PM & Exec Topic 1 - Power of the Prime Minister Flashcards
What does ‘patronage powers’ mean?
• The power to appoint someone to an important position
Who does the Prime Minister have the power to appoint?
• Life Peers
How many Labour supporters did Blair make peers? Why did he do this?
• 162
How many Conservative supporters did Thatcher make peers?
• 96
How many Conservative supporters did Cameron make peers?
• 110
Why might a PM want to make someone a life peer? What is an example of this?
• To give them a ministerial position
Why was Johnson criticised in 2020 in regards to peerages?
• He awarded 36 peerages to former Conservative MPs and Brexit supporters
What is the meaning of ‘cash-for-honours’? What change did this lead to?
• Allegations that donors to the Labour party were being rewarded with peerages.
How else has the PM’s role in appointing peerages been curtailed?
• No longer plays a role in judicial appointments
What does the PM have the ability to do in regards to cabinet? Why is this beneficial?
• Appoint and dismiss cabinet ministers
In 2016, how many ministers who had attended cabinet under Cameron were not appointed to May’s cabinet?
• 15
In 2019, how many ministers who had attended cabinet under May were not appointed to Johnson’s cabinet?
• 17
In what two ways did Johnson show his control over cabinet?
• Established a cabinet committee on the union
In what way did Sunak show his control over cabinet?
• In 2023, he sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman for writing a controversial article in The Times about an apparent bias the police hold towards protestors.
How was Blair constrained in his appointment of cabinet by senior party members?
• Brown agreed not to stand against Blair in the 1995 leadership election in exchange for becoming Chancellor of the Exchequer in a Labour government.
Why are ideological considerations important in regards to controlling the cabinet?
• A cabinet that contains politicians from only one wing of a party may not have the full support of everyone in the party.
How was Thatcher constrained by ideological considerations in her cabinet?
• Thatcher included both Thatcherites (‘dries’) and one-nation Conservatives (‘wets’) to her first cabinet.
How was Blair constrained by ideological considerations in his cabinet?
• His cabinet was dominated by New Labour
How was May constrained by ideological considerations in her cabinet?
• Most of her cabinet was pro-remain
How is the power to dismiss cabinet sometimes a disadvantage to the PM?
• A bad reshuffle can lead to cabinet divisions, and decrease the reputation of a prime minister.
How did Thatcher suffer from a cabinet reshuffle?
• Demoted Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe in 1989
How did Brown suffer from a cabinet reshuffle?
• Brown planned to make Ed Balls Chancellor of the Exchequer
How was Cameron constrained in his powers to dismiss cabinet ministers?
• Coalition required him to appoint 5 Liberal Democrats to his cabinet, chosen by Clegg
How does the PM get involved in policy-making?
• They set objectives and coordinate policy
How did policy-making make Thatcher successful?
• The 1982 Falklands war was very popular and strengthened her position.
How did policy-making make Johnson successful?
• His clear Brexit strategy made him more popular than his predecessor May
In what two places did Cameron take control in policy-making?
• Set the overall agenda
When was Cameron limited in policy-making?
• During the 2010 coalition
When did policy-making make Thatcher unsuccessful?
• The introduction of the Poll Tax was disastrous and was a contributing factor to her resignation
When did policy-making make Blair unsuccessful?
• His 2003 invasion of Iraq was disastrous and was a contributing factor to his resignation
When did policy-making make Truss unsuccessful?
• Her 2022 mini-budget was disastrous and was a contributing factor to her resignation
When was Thatcher forced by her ministers to change a policy?
• Chancellor Nigel Lawson and Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe
What is the effect of an unsuccessful policy on a Prime Minister?
• Undermines their authority and brings their judgement into question
Why does a working majority benefit the PM?
• Helps them to enact their programme
What are two examples of Prime Ministers utilising their large majority?
• Johnson, for his Brexit deal
How many ministers did Johnson sack over Brexit? What does this show?
• 21
What system helps the PM retain the support of their party?
• Whips
What two MPs survived votes to oust them out of office?
• Blair
What MP survived a vote of confidence?
• May
When was Cameron’s power of party leadership constrained?
• During the coalition - anchored in the centre by Liberal Democrats
What MP did not survive oppositon from their party?
• Thatcher - forced to resign
What two prime ministers had a large impact internationally?
• Thatcher - significantly, she had a close relationship with the US President Reagan.
What PM lost support after a general election?
• May, after the 2017 General election
