PM and cabinet Flashcards
What are the prerogative powers
the powers the pm can exert on behalf of the monarch
How does a person become PM
through being the leader of the party with the biggest majority and being appointed by the monarch
Outline three functions of the PM
- a national spokesperson
- select ministers
- chair cabinet meetings
Name one pre 1997 PM
Thatcher
Name one post 1997 PM
Blair
Thatcher - one successful policy, one unsuccessful policy
- right to buy
- poll tax
Thatcher - event that strengthened PM, event that weakened PM
- Falklands war
- Howe’s resignation speech that heavily criticised Thatcher’s European policy and its impact on the Conservative Party
Thatcher - e.g. of exerting control over cabinet, e.g. of exerting control over parliament
- forcing the poll tax through cabinet
- the privatisation of key industries
Thatcher - e.g. of failing to exert control over parliament, e.g. of failing to exert control over cabinet
- 2nd reading of shops bill defeated by parliament in 1986
- loss of cabinet support forced Thatcher into her resignation
Blair - one successful policy, one unsuccessful
- devolution of powers
- detention of terrorists for up to 90 days
Blair - event that strengthened PM, even that weakened PM
- interventionism in Sierra Leone
- Iraq war 2003
Blair - e.g. of exerting control over cabinet, e.g. of exerting control over parliament
- forcing the Iraq war
- passing the increase to student tuition fees
Blair - e.g. of failing to exert control over cabinet, failing to exert control over parliament
- pressure from Brown, forced him out
- 2006 motion passed to protest the US, UK extradition treaty
Outline three features of cabinet
- made up of MP’s
- head of government departments
- meets on a weekly basis in Downing Street
Outline three features of junior ministers
- in charge of an area in a department of govt
- can be held accountable to ministerial responsibility
- must answer to a cabinet secretary
outline three features of government department
- developing policy
- decision making
- staffed by civil servants
outline three factors that may influence the pm’s selection of a cabinet minister
- ability/experience
- reputation
- the support one has within a party can strengthen cabinet
identify three factors that may influence the relationship between pm and their cabinet
- party divisions
- events can be destabilising such as brexit
- strength and power exerted by the pm
explain how the pm exerts authority over the cabinet
through using their power of patronage, they can also threaten the resignation of ministers or offering promotion to ensure support
explain how the pm exerts authority over parliament
they can use party whips who are mps within parliament to toe the party line by offering incentives
what is meant by toeing the party line
accepting the authority of policies and principles unwillingly
explain three factors that can help make a pm more powerful than other pms
- 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
explain three factors that can weaken pm power
- 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
explain three factors that may influence the pm’s selection of cabinet ministers
- 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
define collective ministerial responsibility (cmr)
the convention that all members of government must publicly accept and support government policy and are therefore collectively as a whole responsible to parliament
define individual ministerial responsibility (imr)
the convention that means a minister takes personal responsibility for personal failings and behaviour or failings within their department
identify three occasions when cmr hasn’t been enforced
- 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)
identify three occasions when a minster was expected to resign over imr but didn’t
- 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”
identify three occasions when cabinet ministers have resigned because of cmr
- 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
identify three occasions when cabinet ministers have resigned because of imr
- 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
explain why individual ministerial responsibility is an important concept
as it means that an elected representative must take responsibility for actions and decisions in department and meeting the ministerial code of conduct
explain why collective ministerial responsibility is an important concept
ensures all members agree and publicly support a policy this gives the public the ides of a unified policy image
explain three reasons why cabinet ministers have been forced to resign
- 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
explain three reasons why a pm may not enforce imr
- 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
explain three reasons why a pm may not enforce cmr
- 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
explain two negative consequences of a pm not enforcing cmr
- 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
