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UK Government - Paper 2 > PM and the Executive > Flashcards

PM and the Executive Flashcards

1
Q

What are the most important elements of the executive?

A

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

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2
Q

Who is the Cabinet comprised of?

A

Chief Whips and Heads of State Departments.

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3
Q

Who appoints the Cabinet?

A

The Prime Minister.

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4
Q

Who comprises the executive?

A

-The Prime Minister.
-The Cabinet.
-120 Junior Ministers.
-Senior Civil Servants.
-The Government.

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5
Q

What does the core executive contain?

A

-Ministers.
-Senior Civil Servants.
-Political Advisors.

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6
Q

How does the PM and executive govern?

A
  • Proposes new legislation based on their winning manifesto.
  • Introduces legislation in response to political and social circumstances.
  • Introduces budgets.
  • Can introduce secondary legislation or delay legislation.
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7
Q

Define secondary legislation.

A
  • The process by which primary legislation can be commended by government departments without requiring another act of Parliament.
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8
Q

When was the role of the Cabinet set out?

A

Ministerial Code (2010) and Cabinet Manual (2010).

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9
Q

What is the role of the Cabinet?

A
  • Ratify decisions made elsewhere.
  • Discuss and take decisions on major issues of the day.
  • Settle disputes between departments.
    -Receive and respond to reports on key developments in politics.
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10
Q

Example of Cabinet stopping disputes.

A

2024: Sunak mediated disputes between Treasury and Home Office over the Rwanda asylum scheme.

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11
Q

Where does Prime Ministerial power come from?

A

The monarch asking them to form a government.

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12
Q

Examples of PMs losing government support.

A
  1. May: Confidence and supply deal post-2017 election.
  2. Johnson: Resigned in 2022 due to “Partygate.”
  3. Truss: Lost confidence after the “mini-budget” disaster in 2022.
  4. Sunak: Faced rebellions in 2023-24 over Rwanda asylum policies and tax proposals.
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13
Q

What are the powers of the PM?

A
  • Determine government membership.
  • Appoint people to the judiciary and civil service.
  • Recommend life peers.
  • Negotiate foreign treaties.
  • Direct combatant military forces.
  • Control the UK’s Trident military forces.
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14
Q

Example of a PM casting the narrative of their government.

A
  1. Johnson: Centered on “Get Brexit Done.”
  2. Starmer (2024): Focused on economic stability and green investment.
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15
Q

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

A
  • Ministers are accountable to - Parliament for their department’s actions.
  • Must justify actions via written responses and select committees.
  • Bear personal responsibility for serious administrative or policy mistakes.
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16
Q

Examples of individual ministerial responsibility.

A
  1. Administrative Failure: Post Office Scandal re-exposed in 2024.
  2. Policy Failure: Gavin Williamson’s resignation over the 2020 exam grading fiasco.
  3. Personal Misconduct: Matt Hancock resigned after his affair was exposed.
  4. Political Pressure: Suella Braverman resigned in 2023, citing Sunak’s immigration policies.
  5. Priti Patel : forced to resign in 2020 after breaching the Ministerial Code by holding unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials.
17
Q

What is collective ministerial responsibility?

A
  • If the government loses a House of Commons vote of confidence, the whole government must resign.
  • Cabinet discussions must remain secret.
  • Ministers must publicly support agreed policies.
  • A minister must resign if they cannot publicly agree with the government.
18
Q

Examples of collective ministerial responsibility breaking down.

A
  1. May’s government: Cabinet leaks during Brexit negotiations.
  2. Sunak’s government: Suella Braverman publicly criticized the Rwanda policy in 2023.
19
Q

What are the functions of the Cabinet?

A
  • Approve executive decisions.
  • Determine key policy issues.
  • Resolve disputes between departments.
  • Develop and implement policies via Cabinet committees.
20
Q

Limitations of PM appointments.

A
  1. Pressure to include influential colleagues and dominant personalities.
    EXAMPLE: Boris Johnson (2019): -appointed Sajid Javid as Chancellor despite differences in approach. Javid - significant figure & represented a different faction.
  2. Balancing factions to unite the party.
    EXAMPLE: November 2023 reshuffle SUNAk - appointing Gove and keeping Bravermann
21
Q

Advantages of PM appointments.

A
  1. Promoting allies to key positions.
    - EXAMPLE: Sunak (2022): Promoted Hunt as Chancellor to stabilize economic policy after Truss mini-budget.
  2. Binding rivals to collective responsibility.
    - EXAMPLE: May in 2016 appointed Johnson (pro-brexit) as Foreign Secretary. Tied to her gov Brexit strategy and less free to openly criticize her policies.
22
Q

Criticisms of the Cabinet.

A
  1. Size hinders constructive debate.
    EXAMPLE: Johnson’s (2019–2022), Cabinet included many ministers, > felt that diluted the effectiveness of debates on crucial issues like Brexit. Discussions too broad.
  2. The centrality of Cabinet government is questioned.
    EXAMPLE: SUNAK, heavily reliant on the PM and his inner circle. economic policy controlled by PM
23
Q

How does the Prime Minister’s control over government policy impact Cabinet decisions?

A
  • PM often centralises decision-making, limiting the Cabinet’s influence. Key decisions are made within the PM’s office.
    Example:
  • Sunak has managed economic decisions closely with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, reducing broader Cabinet involvement
24
Q

How does the Prime Minister’s influence impact collective Cabinet responsibility?

A

CCR > all ministers must support government decisions publicly, but PM often limits Cabinet involvement in significant decisions, reducing the impact of collective decision-making.
Example:
- May’s handling of Brexit negotiations often saw Cabinet ministers sidelined, with key decisions being made by the PM and a small group of senior officials, resulting in frustration and divisions within her Cabinet​

UK Government - Paper 2 (6 decks)

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