PM and the cabinet Flashcards
how do you become prime Minister
- An elected MP
- Leader of a party
- Party usually has a majority
Roles of the Prime Minister
- Appoint MPs and peers
- Chief of the army
- head of the Government: makes government, makes and abolishes committees
- National leader
- Sets agenda: organises the government
- Chief policy maker: has the final say and negotiates with other countries
Define Prerogative powers
Officially the Queens powers, however in recent years have been transferred to the PM.
E.g. declaring war, appointing honours, making treaties, dissolution of parliament
Define the cabinet
The collective decision making body
Types of ministers
Secretary of state, Ministers of state and parliamentary under secretaries
Powers of the PM
- Hire and fire
- Cabinet Management
- Institutional support
- Prerogative powers
Explain Hire and Fire affect on the PM with an example
PM can ensure loyal and ideologically matched MPs and ministers because the PM controls their careers. PM can rid himself of critics and rivals.
For example:
- Gordon brown had the biggest reshuffle in history, 11 ministers left or sacked and only 1 minister remained in the same position.
- Thatchers transformed her cabinet form the wets to the dries in 1979.
Explain Cabinet management affect on the PM with an example
- Chairs cabinet meetings- manages its time and agenda, - chairs cabinet committees which harnesses the PM decisions making authority, Decides the nature and number of committees.
For example Blair used the sofa government to replace committee meetings. Committee meeting would last less than an hour.
Explain institutional support affect on the PM with an example
PM has special advisor’s in the PM office and the cabinet office= support the PM
For example: Major had 8 where as Blair had 50
Explain Prerogative powers affect on the PM with an example
The powers officially the queen passed on to the PM such as declaring war, making treaties, dissolution of parliament and appointing honours
Limits on the PMs Power
The cabinet, The Party, The size of majority and The media
Explain the cabinet affect on the PM with an example
The PM relies on the cabinet- cabinet ministers can be hugely powerful. If a minister was to resign it can reflect badly on the PM and party image.
For example Thatcher lost 3 senior ministers and provided context for her down fall in 1990.
Explain the party affect on the PM with an example
- A united party and confidence in the PM and cabinet is crucial. With little confidence and support the PM can find it difficult to pass legislation and policy- nothing the PM can do. Can also affect the electoral success in the next election.
For example: Thatcher lost support in the leadership election, the MPs saw thatcher as a liability= backbenchers acted to save themselves
Explain the size of majority affect on the PM with an example
- With a large majority the PM is able to pass legislation easily. However with a small majority its proven more difficult as the impact of rebels is larger.
- Coalitions often occur when there is no majority and this results in ideological divide= harder to pass laws.
For example: Major have a 21 majority and Conservatives have a 12 majority.
Explain the media affect on the PM with an example
Links to public support and opinion. Brings about ministerial resignations.
Negative coverage= lower public support and reduce electoral success
For example: Brown had bad coverage and lost the next general election in 2010
Styles of the PM
- Innovator- Have their own goals e.g. Thatcher and Brown
- Reformer- Want to implement their manifesto and party agenda e.g. Blair and Cameron
- Balancer- Suffers from major divisions and spends time making peace e.g. Major
- Egotist- Hasn’t go a clear goal just wants to be in power e.g. Brown
The Cabinet Facts
PM+ 20-25 ministers
Foreign minister- Hammond
Home secretary- May
Chancellor- Osborn
Functions of the Cabinet
- co-ordinate and create Government policy
- To discuss issue involving the Government
- reach an agreement on position over key issues
- Discuss recent events
Define collective responsibility
Convention that the cabinet are all equally accountable for the actions and all ministers should support policy’s
- If a minister can not agree they are expected to resign e.g. Claire Short and Robin cook in the Iraq war
Individual ministerial responsibility
the idea that if an error occurs in the ministers department, that they are held individually responsible and should resign.
Name the 4 theories of who holds the power
Cabinet Government, Core executaive Government, presidential Government, Prime Ministerial Government
Explain Cabinet Government with evidence
The idea that the power of government is evenly distributed in the cabinet.
- PM doesn’t have enough expertise alone and therefore needs others
- Coalition used the quad and bilateral meetings
- Blair and sofa government
- Joined up government: secretaries are informed of everything
Prime Ministerial government with evidence
The idea that the Prime minister holds all the power and dominates the executive.
- Head of government and civil service
- Patronage and prerogative powers
- More media attention
Presidential Government with evidence
PM is increasingly seen like a president- solely responsible for success and failures.
- More focus on the PMs character
- More media attention
- Gordon Brown seen as responsible for economy diaster
Core executive Government
Power is shared in a complex network. All groups are mutually dependent on each other.
- Civil servants and special advisor have great influence
- Coalition= powers dispersed
- Some ministers have a large independence e.g. Gove and education
