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politics paper 2 > PM and cabinet > Flashcards

PM and cabinet Flashcards

1
Q

What are the prerogative powers

A

the powers the pm can exert on behalf of the monarch

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2
Q

How does a person become PM

A

through being the leader of the party with the biggest majority and being appointed by the monarch

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3
Q

Outline three functions of the PM

A
  • a national spokesperson
  • select ministers
  • chair cabinet meetings
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4
Q

Name one pre 1997 PM

A

Thatcher

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5
Q

Name one post 1997 PM

A

Blair

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6
Q

Thatcher - one successful policy, one unsuccessful policy

A
  • right to buy
  • poll tax
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7
Q

Thatcher - event that strengthened PM, event that weakened PM

A
  • Falklands war
  • Howe’s resignation speech that heavily criticised Thatcher’s European policy and its impact on the Conservative Party
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8
Q

Thatcher - e.g. of exerting control over cabinet, e.g. of exerting control over parliament

A
  • forcing the poll tax through cabinet
  • the privatisation of key industries
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9
Q

Thatcher - e.g. of failing to exert control over parliament, e.g. of failing to exert control over cabinet

A
  • 2nd reading of shops bill defeated by parliament in 1986
  • loss of cabinet support forced Thatcher into her resignation
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10
Q

Blair - one successful policy, one unsuccessful

A
  • devolution of powers
  • detention of terrorists for up to 90 days
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11
Q

Blair - event that strengthened PM, even that weakened PM

A
  • interventionism in Sierra Leone
  • Iraq war 2003
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12
Q

Blair - e.g. of exerting control over cabinet, e.g. of exerting control over parliament

A
  • forcing the Iraq war
  • passing the increase to student tuition fees
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13
Q

Blair - e.g. of failing to exert control over cabinet, failing to exert control over parliament

A
  • pressure from Brown, forced him out
  • 2006 motion passed to protest the US, UK extradition treaty
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14
Q

Outline three features of cabinet

A
  • made up of MP’s
  • head of government departments
  • meets on a weekly basis in Downing Street
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15
Q

Outline three features of junior ministers

A
  • in charge of an area in a department of govt
  • can be held accountable to ministerial responsibility
  • must answer to a cabinet secretary
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16
Q

outline three features of government department

A
  • developing policy
  • decision making
  • staffed by civil servants
17
Q

outline three factors that may influence the pm’s selection of a cabinet minister

A
  • ability/experience
  • reputation
  • the support one has within a party can strengthen cabinet
18
Q

identify three factors that may influence the relationship between pm and their cabinet

A
  • party divisions
  • events can be destabilising such as brexit
  • strength and power exerted by the pm
19
Q

explain how the pm exerts authority over the cabinet

A

through using their power of patronage, they can also threaten the resignation of ministers or offering promotion to ensure support

20
Q

explain how the pm exerts authority over parliament

A

they can use party whips who are mps within parliament to toe the party line by offering incentives

21
Q

what is meant by toeing the party line

A

accepting the authority of policies and principles unwillingly

22
Q

explain three factors that can help make a pm more powerful than other pms

A
  • powerful and popular media image can use public support to ensure greater cabinet and mp support
  • large majority can lead to greater control exerted over parliament
  • unified party can rely on more support and control over parliament
23
Q

explain three factors that can weaken pm power

A
  • electoral liability - party may force them from office e.g. corbyn, thatcher, blair
  • events e.g. financial crisis can weaken image and electorates faith in them as a viable candidate
  • presence of a major rival with a greater reputation within party and public eye may weaken the other pm in comparison e.g. Blair versus Major
24
Q

explain three factors that may influence the pm’s selection of cabinet ministers

A
  • different factions to maintain the unity of a party
  • ally and friend to support and give them advice
  • a big, popular name to offer experience and increase and add weight to the cabinet
25
Q

define collective ministerial responsibility (cmr)

A

the convention that all members of government must publicly accept and support government policy and are therefore collectively as a whole responsible to parliament

26
Q

define individual ministerial responsibility (imr)

A

the convention that means a minister takes personal responsibility for personal failings and behaviour or failings within their department

27
Q

identify three occasions when cmr hasn’t been enforced

A
  • Mays government publicly crictised her on the third Heathrow runway
  • relaxed during periods of coalition, Vince cable at odds with Conservative Party on issues of immigration and Europe
  • 2016 brexit referendum, split within the conservative cabinet with some campaigning to leave (Johnson) and some stay (Cameron)
28
Q

identify three occasions when a minster was expected to resign over imr but didn’t

A
  • Priti Patel, bullying allegations and violating ministerial code, it wasn’t in Johnson’s political interest to remove her - big beast
  • Gavin Williamson, ofqual fiasco 2020, awarding over the exam grades blamed the head of ofqual instead this shifted responsibility
  • Chris grayling, awarded a post brexit ferry contract to a ferry company that has no ferries costing the government billions, dumped “failing grayling”
29
Q

identify three occasions when cabinet ministers have resigned because of cmr

A
  • robin cook resigned during govt decision to go to war with Iraq without seeking a new resolution from the UNSC in 2003
  • lord frost, he didn’t agree with covid plan b restrictions, 2021
  • brexit, many resignations under car Johnson as foreign secretary resigned in 2018 as he couldn’t accept the PM chequers plan
30
Q

identify three occasions when cabinet ministers have resigned because of imr

A
  • amber rudd 2018 Home Secretary resigned over then wind rush scandal of people being threatened with deportation by the uk government
  • Michale fallon resigned over personal conduct and kissing a 29 year old political journalist
  • matt Hancock resigned over evidence of an affair during the covid pandemic
31
Q

explain why individual ministerial responsibility is an important concept

A

as it means that an elected representative must take responsibility for actions and decisions in department and meeting the ministerial code of conduct

32
Q

explain why collective ministerial responsibility is an important concept

A

ensures all members agree and publicly support a policy this gives the public the ides of a unified policy image

33
Q

explain three reasons why cabinet ministers have been forced to resign

A
  • personal conduct and sexual conduct e.g. Hancock
  • due to mistakes made within their department e.g. amber Rudd
  • refusal to do what is instructed by the prime minister
34
Q

explain three reasons why a pm may not enforce imr

A
  • want to keep a close supporter in cabinet
  • as they are in a weak position and need to keep big beasts within cabinet e.g. may and brexit
  • as doing so would turn negative attention towards them putting their popularity at risk
35
Q

explain three reasons why a pm may not enforce cmr

A
  • coalition, may need both views publicly expressed which may not align with government position e.g. cables views on immigration and tuition fees
  • they don’t want to lose key numbers from their cabinet e.g. brexit
  • may damage a cabinet members standing within their local party
36
Q

explain two negative consequences of a pm not enforcing cmr

A
  • weak image as they don’t have the authority to exert control over cabinet
  • damage government image as it can be weak and divided therefore the public can lose faith
37
Q
A

politics paper 2 (3 decks)

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