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Politics (Edexcel) > PM & The Executive > Flashcards

PM & The Executive Flashcards

1
Q

What is the executive?

A

One of three branches of government, they propose and execute laws, propose budgets and create policies

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2
Q

What are the roles of the PM? (6)

A

-Power of patronage (appoint/dismiss ministers,reshuffle cabinet)
-Directing policy
-Managing cabinet
-Organising gov
-Controlling Parliament
-Leadership

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3
Q

What is the civil service?

A

not supposed to serve a political purpose, support the ministers not the party, not an ideological institution

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4
Q

What is a spAd?

A

Special advisors - employed as civil servants but give political advice to ministers
e.g Dominic Cummings led 2019 election campaign as chief of staff to Johnson

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5
Q

What is IMR?

A

Ministers being responsible for their conduct and departments, accountable to Parliament, measured by ministerial code of conduct

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6
Q

What is CMR?

A

all ministers are responsible for all executive policies and decisions, and will defend them in public despite of personal opinion - to dissent publicly they must resign

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7
Q

Why is CMR important?

A

supports powers of PM and authority, provides a strong and united front in government

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8
Q

What are the exceptions to CMR?

A

Coalition years 2010-2015
Free votes (EU referendum)
May minority gov 2017-2019

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9
Q

Why is May’s minority government significant for CMR?

A

Principle of CMR may rely more on the power of the PM than having any significance on its own

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10
Q

What are the examples that present IMR as weak?

A

Braverman reinstated as Home sec after email leak sacking, Priti Patel bullying allegations, Matt Hancock no call for resignation over covid affair, Johnsons partygate shifted blame

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11
Q

What are the examples that present IMR as strong?

A

Matt Hancock did resign, Suella Braverman sacked over email leaks

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12
Q

What are the examples that present CMR as weak?

A

2015 coalition years ignored (Vince Cable), Theresa May with Johnson as foreign sec 2016

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13
Q

What are the examples that present CMR as strong?

A

Robin Cook resigned over Iraq war, Lord Frost resigned over Plan B covid restrictions

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14
Q

What are the two types of relationship between PM and cabinet?

A

Presidential style - PM has the most power over cabinet (e.g Thatcher and Blair)
Sounding board - work collaboratively and listen to ministers feedback (e.g Cameron and May)

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15
Q

What are the 6 factors that affect how a PM chooses Cabinet?

A

Allies - Brown and Blair, Truss appointing leadership campaign supporters
Big Beasts - appointed to avoid criticism or rebellion (May w/ Hammon and Johnson)
Ability/Expertise - Sunak as Chancellor during covid
Party Factions - Suella apart of ERG
Rivals - bound by CMR
Diversity - Trusses cabinet all 4 great offices

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16
Q

How was the relationship between PM and Cabinet from 1960s-2010s

A

PM dominated - prime ministerial and Blair used sofa politics

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17
Q

What are ‘sofa politics’?

A

Ministers and advisers meet privately and agree on policy, presented as a final decision to Cabinet to avoid scrutiny

18
Q

Why are PMs regarded as more powerful than their Cabinet?

A

Spatial leadership - ideological figureheads (Thatcherism, Blairism)
Election campaigns - New Labour with Blair, Johnson and Brexit deal
Personal mandate - attributed to PM (2019)
Increased use of SpAds - trusted over civil servants
Cabinet office - coordinate Whitehall on behalf of PM

19
Q

What was the relationship between PM and Cabinet from 2010-2017?

A

Coalition - Cabinet used by resolving disputes between both parties and presenting a unified policy
2017 - May attempted PM dominance but had weak leadership and small majority, then minority, relied heavily on cooperation of Cabinet for stability

20
Q

What arguments can be made to present cabinet as not important?

A

-Sofa politics
-Cabinet meeting dominated by PM
-CMR binding Cabinet
-PM has power of patronage

21
Q

What arguments can be made to present Cabinet as important?

A

-some ‘big beasts’ dictate policy agendas (e.g Sunak under Johnson)
-Cabinet dissent (e.g Truss 2022)
-COBRA can hold emergency sessions

22
Q

What is meant by a ‘power of patronage’?

A

Used by PM, ability to appoint/ dismiss ministers and reshuffle Cabinet at will

23
Q

What are four factors affecting PMs power?

A

-Power of patronage
-Ability to manage Cabinet
-Leadership of their party
-Institutional support

24
Q

How does the power of patronage increase PMs power? give examples

A

ensures appointment and promotion of loyal supporters
Thatcher 1983 - Cabinet of Thatcherites
May - filled postitions linked to Brexit with Brexiters
Truss - purged Sunak supporters

25
Q

How does the power of patronage decrease PMs power?

A

Major party factions must be included to appear unified, diversity needed, ‘big beasts’ bound by CMR although may not uphold convention

26
Q

How does the ability to manage the Cabinet increase PMs power?

A

PMs chair cabinet meetings and manage agenda, decide how often and how long - ability to appoint ministers

27
Q

How to the ability to manage the Cabinet decrease PMs power?

A

Cabinet only supports popular PMs and ability to resign to damage support

28
Q

How can leadership of the party increase the PMs power?

A

large majority can control Parliament by the role of the whips (e.g Blair backbench rebellion didnt lose a single vote), can recognise success of party is due to personal PM popularity

29
Q

How can leadership of the party decrease the PMs power?

A

PMs who are ‘electoral liabilities’ are more damaging - party loyalty will fade quickly, small majorities limited by backbench rebellions, coalitions difficult to retain unity

30
Q

How can institutional support increase PMs power?

A

PM can work independently of the cabinet, spAds control civil servants

31
Q

How can institutional support decrease PMs power?

A

Minor support in UK compared to other countries, SpAds can be costly to a PMs popularity and political credibility (e.g Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill)

32
Q

What are the two types of leadership?

A

Transactional - balance of party factions (Major, May)
Transformational - driven by ideology (Thatcher, Blair)

33
Q

What are the 7 factors that affect a PMs power during their premiership?

A

-Leadership style
-Cabinet
-Party factions
-Majority size
-PM popularity
-Media
-Events

34
Q

How does leadership style affect PMs power during premiership?

A

Transformational are effective public speakers, therefore can yield more power - transactional are easier to scrutinise due to inability to deal with media (e.g Truss)

35
Q

How does the cabinet affect PMs power during their premiership? - mostly examples

A

Thatcher and ‘wets’ (ONCs) were divided and challenged her, May’s lack of control between leavers and remainers after 2017 snap election reduced power

36
Q

How do party factions affect PMs power during their premiership? - mostly examples

A

May tried to appeal to too many factions therefore largely unsuccessful, Sunak balancing ERG with agenda - facing several rebellions

37
Q

How does the size of the majority affect PMs power during premiership? - mostly examples

A

Thatcher and Blair significant majorities difficult to defeats (Blair didnt lose vote in Commons till 2005), May frequent defeats and hold records for worst in EU Withdrawal Agreement (432-202)

38
Q

How does the PMs popularity affect their power during premiership? - mostly examples

A

Johnsons popularity with working class voters afforded trust from his party until covid, Truss’s mini budget and inability to see negative impact made her problematic

39
Q

How does the media affect PMs power during premiership?

A

Focuses heavily on leaders as PMs manage appearances more to their advantage, Sunak received a fine after posting a video not wearing a seatbelt

40
Q

How do events affect PMs power during their premiership? - mostly examples

A

Johnson and partygate, Cameron holding EU referendum, Blair and Iraq war

Politics (Edexcel) (11 decks)

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