PM & Executive

Question 1

what are the four main limits on PM power?

Answer 1

• cabinet
• size of majority
• party factions
• current events

Question 2

whose support is crucial?

Answer 2

cabinet

Question 3

who do the cabinet represent?

Answer 3

most important people in party

Question 4

what happened in 1990 with Thatcher?

Answer 4

• cabinet coup led to Thatcher resigning as PM

- had lost support of Cabinet

Question 5

what happens to PM without support of cabinet?

Answer 5

v. limited in actions

Question 6

why will cabinet not support PM if they are doing badly?

Answer 6

• cabinet consists of MPs, all democratically elected seeking to represent their constituency
• wont support if PM doing bad as want to be re-eleced

Question 7

what does cabinet support vary upon?

Answer 7

success of PM

Question 8

what will PMs with strong majorities have?

Answer 8

full support of cabinet

Question 9

what does a PM with a weak majority lead to within cabinet?

Answer 9

internal factions and inner circles

Question 10

what happened in May cabinet in 16 dec 18?

Answer 10

cabinet split over no deal plans between brexiteers and remainers

Question 11

how many minsters favoured? e.g.?

Answer 11

• 11 ministers favoured managed no deal

- such as Jeremy hunt, Andrea ledsom and Liam fox

Question 12

how opposed managed no deal?

Answer 12

• 5 remainers

- amber Rudd and Philip hammond

Question 13

what also damages PM power?

Answer 13

ministerial resignations

Question 14

why did multiple MPs resign on 15 Nov 18?

Answer 14

PM announced brexit deal

Question 15

which MPs resigned on 15 nov 18?

Answer 15

• Dominic Raab - brexit sec
• Esther McVey - work and pension sec
• 2 junior Minsters

Question 16

why do ministerial resignations damage PM power?

Answer 16

• shows PM power to be weak as cabinet divide
• lack on control
• public loses faith

Question 17

what are a constant in party politics?

Answer 17

factions and divisions

Question 18

what happened 12 dec 18?

Answer 18

• 48 conservative MPs submitted letters of no confidence yo 1922 committee
• triggered vote of no confidence

Question 19

what was the result of the no confidence vote?

Answer 19

PM won 200-117

Question 20

what do factions distract PM from doing?

Answer 20

• from more pressing matters of govt

- have to deal w/ them instead of executing polices they have been elected to implement

Question 21

what does divide party make govt look like?

Answer 21

weak and lacking control

Question 22

where do factions also affect in govt?

Answer 22

cabinet

Question 23

how does current affairs affect PM power?

Answer 23

shape political landscape in which PM airs

Question 24

what do current affairs lead to for PM?

Answer 24

• having to focus on them and sort them out
• instead of carrying out policies from manifesto
• which they have mandate to do

Question 25

what event affect Theresa May?

Answer 25

Brexit

Question 26

why does Theresa May have to carry out Brexit?

Answer 26

52% voted to leave EU

Question 27

what undermines all factors on PM power?

Answer 27

size of majority

Question 28

how does size of majority affect party factions?

Answer 28

makes factions small proems as doesn’t affect maths in parl

Question 29

how does size of majority affect cabinet?

Answer 29

leads to support of cabinet as people and party behind PM

Question 30

how does size of majority affect current affairs?

Answer 30

makes it easier deal with current affairs

Question 31

how does size of majority affect part support?

Answer 31

ensures party support due to support of the electorate?

Question 32

what were Tony Blair’s majorities in 1997 and 2001?

Answer 32

1997 - 179

2001 -167

Question 33

how many times was Blair defeated in Commons

Answer 33

4 times

Question 34

what is Theresa May’s majority?

Answer 34

minority govt - 317 seats

Question 35

how many times has May been deafened since 2017?

Answer 35

37 times

Question 36

what does strong majority make it easer to do?

Answer 36

pass legislation in parl