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Edexcel A Level Politics > C2: Prime Minister & the Executive > Flashcards

C2: Prime Minister & the Executive Flashcards

1
Q

What is meant by the executive?

A

The branch of government that is responsible for implementing legislation

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2
Q

What is the role of the Prime Minister?

A

Head of the executive, appoints ministers, organises gov

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3
Q

What is the cabinet?

A

All the ministers in office

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4
Q

What are Executive agencies?

A

Semi-independent bodies that carry out government functions e.g. the DVLA

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5
Q

What are the main roles of the executive?

A

To propose legislation
To propose the budget
To make policy decisions

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6
Q

How does the executive propose legislation?

A

Government’s legislative programme is set out in the Queen/King’s speech
Govt proposes most bills
Emergency legislation can be used - COVID measures

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7
Q

What was set out in the 2020 Queen’s speech?

A

To ratify EU withdrawal
Increase NHS funding
Tougher sentencing for violent crime
Establish Australian-style points system for immigration

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8
Q

How does the executive propose the budget?

A

The Chancellor creates the budget alongside the PM
Chancellor delivers this to Parliament, usually in March#
Involves tax & gov spending changed

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9
Q

What was a keynote policy in the 2020 budget?

A

Set out an extra £30bn spending to stimulate economy in light of COVID

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10
Q

What was a keynote policy in the 2021 budget?

A

Extension of job retention scheme (furlough)

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11
Q

How does the executive make policy decisions?

A

It decides the future direction of the country through general policy direction

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12
Q

What were some main policies in 2021?

A

EU withdrawal
Iran arms deal
50,000 more nurses for the NHS
Extra £1bn for social care
End benefits freeze

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12
Q

What is a recent way in which the executive has provided policy direction?

A

The five Priorities from Rishi Sunak

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12
Q

What powers does the executive have?

A

Royal prerogative
Initiate legislation
Secondary legislation

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12
Q

What is royal prerogative?

A

Historic powers of the crown now given to the executive.
Includes:
Award honours
Declare War
Sign Treaties
Appoint Ministers
Award/Remove Passports
Maintain order in emergencies

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13
Q

In what ways is royal prerogative limited?

A

Parliament has to take the decision to go to war after Iraq & call-off of Libya 2013

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14
Q

What is an example of royal prerogative being used?

A

Home Sec Sajid Javid removing Shamima Begum passport in 2019

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15
Q

How does the Executive initiate legislation?

A

It controls all Parliamentary timetable other than 20 days for the opposition & 13 days for Private Member’s Bills.
It can propose bills to the commons, where they are either passed or thrown out.

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16
Q

What is a limitation of the executive’s ability to initiate legislation?

A

Strength of majority - May suffered 69 defeats due to no majority, whereas Boris suffered none due to 80 seat majority

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17
Q

What is Secondary legislation?

A

The power to pass through laws without a vote, using powers granted by another act.

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18
Q

What is an example of secondary legislation being used?

A

Health Protection Regulations 2020 - Lockdown

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19
Q

What is Individual Ministerial Responsibility (IMR)?

A

The minister must resign if they breach the rules.

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20
Q

What are the four factors that depend whether IMR applies or not?

A

If they have directly broken the code e.g. misled parliament
If they have the confidence of the PM
If the issue is high profile
If the issue is down to their agency or them personally

21
Q

What is Collective Ministerial Responsibility (CMR)?

A

The idea that if ministers cannot accept a government decision, they must resign.

22
Q

What are some examples of IMR taking place?

A

Amber Rudd resigning in 2018 after misleading parliament over the Windrush scandal

Matt Hancock resigning after cheating on his wife

23
Q

What are some examples of CMR taking place?

A

Robin Cook 2003 - resigned over Iraq War
IDS 2016 - resigned over cuts to disability benefits
May’s Chequers rebellion 2018 - Boris, Gove, DD resigned over Brexit agreement

24
Q

What are the two past exceptions to CMR?

A

Coalition agreements - Lib Dems allowed to disagree with Conservative policies such as higher education funding
Referendums - Both EU referendums & the AV Referendum

25
Q

What are the main influences on selection of ministers?

A

Ability
Loyalty
Appeasing rivals
Balancing party divides
Meeting diversity expectations

26
Q

How does ability affect selection of ministers?

A

They need to be suitable for the office - background in the relevant area is preferred
(Rishi Sunak & Gordon Brown both economists)

27
Q

How does loyalty affect selection of ministers?

A

The PM will often sack ministers of the old PM and put their people in office when elected - Rishi Sunak kicked out most of Liz Truss’s cabinet

28
Q

How does appeasing rivals affect selection of ministers?

A

PM needs to appoint some loyalists, but also needs to appoint threats to them. (Blair had Brown in the Chancellery, May appointed Boris Foreign Sec)

29
Q

How does balancing the divides in the party affect selection of ministers?

A

The PM needs to balance cabinet positions among party divisions, e.g. Conservatives need to have some ERG representation at the top e.g. Suella Braverman as Home Sec

30
Q

How does diversity affect selection of ministers?

A

There has always been criticism over lack of women and ethnic minorities in the cabinet
(Liz Truss administration first time no white men in the four great offices)

31
Q

What are the main factors dictating the relationship between the PM and their cabinet?

A

Management skills of the PM
The ability to set the agenda
Use of committees
PM’s Office & Cabinet office
Wider political situation

32
Q

How do the management skills of the PM affect the relationship between the PM and the cabinet?

A

The PM needs to be able to assert authority - remove ministers who pose problems (Nadhim Zahawi, Dominic Raab)

33
Q

How does the ability to set the agenda affect the relationship between the PM and the cabinet?

A

PM makes decisions - can choose to consult cabinet or not
(Harold Wilson refused to devalue the £ in 1964-7 despite cabinet ministers demanding it)

34
Q

How does the use of committees affect the relationship between PM and the cabinet?

A

PM can use sub-committees to discuss policy rather than the cabinet - more control for the PM
(May chaired 3 sub-committees, including important Brexit committee)

35
Q

How do the PM’s Office & the Cabinet office affect the relationship between the PM and the cabinet?

A

PM’s Office has huge resources - coordinates with cabinet office. (Johnson set up presidential daily media briefings 2021)

36
Q

How does the wider political situation affect the relationship between the PM and the Cabinet?

A

Political and Economic factors affect PM’s control over Cabinet - can largely depend on majority of govt
(Liz Truss had 0 control after the markets crashed 2022)

37
Q

What are some arguments for the PM being presidential?

A

Patronage - can appoint ministers
Sets the agenda - can dominate policy direction
Most disputes not resolved in Cabinet
Central Importance of the PM - dominates the media
Resources - control of the PM’s Office & Media

38
Q

What are some arguments against the PM being presidential?

A

Patronage - Senior colleagues cannot be entirely ignored, cannot always appoint ministers they want
Agenda - Cabinet is needed to discuss policy. Confers legitimacy through collective responsibility.
UK system isn’t presidential - fall of Thatcher & Boris show importance of the cabinet
Rebellions can stop the PM in their tracks

39
Q

What powers does the PM have?

A

Patronage - can appoint ministers
National leadership
Directs government policy
Decides cabinet agenda
Leads the party in the Commons
Can alter structure of government

40
Q

What limits are there on the PM’s power?

A

Cabinet unity - divisions can cause loss of power
Personality style - need to inspire loyalty & trust
Commons needs to agree to military action
Majority size
External factors

41
Q

Who were the Presidential PMs?

A

Thatcher, Blair, Cameron, Johnson

42
Q

Who were the Cabinet-based PMs?

A

Major, Brown, May

43
Q

What were some successes of Thatcher’s leadership?

A

Ended labour unrest by legislating against unions
Won 3 terms for the Conservatives
Hugely popular due to Falklands war 1982
Used Bernard Ingham to undermine opponents
Maneuevred opponents out of positions of power - Howe mde deputy PM to remove him from the foreign office

44
Q

What were some failures of Thatcher’s leadership?

A

Destabilised by presidential management style - Lawson & Howe resigned & forced her out 1990
Civil Unrest - 1984 clousre of mines, 1989 Poll Tax
Allowed USA to bomb Libya from Brit bases 1983 with no cabinet discussion

45
Q

What were some successes of Major’s leadership?

A

Restored party reputation with repeal of Poll tax - no more uncaring Tories
Successfully handled Gulf War
Balance within cabinet of pro and anti EU MPs
Reassured colleagues they were listened to after presidential style of Thatcher

46
Q

What were some failures of Major’s leadership?

A

Economic crises - ERM & Black Wednesday
Only had a majority of 21 - minority govt by 1996 after defections
Destabilised by sleaze - ‘back to basics’ scandals
Lacked strong ideology of Thatcher

47
Q

What were some successes of Blair’s leadership?

A

Delivered 13 years & 3 terms for Labour government
Secure Parliamentary majority for all 3 terms
Economic boom
Policy successes; Lords reform, devolution, GFA
New labour was Ideologically appealing
Campbell controlled media with an iron fist

48
Q

What were some failures of Blair’s leadership?

A

Reduced cabinet autonomy - Sofa Government
Iraq war led to criticisms - Campbell & the ‘dodgy dossier’
Forced into collegiate concessions - Brown was his heir; led to 2005 election issues - vote Blair, get Brown
Issues with relationship between Brown & Blair

49
Q

What were some successes of Cameron’s leadership?

A

Exploited Lib Dems in the coalition - Lib MPs went back on promises surrounding tuition fees
The Quad took decisions - quite presidential
Revived UK economy
Policy success - Same Sex marriage bill 2014

50
Q

What were some failures of Cameron’s leadership?

A

Criticisms of the ‘Oxford Clique’ in high office after 2015
Scottish referendum did not end the question of independence
Brexit was the biggest mistake of his career

51
Q

What were some successes of May’s leadership?

A

Attempted to work with all extremes of the party - Remainers vs. Leavers
Est. authority by clearing Cameron’s ministers
Won vote of no confidence in 2018
Highest % of the vote since 1983 in 2017

52
Q

What were some failures of May’s leadership?

A

2017 Election was a disaster - lost majority
Destabilised severely by Brexit - Chequers rebellion 2018
Personal leadership seen as poor - ‘Maybot’
Cabinet unity almost non-existent

53
Q

What were some successes of Johnson’s leadership?

A

Won 80-seat majority in 2019
Suffered only 4 defeats in the Commons post-2019
Est. authority quickly - revoked the whip from 21 MPs over Brexit Bill
Set up Presidential-style media briefings in 2021

54
Q

What were some failures of Johnson’s leadership?

A

Consistent sleaze - Partygate, Dominic Raab on holiday, Matt Hancock & his wife, Priti Patel bullying, etc.
Eventually forced out by cabinet - resignations of Sajid Javid & Rishi Sunak

Edexcel A Level Politics (18 decks)

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