Chapter 7 - 3/4 - The prime minister and cabinet (NOT FINAL)

Question 1

What are the sources of authority of the prime minister?

Answer 1

• The traditional authority of the monarch.
• The prime minister is always leader of the largest party.
• Parliament and all the losing opposition parties recognise the authority of the prime minister to lead the government.
• The people as they know who the leader of the parties are; this causes problems for PMs that do not face a general election.

Question 2

Give 3 recent examples of a prime minister taking office after a resignation.

Answer 2

• John Major, 1990, replacing Thatcher.
• Gordon Brown, 2007, replacing Blair.
• Theresa May, 2016, replacing Cameron.

Question 3

What are the prerogative powers?

Answer 3

The powers formally exercised by the monarch that are now delegated to the prime minister. They include patronage, conducting foreign policy, and commander-in-chief.

Question 4

What are the sources of the prime minister’s power?

Answer 4

• Prerogative powers.
• Being leader of the largest party in the Commons makes the prime minister chief policy maker.
• Patronage means those who aspire to high office will be loyal to the prime minister and remain so or else they will be dismissed.
• The prime minister is the leader of their party in Parliament and their majority gives them power.
• Collective responsibility and a united front from cabinet gives the PM power.

Question 5

What did John Major do in 1995?

Answer 5

Concerned with disloyalty from his backbenchers, he resigned leader of the Conservative Party but not prime minister. He was re-elected in the subsequent leadership election, giving his authority and power a great boost.

Question 6

What are the 5 formal powers of the prime minister?

Answer 6

• Patronage.
• Chair of the cabinet.
• Foreign policy leader.
• Commander-in-chief.
• Calling an early election as long as Parliament approves by a two-thirds majority.

Question 7

When did Margaret Thatcher ‘liberate’ the Falklands, exercising her power as commander-in-chief?

Answer 7

1982

Question 8

When did Cameron seek and fail to get Parliamentary approval for airstrikes in Syria?

Answer 8

2013

Question 9

When did Cameron seek and gain parliamentary approval for air strikes in Syria?

Answer 9

2015

Question 10

What are the 4 powers of the cabinet?

Answer 10

• They legitimise and interpret government policy.
• The cabinet ultimately determines the legislative agenda, which policies are to be implemented first.
• Although there is no formal procedure for the cabinet to remove a prime minister, they can effectively drive a prime minister out of office by refusing to support them in public.
• If there is enough support the cabinet can overrule the prime minister and force them to change course.

Question 11

When did the cabinet use one of their powers to force the prime minister to change their mind?

Answer 11

2015, Cameron was forced to suspend collective responsibility on the EU referendum.