PM and Cabinet 3c Presidentialism Flashcards
To what extent does the PM dominate UK politics?
Michael Foley published The British Presidency in 2001, proposing that some PMs had moved beyond their normal extent of control and had evolved into a presidential style.
His two strongest examples were Maggie T and Tozza B.
Winston Churchill and Harold Wilson had traces of presidential style but it was not as dominant as Maggie T.
Spatiial Leadership
PMs increasingly seem to place themselves in a space above their cabinet and party.
They are distant from the party and they present themselves as an outsider who has secured a personal mandate from the electorate in a similar way that the president does.
May chaired all 12 committees she attended with no other minister chairing more than two - David Cameron used to have daily cabinet meetings, May utilised the sub committees instead.
Thatcher described the One Nation style of the 1970s as wet and introduced Thatcherism.
Tony Blair went into politics in 1983 and that was the year he became MP. He did not agree with the Trade Union Left and he relabelled the party as Third Way.
Boris Johnson also challenged existing Cons approaches - he is very informal.
Populist outreach
Utilising the media to reach out to the public directly which appeals to populism rather than relying on formal political channels such as speeches in Parliament - they appeal through television appearances and broadcasts.
Thatcher showed her commitment and strength through speeches and TV of the Falklands.
Tony Blair’s speech marking the Death of Princess Diana, Of Wales - the Royal Family were at Balmoral refusing to acknowledge her death, Blair labelled her the People’s Princess. Polls in weeks to come gave him an approval rating of 93%.
Personalised election campaigns
Since the 1980s, election campaigns have been centred on the PM or the potential new PM.
Cameron used this personal authority to push through important issues - he was at the forefront of the same-sex marriage fight which was not a policy traditionally supported by the Conservative party. He successfully repealed section 28.
2019 Election - Boris Johnson made himself as the focus of the campaign - Lets Get Brexit Done - Love Actually Parody encourages this personalisation of the campaign.
Claiming personal mandates
There is a trend that PM claim that it is they that were responsible for the successes in the election.
They have a personal mandate consequently… Boris Johnson can claim that people were voting for him and so he had a personal mandate to execute his policies without having opposition.
Increased use of special advisers
importance of cabinet meetings reduced –> in the USA, Cabinet meetings are merely advisory and not collectively responsible for decisions.
Less reliance on the full Cabinet means that there is greater emphasis on Special Advisers. Cabinet meetings are shorter and take fewer decisions - Blair’s government style was labelled the Sofa Government.
Blair significantly relied on Alistair Campbell for decision-making for advice on how to present his decision.
Boris Johnson heavily relied on advice from Dominic Cummings. Formed a strong bond in the 2016 VOTE LEAVE Campaign. He was credited with the Take Back Control slogan. He devised the strategy about pushing for Brexit to be done for the 2019 election - he wanted to focus on winning Labour safe seats. Cummings was expected to leave Downing Street by the end of 2020. Johnson was urged by senior Tories to axe Cummings because he briefed against Johnson labelling his as indecisive.
A strengthened Cabinet Office
Tony Blair worked very closely with Bill Clinton - Blair and Brown worked on Clinton’s campaign - he modelled his support staff on the White House.
He created the position of Chief of Staff which oversaw the largest support group - this was a new role in the UK, taken from the USA.
This position behaves as a senior aide to the PM, a powerful and non-ministerial position within there majesty’s government.
He enlarged the no. of staff in the PM’s Private Office and in the Cabinet Office.
This all created greater control of the executive from the centre.
Presidentialism is overstated
There are prominent differences between PM and President
Even the most presidential PMs had restrictions to their power which would not occur with a US president.
No UK PM had a direct personal mandate from their electorate which happens with the US president. When the leadership of Margaret and Tony Blair became seen as harmful for their party’s prospects, they were replaced as leaders. Presidents can only resign if they have committed high crimes and misdemeanours.
Presidentialism is overstated
Some PMs have different characteristics and so it is impossible for them to behave in this way. Not all PMs fit the model.
Uncharismatic - Gordon Brown was parodied in his attempts to speak to the nation by comedian Rory Brenmer. One of his colleagues described him as having a face like a wet winter’s morning in Fife - he lacked popular charisma.
May’s failure to engage with the public during the 2017 general election and the humiliating loss of her parliamentary majority meant that she could not govern in presidential fashion.
Presidentialism is overstated
it is not a clear trend
It is completely dependent on the PM’s majority - the style of leadership adopted depends on the power-base that the PM has. When they have a strong power-base, then they are more likely to be presidential.
Each leadership so far has depended on the political situation and the individual at that time.
Three PMs who operated in favourable times for presidentialism
Boris Johnson - populist support (before coronavirus) but especially in the campaign of the 2019 election. In this election, they won 365 seats, with a 47-seat majority. He did have a strong personal mandate.
Tony Blair - Blair received successful support from the people. He was popular because of his outreach, infamously quoting Diana as the people’s princess. He received a 93% rating approval in the weeks following Diana’s death in 1997.
Margaret Thatcher - presidential because she operated with a significant majority of 63 with 339 seats - she had the mandate and the successes of the Falkland’s to rule successfully and with favourable conditions.
Three PMs who did not operate under favourable conditions - despite wanting to seem presidential
Theresa May - Vote of no confidence and failure to engage with the public during the 2017 General Election and the DUP C + S deal meant that she did not have the mandate or strengthened cabinet office - Boris resigned as Foreign Secretary
Gordon Brown - had the face like a wet winter’s morning in Fife, and struggled and he struggled throughout the 2008 Global Financial recession.
David Cameron - failures after calling the 2016 EU referendum led to his resignation because of collective ministerial responsibility which would not have happened in the USA.
