Factors governing the selection of cabinet ministers Flashcards
What are the two main consequences of poorly selecting a cabinet?
- Threats to your position
- Poor policy making
What are the three ways a PM can construct a cabinet?
- Best people possible
- PMs allies
- Reflect party composition
Which two former PMs are most notable for packing the cabinet with allies?
Blair and Thatcher
What is the major upside and downside of packing the cabinet with allies?
- Ensures unity and bolsters the PM’s power
- Lacks critical voices, which could hinder policy making
Give an example of two former PMs that have adopted a more varied cabinet
May and Major
When was the last time we saw a cabinet that simply picked the best people possible?
Wilson and Callaghan’s group ‘of all talents’
What is a reshuffle?
When the PM changes the make up of their government
What is a reshuffle?
When the PM changes the make up of their government
What are the two reasons a PM will engage in a cabinet reshuffle?
- To assert authority
- To improve the quality of government
What are the 7 factors that influence cabinet selection?
- Unity
- Experience
- Ability
- Allies and advisers
- External pressure
- Diversity
- Coalition agreement
How does unity influence cabinet selection?
A PM may want a balanced cabinet that reflects different wings of their party. The more divided the party, the more difficult this becomes. An authoritative PM may back one group over another for ideological reasons
How does experience influence cabinet selection?
Experienced and talented figures add authority to the cabinet but are more difficult to control. A new PM may need experienced figures to advice them on how government operates. Big beasts can also become a problem on the backbenches
How does ability influence cabinet selection?
The PM must identify talented MPs and allow them to use this talent. Able ministers could be promoted and less able ministers demoted or removed
How do allies and advisers influence cabinet selection?
Allies could help formulate policy and provide advice in meetings
How does external pressure influence cabinet selection?
The PM must consider public attitudes, the media and parliament. PMs sometimes ride out this criticism in support of an ally
How do coalition agreements influence cabinet selection?
In 2010, Clegg was made deputy PM and was allowed to make 4 Lib Dem MPs into cabinet ministers
How does diversity influence cabinet selection?
May wish to make the cabinet more reflecting of the nation to get a more diverse set of opinions.
Give an example of an appointment based on party unity
- May appointed a mix of hard and soft Brexiteers
- Boris Johnson removed many of these soft Brexiteers
Give an example of an appointment based on experience
- Cameron appointed Hague and IDS in 2010 in deference to their party standing
- May removed Osborne and Johnson removed Hammond because they saw them as potential rivals
Give an example of an appointment based on ability
- Rishi Sunak was made chancellor in 2020 after proving himself as chief secretary of the treasury
- Lansley was removed as health secretary as he was thought to be too out of his depth to implement the necessary reforms
Give an example of an appointment based on allies and advisers
- Brown made Mandelson a peer so that he could offer advice in the cabinet
- Cameron appointing Osborne as chancellor
Give an example of an appointment based on external pressure
- Amber Rudd was forced to resign following the Windrush Scandal
- Jeremy Hunt survived calls for him to resign as culture secretary following a phone hacking scandal
Give an example of an appointment based on a coalition agreement
David Cameron had to keep Vince Cable in post even after controversy around impartiality due to his ties with Rupert Murdoch
Give an example of an appointment based on the basis of diversity
Increase in the number of female and BAME cabinet members since 1997
