PM and cabinet

Question 1

May’s failed policies

x2

Answer 1

Dementia Tax

Expansion of Grammar schools

Question 2

May power move in Cabinet

Answer 2

2016

when she came into power: sacked 10 of Cameron’s senior ministers

Question 3

coalition areas where CMS didn’t apply

x4

Answer 3

• building of nuclear power stations
• tax allowances for married couples
• higher education funding
• renewal of Trident

Question 4

coalition breached of CMS

x3

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

PM strict on policy agenda

Answer 5

1964-1967

Wilson refused to discuss devaluation of the pound despite several senior ministers wanting to

Question 6

Things Blair did without Cabinet

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

May’s pre-2017 special advisors

Answer 7

Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill

Question 8

CMS ignored

Answer 8

13th March 2019
three line whip over vote on a no-deal Brexit
broken by a number of ministers but no repercussions

Question 9

IMS failure under May

Answer 9

2019

Chris Grayling refused to resign (Transport secretary) after handing a gov ferry contract to a company with no ferries

Question 10

suspension of CMS: referendums

x3

Answer 10

1975: EEC
2011: AV
2016: Brexit

Question 11

suspension of CMS: issues of conscience

Answer 11

2013 Marriage Act: two ministers opposed

Question 12

Dissent and non-resignation

x3

Answer 12

• ‘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

Question 13

Leak handled by May

Answer 13

2019
Gavin Williamson Huawei Leak (defence secretary)
sacked by May

Question 14

May balancing factions in cabinet

Answer 14

both remainers (Amber Rudd) and Brexiteers (BoJo, Liam Fox)

Question 15

Blair appeasing people in cabinet

Answer 15

Gordon Brown as chancellor

Question 16

Blair rewarding New Labour supporters

Answer 16

2001: David Blunkett as Home Secretary

Question 17

Major appeasing enemies in his cabinet

Answer 17

included opponents for leadership contest: Douglas Herd and Michael Heseltine

Question 18

Senior Ministers forcing hand of a PM

Answer 18

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

Question 19

PM creating and chairing a cabinet committee

Answer 19

2016

May and the Economy and Industrial Strategy Committee

Question 20

Thatcher appeasing One Nation in her cabinet

Answer 20

included both economic ‘wets’ and ‘dries’

Question 21

Blair appeasing Trad. Labour

Answer 21

John Prescott as Deputy PM

Question 22

the night of the long knives

Answer 22

MacMillan’s 1962 reshuffle

7 senior ministers sacked

Question 23

PM appointing peerages

Answer 23

Blair appointed 162 Labour life peers

Question 24

successful IMS

x3

Answer 24

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

Question 25

successful CMS

Answer 25

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