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Politics UNIT 2-The core executive > EXTRA-The role and increase power of the PM > Flashcards

EXTRA-The role and increase power of the PM Flashcards

1
Q

Who do the PM’s powers derive from?

A

the royal prerogative

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2
Q

What is the range of the PM’s responsibilities?

A

from oversight of the security services to liaising with the Monarch in a weekly meeting.

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3
Q

What does the PM meet with the Monarch weekly to do?

A

the PM keeps her informed of what the government is doing and advise on matters such as the constitutional implications of a royal marriage or divorce

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4
Q

What are the 6 chief tasks of the PM?

A
  • Leader of his party in the country and in parliament
  • responsibility for the appointment and dismissal of members of the cabinet
  • Leader of the government at home and abroad
  • Powers of patronage
  • royal prerogative
  • used to determine general election
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5
Q

How will the PM use their powers of leadership?

A

to keep the party united, working our compromise solutions if necessary

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6
Q

Why can the government be vulnerable meaning that the PM cannot successfully perform the role of leading their party?

A

when the majority is small and there is a sizeable block of MPs who reject key themes of party leaderships policy

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7
Q

Why is the chief role of the PM being able to hire, fire or reshuffle colleges a crucial role?

A

as this can make or break their careers

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8
Q

What does chairmanship of the Cabinet involve?

A

drawing up its agenda in partnership with the cabinet secretary, agreeing minutes and the weekly meeting

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9
Q

What day does the PM answer questions at PMQ’S?

A

Wednesdays

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10
Q

What does PMQ’s act as on occasions such as the death of Princess Diana or some national disaster?

A

the publics voice

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11
Q

As apart of the PM’s role of national leadership where will they sometimes appear?

A

on TV and will address the nation directly

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12
Q

Where does the PM represent the nation as a leader of the government at home and abroad?

A

in summit conferences with European leaders, the US president and other worlds states people

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13
Q

Who traditionally had powers of patronage?

A

the monarch

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14
Q

Who does the PM appoint? (4)

A
  • bishops
  • peers
  • Chairman of the BBC
  • Privy Council
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15
Q

Before the set general election of every 5 years, what power did the PM have in this regards?

A

the PM decided to ask the Monarch to dissolve parliament and consequently the timing of polling day

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16
Q

Which PM fought 2 elections after a 5 year term?

A

John Major

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17
Q

Which PM indicate that in future parliament will be abled to decide rather than the PM?

A

Gordon Brown

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18
Q

Under Tony Blair what has happened to the Prime Ministers Office?

A

it has been greatly expanded and politicised in order to enhance its capacity to support his personal approach to premiership

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19
Q

unlike other ministers, what does the PM not have?

A

a department

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20
Q

What is the Prime Ministers Office made up of? (2)

A

permanent civil servants and political advisers

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21
Q

What has happened to the Prime Ministers Office which is made up of permanent civl servants and political advisors ?

A

it has increased in size and its membership is divided into 5 components

22
Q

How many components is the Prime Ministers Office memberships divided into?

A

5 components

23
Q

What are the 5 components of the membership of the Prime Ministers Office

A
  • The Private Office
  • The Policy Unit
  • The Political Unit
  • The Press Office
  • The Strategic
24
Q

What does the Private Office do?

A

this handles the PM’s official engagements and his relationship with parliament and government departments

25
Q

What is the Policy Unit?

A

this comprises of outside specialists brought in to advise on specific aspects of government policy

26
Q

What does the Political Unit do?

A

This exists to create a bridge between the party and the PM

27
Q

What is the role of the Press Office?

A

they handle relations with the media, a major importance in the Blair era due to party presentation

28
Q

What is the role of the Strategic Communications Unit?

A

this is there to spot pitfalls and coordinate ministerial announcements, ensuring that Downing Street is ahead of the game and in control of the overall direction of government

29
Q

What is patronage?

A

political patronage is the granting of favours or rewards, in this case to appoint people to important and often highly prestigious public offices

30
Q

What is the Privy Council?

A

this comprises of all members of the Cabinet, former Cabinet ministers and other distinguished persons appointed by the Monarch. It issues Orders in Council, grants Royal Charters and acts as a court of appeal from British courts in overseas territories

31
Q

What does primus inter pares mean?

A

first among equals

32
Q

When was the PM thought to be primus inter pares (first amoung equals)?

A

beginning of 20th century

33
Q

What did primus inter pares *first amoung equals) mean?

A

that even though the PM has powers denied to other ministers, the cabinet reached decisions collectively and on a majority basis

34
Q

Who is an example of a PM who dominated their administration during war?

A

Lloyd George

35
Q

Who said

“The office of PM is what its holder chooses and is able to make of it” in 1928

A

Lord Oxford

36
Q

What is the difference between a PM and a dictator?

A

a dictator can only be removed by a military coup whereas a PM can always be evicted from Number 10 in the next general election or a vote of no confidence

37
Q

What are the 5 constraints on the PM?

A
  • The Cabinet
  • the Party
  • Parliament
  • Events
  • Hostility in the media
38
Q

In the build up to Iraq which 3 political figures was it essential for Tony Blair to count for support on?

A

that he could count upon the support of Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Jack Straw

39
Q

What will the way in which the PM and their colleagues work together depend on?

A

the mix of personalities involved as relationships are complex and fluid

40
Q

When may premiers see their support melt away from the party when they impose strong discipline on backbenchers?

A

near elections, MPs who fear for their seats may oppose the PM

41
Q

Who is an example of who had to resign when the loss of back bench support withered?

A

Margret Thatcher

42
Q

When were Tony Blair’s critics regularly willing to challenge Tony Blair in the party on parliamentary divisions which undermined his authority?

A

After he announced he would not serve full term if re-elected before the 2005 general election

43
Q

Why do PM’s need to retain their support in parliament?

A

in order to get their policies through the chamber

44
Q

What does the PM appear on Wednesdays to be subjected to during Question time? (2)

A
  • to defend policies to occasional select committee hearings
  • to sell policies on contentious issues such as Iraq
45
Q

In March 2003 what could Tony Blair not have done if MPs had rejected his case for war?

A

he could not have went on to back for President Bush for the Iraq war

46
Q

Who said “events, dear boy, events” ?

A

Harold Macmillan, Conservative PM of 1950’s and 60’s

47
Q

What will a poor PM on television soon find out?

A

that the media is useful to charismatic politicians but a problem for the less articulate

48
Q

IN what 2 years did Tony Blair have a remarkable degree of press support?

A

1997, 2001

49
Q

Which newspaper contributed in 2005 to the marked hostility after issues in 2005 such as the Iraq War effects

A

Daily Mail

50
Q

What are the 8 central elements to prime ministerial power today?

A
  • Appointments
  • Power of Cabinet committees
  • leadership of party
  • single party government
  • Patronage
  • wartime leadership (for some)
  • bureaucratic support of PM’s office and Cabinet office
  • Public visibility

Politics UNIT 2-The core executive (22 decks)

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