Ministerial Responsibility: CMR

Question 1

Collective ministerial responsibility:

Answer 1

All members of the government are expected to publicly support it or resign if they cannot do so. They should not do disclose the contents of private ministerial discussions. If the administration is defeated on a vote of confidence this convention also states that all members must resign.

Question 2

Where did this convention arise from?

Answer 2

1. 28 March 1979 Labour government of James Callaghan.
2. Lost a vote of no confidence by 311-310, triggering a general election

Question 3

What are the implications of CMR?

Answer 3

1. Discussions within the government must be kept secret to maintain integrity.
2. Members of the gov must support agreed policies, even if they are critical in private, to maintain unity.
3. If a minister cannot publicly agree with government policy they should resign or return to the back benches.

Question 4

Robin Cooke 2003:

Answer 4

1. Leader of the HoC
2. Resigned from Blair’s government over its preparation for war against Iraq, he was unconvinced that Saddam Hussein was a threat to the UK’s national interest.
3. Jeremy Corbyn amongst others lent him his support.

Question 5

Boris Johnson 2018:

Answer 5

1. Foreign secretary
2. Unenthusiastic supporter of Theresa May’s government.
3. He decided he couldn’t publicly her Chequers Agreement as the basis for an EU withdrawal agreement.

Question 6

Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid 2022:

Answer 6

1. Chancellor of the Exchequer and Health Secretary.
2. His deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher, resigned over allegations he had sexually assaulted 2 men.
3. It became clear that Johnson had been aware of previous complaints they resigned within minutes of each other.
4. RS focused on economic differences ‘approaches are fundamentally too different’.
5. SJ focused on the prime minister’s lack of integrity.

Question 7

Broken : Business Secretary Vince Cable

Answer 7

1. He was regularly at odds in public with Conservative Cabinet Members.
2. In 2013, he criticised the Conservative Party for their ‘ugly’ and ‘blinkered policies’.
3. Particularly attacked them on immigration, the economy and Europe.

Question 8

Set aside: Theresa May and Michael Gove

Answer 8

1. 2014, May (Home Secretary) and Gove (Education Secretary) were engaged in a public spat over schools and the radicalisation of young people.
2. Both sniped at each other in the media and blamed the other department for the issues.
3. DC had to ask the Cabinet Secretary to intervene, was not possible for Cameron to sack them.

Question 9

Set aside: Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition

Answer 9

1. Clegg and Cameron had a coalition agreement that in some areas where they had to abide by CMR, and some areas where they could possibly disagree.
2. Included LDs vigorously opposed in the GE to Trident renewal and the construction of new nuclear power stations.
3. In 2011, they campaigned on different sides in the AV general election.
4. In 2014, Nick Clegg publicly stated he wouldn’t support DC if he sought parliamentary approval to bomb Islamic State targets in Syria.

Question 10

Set aside: EU referendum

Answer 10

1. Suspended CMR.
2. He knew that if he enforced CMR he would suffer a series of damaging resignations.
3. Most Cabinet Members supported Remain: 5 actively campaigned to leave: Michael Gove, John Whittingdale, Chris Grayling, Theresa Villiers and Priti Patel.

Question 11

Set aside: Theresa May 2016

Answer 11

1. Controversial plans to expand Heathrow.
2. Boris Johnson and Justine Greening had constituencies that would be affected and were known to be against expansion.
3. To avoid resignations May did not require their public support.

Question 12

Set aside: Theresa May 2019

Answer 12

1. March 2019.
2. 13 ministers in her government abstained on a vote to stop a ‘no deal Brexit’.
3. The government was committed to keeping ‘no deal’ as an option.