PM and the executive examples Flashcards
What shows that the prerogative power of deployment of the armed forces overseas has been strained in recent years.
It appeared that parliamentary approval for the deployment of armed forces overseas was becoming a constitutional convention. Tony Blair sought parliamentary approval for U.K. participation in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. David Cameron didn’t launch air strikes on Syria when Parliament voted against them in 2013, but did when Parliament gave approval in 2015. However, in 2018, Theresa May ordered missile strikes in Syria without seeking prior parliamentary authority. She argued that swift action had been necessary and claimed that Parliament could hold her to account for her decision - the government won a vote on military action after air strikes had taken place. May accepted that Parliament should have been consulted before major military operations.
What shows that the executive’s power to call an election early has become strained?
Prior to the fixed term Parliaments Act 2011, the Prime minister could ask the monarch to dissolve Parliament and call an early general election. The Act provides for an early election if two thirds of MPs approve in a vote in the HOC. In 2017, MPs approved a motion for an early election by 522 votes to 13. In 2019, three votes on holding an early general election failed to reach a two thirds threshold, but MPs then by-passed the Fixed Term Parliaments Act and approved, by a simple majority the Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019. The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 repealed the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011.
What court cases show that the executive’s prerogative powers have become strained in recent years?
In R Miller V secretary for Exiting The European Union, the Supreme Court ruled that the government did not have the prerogative power to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty without the involvement of Parliament. Then, in R Miller V The Prime Minister and Cherry V Advocate General for Scotland, the Supreme Court ruled that Johnson’s advice to the queen to prorogue parliament for five weeks at a critical juncture in the Brexit negotiations was unlawful.
What is an example of the government using secondary legislation to implement policy
Many Brexit and Covid rules were secondary legislation, with some coming into effect at very short notice
How has the use of secondary legislation changed in recent years.
Until 2014, there was consistently about 3,500 SIs, but by 2016, this had dropped to 1,250. This has slowly risen since 2016, reaching just over 1,500 in 2020.
What example highlights that it is a constitutional requirement that the Prime Minister must be an MP
The Earl of Home renounced his hereitary peerage to become Alec Douglas Home, and stood successfully in a by-election for the Commons. He became leader of the Conservatives when Harold MacMillan died and became Prime Minister
What example shows a PM having to step down because they were no longer leader of their party?
Margaret Thatdher resigned after failing to win the Conservative leadership election
Example of a minority government
Conservatives in 2017, agreeing a ‘confidence and supply deal’ with the DUP
How did Tony Blair use patronage powers?
He increased Labour’s representation within the HOL by appointing 162 Labour peers
How did Johnson use his patronage powers?
He was criticised for appointing more Conservative life peers at a time when the HOL wanted to reduce its membership. He appointed his chief Brexit negotiator David Frost to the Lords in 2021 and gave him a cabinet position
What is an example of a prime minister having to appoint a senior party figure to their party, even though they were a rival for their job?
Brown agreed not to stand against Blair in the 1995 Labour leadership election and in return received assurances that he would become chancellor in a Labour government. Blair was required by Labour Party rules to select his first cabinet from those previously elected to the shadow cabinet by Labour MPs
What are example of PMs having to appoint cabinet ministers from both sides of the party
Thatcher included the economic dries and wets to her first cabinet, but gave key positions to the former. New Labour dominated Blair’s cabinet, but Old Labour was present was appeased with the appointment of John Prescott as deputy PM. May’s cabinet had campaigned for retain in 2016, but leave campaigners Boris Johnson and David Davis were put in charge of departments that would deliver Brexit.
What was Johnson’s cabinet like demographically?
It was noticeably ethically diverse, with 7 from BAME backgrounds. But only 8 out of 30 were women
What are some examples of cabinet reshuffles which backfired
Harold MacMillan’s 1962 reshuffle was dubbed the ‘night of the long knives’, in which he sacked seven cabinet ministers. Thatcher’s demotion of foreign secreatry Sir Geoff Howe in 1989 had damaging consequences because his resignation a year later triggered Thatcher’s downfall. Johnson’s reshuffle ran into problems when chancellor Sajid Javid resigned after refusing the Prime minister’s demand to replace his special advisors
What is an example of a minister refusing to change post in a cabinet reshuffle
Brown planned to make Ed Balls chancellor in 2009, but the incumbent, Alastair Darling, refused to accept another post and Brown relented. May’s 2018 reshuffle was derailed when Jeremy Hung argued successfully that he should not be moved from his post as secretary for health and was given extra responsibility for social care
What’s an example of a Pm establishing a cabinet committee
Johnson’s committe on the union
What is an example of the pm restructuring the government
Johnson closed the department for International development and transferred its function to the foreign office
What’s an example of a cabinet and senior ministers not supporting a PM’s policy making input?
Chancellor Nigel Lawson and foreign secretary Geoffrey Howe forced Thatched to shift government policy on the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1989 by threatening to resign is she continued to rule out the UK’s entry into the system
What is an example of a leader facing backbench rebellion and therefore policy being forced upon the government
The coalition’s proposal on reforming the HOL was dropped by rebellion from Conservative MPs and Conservative rebellion on EU issues contributed to Cameron’s decision to promise a referendum on membership
How did Thatcher and May’s public standing affect their authority?
Thatched polarised opinion but was widely regarded as a strong leader. This image was profitable for much of her premiership, but at the end she was viewed as autocratic. May’s poor performance in 2017 general election campaign weakened her position
