabinet?
It would be politically impossible to leave out ‘heavy-hitters’ from your cabinet.
Why does the PM promote key supporters to cabinet posts?
They can rely on their unwavering (hmm…) support during disputes and crises.
Why is it advantageous to appoint potential rivals into government?
They are bound by collective ministerial responsibility and so cannot criticise the government.
The appointment might actually cultivate their loyalty.
Why do PM’s appoint members of their party who have different views to them? (be it socially, economically, politically etc.)
A balance of cabinet is necessary to prevent alienation of certain sections of the party.
How have cabinets become more balanced since Theresa May?
She wanted a cabinet that ‘looks like the country it serves’.
She advanced many females and minorities to further this goal.
What is a cabinet government?
A type of administration in which the cabinet always plays a key role in the development of policy.
What is a prime-ministerial government?
A type of administration in which the PM is the dominant force in decision making, with the cabinet being relegated to a subordinate decision-making role.
Why are there disagreements over the influence of cabinet?
According to the English Constitution, the ‘cabinet is the most powerful body in the state’ and the PM is first among equals.
According to others, the large size of the cabinet precludes constructive debate.
Why is there a claim that the UK has shifted towards a prime-ministerial government rather than a cabinet government?
The PM is treated so presidentially by the media, so they have already decided the focus and direction of their government without needing to talk it through cabinet.
Who developed the policy unit in Downing Street?
Harold Wilson.
Why was the policy unit developed in Downing Street?
To provide Wilson with his own support and advice in developing political strategy.
Why was the position of Chief of Staff created?
To co-ordinate governmental policy.
How did Powell describe his appointment as Chief of Staff?
Under Blair, Powell was appointed as Chief of Staff.
He described his appointment as demonstrating a ‘change from a feudal system of barons to a more Napoleonic system’.
Why was the PMs Strategy Unit and PMs Delivery Unit established?
To set department targets and monitor the performance of cabinet ministers.
Why were the Strategy Unit and Delivery Unit abolished?
Cameron abolished them over fears of too much micro-management.
Why was the Press Office created at Downing Street?
To ensure that Downing Street had more control over how stories were presented and responded to.
Why is it still wrong to dismiss the powers of cabinet?
It is still the most powerful and influential members of a political party.
The PM would be unwise to ignore their political expertise and experience.
Why does the power of cabinet change?
The powers are mostly dependent on the personality of the PM and / or political circumstances.
Does the cabinet play a central role in British government? (Yes)
- A PM will need to discuss options with cabinet during a politial crises.
- Relying on the cabinet should reduce a PM’s reliance on the Commons.
- If a controversial issue is to be resolved, cabinet agreement is vital to ensure that the government is united.
- On certain occasions, cabinet can challenge the authority of the PM.
- Cabinet’s can elect to not support the PM during a leadership challenge.
Does the cabinet play a central role in British government? (No)
- If the PM has a clear political agenda, then the cabinet will be reduced to a subordinate decision making agenda.
- Some PM’s choose to make decisions with key advisors rather than the whole government.
- The PM can push issues through cabinet if they are certain they will work. (Margaret Thatcher Poll Tax)
- Certain PM’s discourage cabinet discussion, preferring to have already made decisions prior to the cabinet meeting. (Tony Blair ‘sofa government’)
Give two examples of how PMs can approach cabinet?
The IMF loan 1976
The Westland affair 1986
What was the IMF loan?
In 1976, the Labour government was in turmoil over whether to accept IMF loans with demands for massive cuts in public spending.
Why did the IMF loan serve as an example of how to approach cabinet?
The PM, Jim Callaghan allowed cabinet to fully debate the issue.
What was the Westland Affair?
The Department for State and Trade and Industry and the Department of Defence clashed over whether a Westland Helicopters (British firm) should be taken over by an American or European bid.
Why did the Westland Affair serve as an example of how cabinets could be approached?
Defence secretary, Michael Heseltine complained that Thatcher’s obvious bias towards American business undermined genuine cabinet debate.
Give an example of the PM being the dominant force in politics?
Harold Macmillan sacking a third of his cabinet.
How did Macmillan’s mass sacking change his power?
It gave the impression that he had lost his political touch and was in panic.
The press changed his nickname from ‘Supermac’ to ‘Mac the Knife’
This was followed by the Profumo scandal which started as a typical Tory sleaze case but quickly turned to a case of national security.
His reputation never recovered and he resigned office in October 1963.
The PM was the dominant force, but the media and other cabient members fought back.
What was Edward Heath’s main achievement in office?
Negotiating the UK’s entry into the EEC in 1973.
How was Heath’s authority challenged while in office?
Miners’ strikes in both 1972 and 1974 threatening the nation’s energy supplies.
Dramatic rise in the price of oil causing mass global inflation, undermining the government’s economic strategy.
How did Callaghan challenge the postwar economic consensus?
In the 1976 Labour Party Conference, he said:
‘The cosy world we were told would go on forever, where full employment would be guaranteed by a stroke of the Chancellor’s pen, cutting taxes, defecit spending; that cosy world is gone.’
Why was Callaghan’s speech at the 1976 Labour Party conference interesting?
It was a sudden and dramatic change in government policy from high spending to deflationary measures.
Did Callaghan’s commitment to deflation prove to be successful?
Yes, at the beginning of his tenure.
Why did the 1979 General Election come at such a bad time for Labour?
He had been abandoned by Liberal and nationalist parties.
Just after the Winter of Discontent.
How did John Major immediately change the dynamic of the Conservative government?
Removal of the poll tax.
Opted out of the social chapter in the Maastricht Treaty.
How much of a majority did Major achieve in 1992?
21.
Why did Major’s small majority cause problems?
It allowed eurosceptic Tory MPs the opportunity to disrupt the party.
How did Major try and remove the divisions within the Conservative party?
He resigned leadership of the Conservative party and told eurosceptic critics to either ‘put up or shut up’.
He won the ensuing leadership ballot by 218 to 89.
