How Policy Is Made

Question 1

How does the prime minister make policy

Answer 1

-most PMs enter with clear policy agenda often based on personal convictions e.g. Johnson + withdrawal from EU
-often have stray lines like Cameron’s ‘big society’ + boris’ ‘let’s get Brexit done’
-significance — ensures PM make their mark + leave tangible legacy but size majority will impact this
-e.g. May lacked majority + her forced resignation result failure get ‘chequers deal’ through

Question 2

How does the cabinet make policy

Answer 2

-discuss + debate policy initiatives ‘rubber stamping’
-disagreements over policies often resolved at meetings + not public knowledge
-significance — controversial policies likely lead to divisions within party + cabinet
-e.g. Brexit withdrawal agreement - some felt the terms in agreement laid before parliament would damage future economic prosperity, internal security + global influence of UK

Question 3

How do the senior civil servants make policies

Answer 3

-offer guidance to govt ministers + how policies can be delivered e.g. 2012 olympics therefore influence govt minister by speaking truth
-significance — non-party political + so advice unbiased + objective thus they advice on implementation nor right or wrongs
-provide expertise of handling political issues + increasingly more influential providing advice alongside SpAds

Question 4

How do special advisers (SpAds) make policy

Answer 4

-SpAds handpicked by PM + are ‘temp’ civil servants
-don’t offer political impartiality + replaced by incoming PM
-significance — assumed prominence + notoriety recently e.g. Campbell + Cummings seen have ‘ear of PM’ + have influence over policies
-often come up with big vision initiatives e.g. Cameron’s big society seen as idea of SpAd Hilton

Question 5

What are the influences on policy making

Answer 5

-Political
-Personal
-Popular
-External
-Social

Question 6

What is a personal influence on policy

Answer 6

-person convictions of PM which are pre-existing ideas on issues before term starts
-e.g. thatchers belief in benefits of property owning democracy shows by policies 1979-1990

Question 7

What are the political influence on policy making

Answer 7

-manifesto pledges
-e.g. fulfilling pledge like in 2017 conservative promised offer working parents of 3-4 year olds 30 hrs free child care per week + was in operation by Sept 2017

Question 8

What are the popular influences on policy making

Answer 8

-outcome of referendums
-e.g. Brexit 2015 referendum on UKs membership with EU resulting in 52%-48% leave + Cameron reigned being a remainer

Question 9

What are the external influences on policy making

Answer 9

-responses to national emergencies
-e.g. govt policy become more extensive when full scale COVID hit
-constructed several large temp field hospitals lie Nightingsle hospital
-large sections of economy also required shut down like pubs, gyms, etc.

Question 10

What are the social influences on policy making

Answer 10

-changing social + cultural attitudes
-e.g. swinging sixties liberalisation gay marriage, women’s rights etc.
-sexual offences act 1967, divorce reform act 1969