Facts/Figures - Exceutive

Question 0

What did Tony Blair say about the role of the prime minster ?

Answer 0

‘It is not possible to precisely define’

Question 1

Where did the office of the prime minster emerge from ?

Answer 1

In the early 18th C. The office became the accepted title of the first Lord of the Treasury. Robert Walpole is recognised a the first prime minster as he commanded majority support in the House of Commons

Question 2

Which Prime minister’s appointed potential rivals (for their job) to cabinet ?

Answer 2

John Major - appointed his opponents in the 1990 Conservative leadership election Heseltine/Hurd
Tony Blair - appointed Margaret Beckett who he defeated in the 1994 Labour Leadership contest

Question 3

Which prime ministers used ideological considerations to appoint cabinet members ?

Answer 3

Thatcher - ‘Wets’ (One-Nation Conservatism) - ‘Dries’ (Thatcherites)
Major - balanced representation of Europhiles and Eurosceptics
Blair - Mainly ‘New’ Labour politicians, although ‘Old’ Labour was appeased by the appointment of John Prescott as deputy PM

Question 4

Can David Cameron dismiss a Liberal Democrat form Cabinet ?

Answer 4

Yes, only with fully a full consultation with Clegg

Question 5

What is the ‘Night of the Long Knives’

Answer 5

In 1962 Harold Macmillan sacked seven cabinet ministers

Question 6

Examples of How PM’s dismissed Cabinet members for personal conduct or Policy Failure ?

Answer 6

• Tony speedily dismissed Peter Mandelson Twice
• Cameron hesitant to dismiss Maria Miller 15 per cent of voters said that the PM had shown “effective leadership” in his handling of the issue.

Question 7

How have Prime Minister’s reshaped the structure of Central government ?

Answer 7

• Wilson ~ short lived ‘Ministry of Economics’ to rival the treasury
• Blair ~ merged Agriculture and environment into the department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs in 2001
• Cameron ~ transferred responsibility for Media and Broadcasting to the department of Culture, Media and Sport

Question 8

Examples of Rebellions

Answer 8

• some 91 Conservative MPs voted against the Second Reading of the House of Lords Reform Bill.
• Davis and Hollbone have rebelled on 19.9% Government Bills