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Government of the UK > PM and Cabinet > Flashcards

PM and Cabinet Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the biographical details of Margaret Thatcher?

A

Studied chemistry at oxford, known as the iron lady, married with 2 children.

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2
Q

What is the political background of Margaret Thatcher?

A

Youngest conservative candidate in the country, when she first stood for election, education secretary, longest serving PM of the 21st century.

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3
Q

What were Thatcher’s relations with her cabinet?

A

Mix of Thatcherites and wets, no women, no cabinet member served for her whole premiership.

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4
Q

What were Margaret Thatcher’s relations with parliament?

A

She won a majority in every election, landslide victory in 1983, 1987, didn’t struggle to pass bills.

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5
Q

What were Thatcher’s relations with the media?

A

Was masculine, right wing press dominated during her premiership, Sunday trading laws.

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6
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Thatcher?

A

Labour were weak when she was prime minister, no labour leader who opposed her became PM. She became PM through a vote of no confidence.

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7
Q

What is the biographical detail of John Major?

A

Born in 1993, PM for 7 years, didn’t go to university.

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8
Q

What is the political background of John Major?

A

Elected as an MP in 1979, held 3/4 great offices of state, seen as pragmatic.

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9
Q

What were John Major’s relationships with the cabinet?

A

Divided over EU, collective responsibility was suspended, mix of Eurosceptics and wets, less time was spent on policy.

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10
Q

What were John Major’s relationships with parliament?

A

He was able to do more with the majority he inherited from thatcher, small majority, deregulation, party leadership election.

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11
Q

What was John Major’s relationship with the media?

A

Saw him as back to basics, no spin, family values, riddled with scandal, and media capitalised on this.

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12
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Major?

A

He felt threatened under new labour, Tony Blair and Neil Kinnock, was up against spin, wasn’t good at PMQ’s.

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13
Q

What is the basic biographical detail of Tony Blair?

A

Lived in Durham, studied law at oxford, father ran for parliament in 1963.

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14
Q

What is the political background of Tony Blair?

A

Elected as an MP in 1983, joined shadow cabinet in 1998, 1992 - Shadow home secretary. 1994-1997 - LOTO.

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15
Q

What were Tony Blair’s relations with the cabinet?

A

Had to elect his cabinet, had a deal to stand down with Gordon brown. Led a sofa style governmet.

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16
Q

What were Tony Blair’s relations with parliament?

A

Suffered a rebellion with Iraq war, some saw him as honest, won huge majorities.

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17
Q

What was Tony Blair’s relationship with the media?

A

Many right-wing media supported Labour and Blair in 1997, met Rupert Murdoch, media image was carefully maintained.

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18
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Blair?

A

Opposition capitalised in Iraq war, where WMD’s were never found.

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19
Q

What is the basic biographical detail of Gordon Brown?

A

Born in 1951, PHD in history, went to university at 16, one child died.

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20
Q

What is the political background of Gordon Brown?

A

1983 - Elected as an MP, 1992 - Shadow chancellor, 1997 - chancellor, 2007 - Prime minister.

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21
Q

What were Gordon Brown’s relations with the cabinet?

A

Cash for honours scandal, expenses scandal.

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22
Q

What were Brown’s relations with parliament?

A

Popularity fell from 2007-2008. Criticised by his own party, European elections didn’t go well, financial crisis.

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23
Q

What were Brown’s relationship with the media?

A

Bigoted woman, Arctic monkeys, tried to leave the HOC during a vote, claimed he was unfairly treated.

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24
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Brown?

A

Conservatives were able to capitalise on the Financial crisis, labour were seen as weak.

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25
Q

What is the basic biographical detail of David Cameron?

A

Had three children, PM for 6 years, PPE at oxford, Eton college.

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26
Q

What is the political background of David Cameron?

A

Elected as an MP in 2001, elected leader after 4 years, was a SPAD to the chancellor, LOTO for 5 years.

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27
Q

What were Cameron’s relationships with the cabinet?

A

Head of coalition gov - meaning they sometimes disagreed on fundamental issues, most decisions made by Quad, Europe divided cabinet.

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28
Q

What were Cameron’s relations with parliament?

A

7 defeats in coalition government, 3 defeats in majority government, conservative backbenchers didn’t like social reform, gay marriage, HOL reform.

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29
Q

What were Cameron’s relations with the media?

A

Put effort into his image, wanted more liberal engagement. Met Rupert Murdoch a lot, admitted being too close to the media.

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30
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Cameron?

A

Ed Miliband was LOTO, opposition was more popular than government, labour were able to prevent military action in Syria.

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31
Q

What is the basic biographical detail of Theresa May?

A

Born in 1956, Grew up in oxford, Studied geography at oxford, worked at the bank of England.

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32
Q

What is the political background of Theresa May?

A

Conservative councillor, elected in 1997, home secretary, longest serving female home secretary.

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33
Q

What were May’s relations with the cabinet?

A

Got rid of most of David Cameron’s cabinet, created three new departments, had a grip on cabinet before 2017 election.

34
Q

What were May’s relations with parliament?

A

She had priorities to pass acts for the less fortunate, defeated 33 times in HOC.

35
Q

What were May’s relations with the media?

A

Media saw her as a woman first, politician second. Focused on her looks and outfits, endorsed by Rupert Murdoch.

36
Q

What was the strength of opposition to May?

A

She had conservative opposition on Brexit, U-turned on social care, lost her majority in 2017.

37
Q

What is the basic biographical detail of Boris Johnson?

A

Born in 1964, Born in NYC, went to Eton College, studied classics at oxford.

38
Q

What is the political background of Boris Johnson?

A

Tried to be elected in 1997, elected as an MP in 2001. 2004 - Joined shadow frontbench. 2008 - Mayor of London.

39
Q

What were Johnson’s relations with the cabinet?

A

62 of his ministers resigned because of Chris Pincher. Survived a VONC. Put his friends in the cabinet.

40
Q

What were Johnson’s relations with Parliament?

A

Defeated 12 times as a minority gov, illegally shut down parliament, won 80 seat majority in 2019.

41
Q

What was Johnson’s relationship with the media?

A

Received media attention from party gate, 83 people given FPN’s in his government. Leaked budget proposals to social media.

42
Q

What was the strength of opposition to Johnson?

A

Defeated Corbyn in 2019, Keir Starmer was his main opponent, when Johnson’s popularity went down, Starmer’s went up.

43
Q

What are the requirements to be Prime minister?

A

You have to be an MP, you have to be leader of your party, you have to have a majority in the house of commons.

44
Q

What are the responsibilities of the Prime minister?

A

Political leadership, national leadership, appointing government, chairing cabinet, managing executive, prerogative powers, representing the UK internationally.

45
Q

What is a life peer?

A

Someone who is put into the house of lords, usually through an honours list, and remains there for life.

46
Q

Which Prime ministers gave the most peerages?

A

Tony Blair and David Cameron.

47
Q

What were the government doing with honours under Tony Blair?

A

The government were accepting cash for honours.

48
Q

Which people may be perceived as having the most power, with peerages?

A

People with the most money.

49
Q

Why is the power to appoint cabinet minsters important?

A

So the PM can have autonomy on who is making key decisions.

50
Q

How did Sunak appoint Cameron to the cabinet?

A

By putting him in the House of lords.

51
Q

How can this power be used strategically?

A

They can put trouble makers into the cabinet, so they’re bound by collective responsibility.

52
Q

What is an example of trouble makers in the cabinet?

A

Rishi Sunak reappointing Suella Braverman to the cabinet.

53
Q

How can a PM make sure their views are adhered to?

A

Putting people in the cabinet who they know agree with their view.

54
Q

What is an example of a PM guiding policy?

A

Rishi Sunak - HS2. Boris Johnson - Brexit. Liz Truss - Mini Budget.

55
Q

Why does a PM need to be leader of their party?

A

So they can command the respect of people.

56
Q

Why is the cabinet chosen by the prime minister?

A

To help guide policy.

57
Q

What has happened to the power of the cabinet?

A

It holds less power than it used to.

58
Q

What does the prime minster have the power to do with the cabinet?

A

Create new departments and positions.

59
Q

Who currently holds the great offices of state?

A

PM - Rishi Sunak. Chancellor - Jeremy Hunt. FS - David Cameron. HS - James Cleverly.

60
Q

Why are longer serving cabinet ministers more respected?

A

It usually means they haven’t been involved in scandal.

61
Q

What is the significance of the cabinet?

A

Combined knowledge and ideas, they can remove the PM, they ensure efficient running of the Westminster system, they control government departments.

62
Q

What are the responsibilities of cabinet committees?

A

Reduce burden on cabinet by enabling decisions to be made by ministers in smaller groups, senior members of the cabinet are chairs of committees, provide a forum for detailed consideration.

63
Q

Which considerations are made when appointing cabinet ministers?

A

Ideological positions, Experience, Personalities, loyalty, demographics.

64
Q

What is collective responsibility?

A

The idea that each minister has a responsibility to the government to agree with the overall government position.

65
Q

What are the three elements of collective responsibility?

A

Secrecy, Binding decisions, confidence vote.

66
Q

What is secrecy?

A

You shouldn’t leak what is said at cabinet meetings, or in private conversations with others.

67
Q

What are binding decisions?

A

What the cabinet agrees, it sticks to, and doesn’t break formation.

68
Q

What is a confidence vote?

A

The idea that if the cabinet doesn’t have faith in you, you should resign.

69
Q

What is an example of a cabinet resignation, due to collective responsibility?

A

Nigel Lawson.

70
Q

What is ministerial responsibility?

A

The ides that a minster has responsibilities within their departments, as well as with their constituents, and if they don’t agree, they should resign.

71
Q

When is collective responsibility not enforced?

A

During a coalition, and during a referendum.

72
Q

What is individual responsibility?

A

The idea that ministers have to be responsible for their own personal conduct while working, and if they do something which is against the ministerial code, they should resign or be sacked.

73
Q

What is an example of an individual responsibility resignation?

A

Edwina Currie, Salmonella in eggs scandal.

74
Q

What are the examples of collective responsibility being ignored?

A

Coalition government, Gay marriage, AV referendum.

75
Q

What are the examples of individual responsibility being ignored?

A

Partygate, Priti Patel bullying scandal, ‘wood burning goves’

76
Q

What are the examples of a rise of the British President?

A

Media focus is on the PM, more presidential on the global stage, PM has personal policies which they want to achieve, personality plays a big role in elections.

77
Q

What are the arguments against a rise in the British president?

A

PM’s are not heads of state, they’re limited by institutions around them. PM’s can be removed very easily. Some are more presidential than others.

78
Q

What is a pre-eminent prime minster?

A

A prime minster who is defined by the events which are going on around them, rather than deciding the events themselves.

79
Q

What are the examples of pre-eminent PM’s?

A

Gordon Brown, Theresa May, David Cameron.

80
Q

What is a pre-dominant prime minister?

A

A prime minster who directs the events going on around them with a personal agenda.

81
Q

What are the examples of pre dominant PM’s?

A

Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Boris Johnson.

82
Q

What are the examples of Prime ministers trying to dictate policy?

A

Poll Tax - Thatcher, 1990. Iraq War - Blair, 2003. General Election - May, 2017.

Government of the UK (5 decks)

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