Individual Ministerial Responsibility ^ Flashcards
What is IMR?
Individual Ministerial Responsibility
- responsible for own actions and their department’s if they fall below standard
Its a convention
- not legally binding
Argument VS Resigning over IMR
their departments are too big to know everything
not expected to resign over small mistake
IMR is elastic
Alastair Campbell’s Golden Rule
he was Tony Blair’s press secretary
ministers have to resign if they are in a centre of a media storm
PM still try to avoid it if the minister is an ally or a rival
- support/ can oppose
Thomas Dugdale
Administrative failure
minister of Agriculture in 1954
he resign over the Crichel Down case, made the compulsory purchase of farm land
It was a minor issue, so the today minister probably would have not done it
Gavin Williamson
policy failure
education minister in 2020
messed up the grades with an algorithm
did a U-turn too late
got away with it as he blamed the chief regulator of Ofqual, as his department was too big
BJ tried to keep him as he was an ally
Matt Hancock
scandal in 2021
minister of health
cheated with his advisor, breaking his own Covid rules
Apologised but still had to leave due to the Golden Rule
- was in a middle of a media storm
Amber Rudd
policy failure
Windrush Scandal in 2018
claimed there wasnt a 10% target of how many deportions there should be
- but there was and that caused too many wrong deportations (misled Parliament = breaks a convention, CMR)
Had to resign due to media storm, even though Theresa May introduced it before becoming PM)
David Lammy & Dione Abbott
scrutinised Amber Rudd over the Windrush Scandal
they had parents from Windrush
helped her resignation
Boris Johnson attempt to avoid IMR
the party gate scandal
amended the Ministerial Code in 2022
- watering down/ weakening it so he doesn’t face too much scrutiny
- can’t be expected all misconduct to lead to resignation
Con VS Boris Johnson over IMR
41% of Con told him to leave
refused
62/179 minsters resigned over the Chris Pincher scandal
forced to leave
Chris Pincher
SA scandal in 2022
alligations = misconduct
fired from Con
BJ made him a deputy whip
- caused a lot of outrage
- made BJ unpopular and weak as he didn’t take the safety of his gov seriously
Factors needed to resign under IMR + Examples
personal misconduct
- Matt Hancock
Policy Failure
- Gavin Williamson
Professional Misconduct - MH
Media Outrage
- MH - the Golden Rule
PM will try to keep if an ally
- BJ with MH and GW
PM will also try to keep if a rival
- TM with BJ
VS IMR Being Important
depends on the support of the MPs and ability as a strong leader
not legally binding (convention)
if they are an ally or a rival
breached several times (examples)
+ IMR Is Important
ensures ministers are held to account
still enforced today (examples)
Theresa May & Michael Gove
shouted at each other in public over the state of schools
didnt resign
- would reflect badly on Cameron’s gov and its unity
