Factors that affect the relationship and how they have changed: Flashcards
Management skills of the prime minster:
1) What will a determined and astute prime minister do?
2) Use Margaret Thatcher as an example, of how this power must be deployed with care:
3) What did this leadership challenge culminate in?
1) He will appoint and dismiss ministers to remove poor performers, bring in new blood, and marginalise opponents.
2) By the end of the 1980s, the alienation of senior colleagues was starting to undermine her position. The resignation of Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Howe, triggered a leadership challenge.
3) Thatcher’s resignation
Prime minister’s ability to set the agenda:
1) How are decisions made in Cabinet?
2) What will most ministers be too concerned about?
3) How did Wilson, keep certain things off the agenda?
1) Rarely taken by voting, the views of the most senior ministers will take more weight.
2) They will be too concerned with their own individual departmental responsibilities, to debate on a subject they might have limited knowledge on.
3) He refused to allow talks on devaluation, during the period 1964-67, even though many ministers were up for it.
Cabinet committees and informal groups:
1) Since 1945, what tool have ministers used more, to take decisions.
2) How can PMs exercise control within these committees?
3) How many committees did May chair?
4) How did Blair and Brown use informal groups to take decisions?
5) How were informal bodies used during the coalition?
1) They make decisions using Cabinet committees, decisions which are then ratified by the full Cabinet.
2) They choose the members of these committees, chair them, or just put someone they trust in control.
3) 3 committees, one of them focusing on Brexit.
4) In a bilateral meeting, they decided to place management of interest rates in the hands of the Bank of England. The rest of the Cabinet found out later.
5) There was an informal body, known as Quad. It consisted of David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne and Chief Secretary Danny Alexander. They met to resolve differences.
Development of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Cabinet Office:
1) How does the Prime Minister have access to more resources than a minister?
2) Why did Harold Wilson create the Policy Unit in 1974?
3) Under Blair, what was cooperation like between the PMs office, and the Cabinet office?
4) What was Cameron’s approach to government departments?
5) Under Blair, how did the Press Office gain importance?
1) Downing Street is equipped with civil servants and special advisers, picked from the governing party.
2) This was to enable the Prime Minister to gain an overview and drive policy across departments.
3) There was close cooperation when implementing and coordinating policy.
4) Initially, he had a more “hands-off” approach, but after some policy embarrassments, he created the Policy and Implementation Unit in 2011.
5) It gained importance, due to a newly created Communications and Strategy Directorate.
Impact of the wider political and economic situation:
1) Why was it easier for Blair to gain control over the Cabinet?
2) Who was the Prime Minister whose control over the Common was precautious, from 1992 onwards?
3) What event improved Margaret Thatcher’s standing?
4) What event undermined Gordon Brown’s authority?
5) How was Alistair Darling, involved with weakening Brown’s position even further.
1) This is because he had a large parliamentary majority, and a united party.
2) John Major
3) Victory in the Falklands War.
4) The financial crisis of 2007-08
5) In 2009, Alistair Darling (the Chancellor) refused to take another post, so that Brown could replace him with Ed Balls.
