PM and Cabinet Flashcards
What is individual ministerial responsibility?
IMR = Each minister is accountable for the actions and performance of their own department as well as their personal life and so if they fail to do so they should take responsibility and resign.
What is collective ministerial responsibility?
All ministers are jointly responsible for government policies and decisions, if they disagree they must resign
What are 5 names of examples of IMR?
- Chris Pincher
- Suella Bravermann
- Gavin Williamson
- Louise Haigh
Why did Chris Pincher resign according to IMR?
- July 2022, Conservative whip Chris Pincher was threatened with suspension after drunkenly groping two men in the Charlton Club.
- Arguably, Boris Johnson backing his close ally hastened his own resignation as prime minister-
Why did Suella Braverman resign according to IMR?
- October 2022, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman resigned after sharing secure information from private email.
Why did Gavin Williamson resign according to IMR?
- November 2022, former whip and Secretary (during COVID) Williamson, resigned over bullying allegations.
Why did Amber Rudd resign according to IMR?
- Resigned as Home Secretary after she misled the Home Affairs Select Committee over her department’s targets for deporting illegal immigrants in 2018
Why did Louise Haigh resign according to IMR?
- Plead guilty to a fraud offence over a decade ago
- Resigned as Transport Secretary
What’s an example of CMR significance? - no deal Brexit
13 Govt ministers like Johnson defied collective ministerial responsibility by disobeying their whips when debating a motion to reject a deal of a no deal Brexit
Why did Paul Bristow October 2023 sacked because of CMR?
Sacked from government position after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, breaking collective ministerial responsibility.
Why did David Davis resign in 2018 because of CMR
Resigned as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union as May’s decision to pursue closer ties with the EU was a “step too far”, and his role should be filled by someone who was enthusiastic and not just a “reluctant conscript”
Example of insignificance of CMR
Theresa May - when Johnson was foreign secretary in her government, he consistently leaked dissatisfaction with government policy. He also wrote critical weekly articles but due to his popularity within the Conservative Party especially amongst the brexiteers she wasn’t able to sack him.
Example of patronage powers (Power of the PM and Cabinet)
Johnson appointed Dominic Cummings as Chief Advisor in July 2019 due to the same view on the EU (VoteLeave campaign)
Example of reshuffling cabinet powers (Power of the PM and Cabinet)
Sunak reshuffled the cabinet in November 2023 and sacked Suella Braverman, who was replaced by James Cleverley and Lord Cameron entered the cabinet to become the Foreign Secretary.
What was the reasons for the November reshuffle of Cabinet for Sunak gov?
- Suella Braverman’s Times article criticising the Police conduct favouring protestors, and the dichotomic view on
- Rwanda scheme between Sunak and Braverman. Also theorised to be a strategic preemptive move by Rishi, anticipating the SC ruling on Rwanda scheme.
