PM and cabinet Flashcards
May’s failed policies
x2
Dementia Tax
Expansion of Grammar schools
May power move in Cabinet
2016
when she came into power: sacked 10 of Cameron’s senior ministers
coalition areas where CMS didn’t apply
x4
- building of nuclear power stations
- tax allowances for married couples
- higher education funding
- renewal of Trident
coalition breached of CMS
x3
- 2013: withdrew support for constituency boundary changes after HoL reform scrapped
- 2014: voted for exceptions on bedroom tax
- 2014: did not support an EU referendum
PM strict on policy agenda
1964-1967
Wilson refused to discuss devaluation of the pound despite several senior ministers wanting to
Things Blair did without Cabinet
- within first week: removed Gov’s power to set interest rate for the Bank of England (not in Manifesto)
- didn’t discuss Iraq in cabinet
May’s pre-2017 special advisors
Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill
CMS ignored
13th March 2019
three line whip over vote on a no-deal Brexit
broken by a number of ministers but no repercussions
IMS failure under May
2019
Chris Grayling refused to resign (Transport secretary) after handing a gov ferry contract to a company with no ferries
suspension of CMS: referendums
x3
1975: EEC
2011: AV
2016: Brexit
suspension of CMS: issues of conscience
2013 Marriage Act: two ministers opposed
Dissent and non-resignation
x3
- ‘wets’ in Thatcher’s cabinet critical of her economic policy
- BoJo’s 4000 word essay against May in the Daily Telegraph
- Lib Dems in coalition: only one junior minister resigned
Leak handled by May
2019
Gavin Williamson Huawei Leak (defence secretary)
sacked by May
May balancing factions in cabinet
both remainers (Amber Rudd) and Brexiteers (BoJo, Liam Fox)
Blair appeasing people in cabinet
Gordon Brown as chancellor
Blair rewarding New Labour supporters
2001: David Blunkett as Home Secretary
Major appeasing enemies in his cabinet
included opponents for leadership contest: Douglas Herd and Michael Heseltine
Senior Ministers forcing hand of a PM
1989
Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to shift gov policy on the ERC by threatening resignation if she continued to rule out membership
PM creating and chairing a cabinet committee
2016
May and the Economy and Industrial Strategy Committee
Thatcher appeasing One Nation in her cabinet
included both economic ‘wets’ and ‘dries’
Blair appeasing Trad. Labour
John Prescott as Deputy PM
the night of the long knives
MacMillan’s 1962 reshuffle
7 senior ministers sacked
PM appointing peerages
Blair appointed 162 Labour life peers
successful IMS
x3
David Blunkett in 2004: fast tracked a visa
(and again in 2005)
Chris Huhne 2012: wife took speeding points: both to jail
Amber Rudd 2018; deportation aims
successful CMS
Geoffrey Howe 1990: Thatcher’s Eurosceptic stance
Robin Cook 2003: Blair’s involvement in Iraq
Ian Duncan Smith 2016: cuts to disability benefits
BoJo 2018: May’s Chequers deal
Sajid David 2020: BoJo asking him to sack his advisors in a reshuffle
