(factor) determines PMs selection of ministers Flashcards

1
Q

ideological preference

A

-PM has royal prerogative power of patronage
-allowing the PM to shape the composition and ideological outlook of their cabinet e.g. Blair appointed Third Way socialists and Johnson appointed Brexiteers to ‘get brexit done’
-because the UK operates in a cabinet system with the PM ‘primus inter pares’ it is essential for the PM to have allies within cabinet to ensure their agenda goes through

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2
Q

ideological preference evaluation

A

If a PM has led the party to a landslide victory, then they are allowed a free hand to appoint allies and reshuffle or even sack obstructionists. But, if a PM fails to deliver a majority (e.g., May in 2017) or makes a major error (Truss, 2022)they must compromise to ensure critical factions of the party are included. A further point is that for the great offices of state – such as the treasury, home office, or foreign office – it is expected that the appointee has significant cabinet experience already e.g. Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor for Truss had experience

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3
Q

party management

A

-PM must ensure backbench factions are represented, also wise to include ‘big beasts’
-PMs must also reward loyalty, failure to do so can result in coups
-at times cabinet secretaries refuse to be demoted leaving the PM in a difficult position, whether to sack the minister or stifle the career prospects of a junior minister both creating resentment
-May ensured she had both ‘remain’ and ‘leave’ MPs in her cabinet

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4
Q

party management evaluation

A

If a PM has won a landslide, or a convincing victory in a general
election, then they have more of a free hand to appoint allies and reshuffle or even sack obstructionists. It also depends on the extent to which a party is divided. For example, the Conservative Party was badly divided over Europe during the Major and May premierships, and both PMs had to accommodate critics of their leadership.

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5
Q

social representation

A

-political journalists and the electorate pay close attention to how socially representative the cabinet is
-too private school too ‘male, pale, and stale’ is considered out of touch
-MPs select ministers on considerations other than talent alone
-recently it has become important to ensure the great offices of state have a degree of diversity
-SPADs also understand the importance of placing BAME figures in prominent positions for elections e.g. Patel

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6
Q

social rep evaluation

A

The ability of a PM to appoint a diverse range of talent to cabinet relies on the talent pool in the Commons and Lords being diverse.Parliament as a whole is not socially representative, in 2022 the Commons was only 35% women and the Lords 29%. The PM’s cabinet is likely to continue to be male dominated. Added to this, it is reductionist to assume that Rishi Sunak, or other ethnic minorities are appointed to the cabinet on factors other than merit. Sunak was experienced in financial services and had already served in cabinet
as chief secretary to the treasury.

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7
Q

competence and skill

A

-certain roles such as the great offices of state require significant talent and experience anyway, without experience the small ‘c’ civil service may dominate the management of departments
-examples of prioritising competence are Blair and Brown, even though Blair and Brown’s relationship deteriorated, Brown remained as Chancellor
-all departments require excellent communication skills to ‘sell’ government policies

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8
Q

competence and skill evaluation

A

Recent scandals seem to provide evidence that competence and responsibility are in short supply. Matt Hancock (Covid-19 regulations breach), Gavin Williamson (A-levels crisis 2020), Kwasi Kwarteng (Mini-budget 2022), Chris Grayling (‘failing Chris Grayling’). and Amber Rudd (Windrush) can all be held up as examples of incompetence. Many talented select committee chairs and even non-affiliated crossbench experts from the Lords are overlooked by the PM. This suggests PMs are prioritising party allies over competent and expert MPs and Lords.

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9
Q

coalition government

A

-in a coalition a certain number of positions are reserved for each party
-ensuring influence for both parties is key otherwise the government would collapse
-in Cameron’s first term, Clegg appointed 5 cabinet secretaries e.g. Vince Cable

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10
Q

coalition evaluation

A

Coalitions are rare in British politics due to the first past the post electoral system, so this factor lacks importance in the grand scheme of things. There have been five coalitions in UK political history, and only one since the end of the Second World War.

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