PM + The Executive Flashcards
What is the executive
The government. Decision making body. Collective group consisting of the PM, cabinet & Jr mins
Main roles of the executive
Decides how the country is run
Represents the UK abroad
Manages defence of the country
Responsible for public services
Since devolution some of these functions have been transferred
Proposing legislation, the budget + making policy are imp roles of the executive
Proposing the budget
Created by the chancellor of the exchequer in consultation w/ PM
Gov plans for taxation + spending
If new gov comes into power after GE, intros a budget of its own. June 2010 George Osborne delivered a new emergency budget only 90 days after prev labour budget
Royal prerogative powers
-Historically belonged to the crown
-Many not properly defined, set out in statute. Based on practice of previous govs
-transferred to the PM
Main prerogative powers for PM
Grant legal pardons
Appoint ministers + other sr office holders
Award honours (handful personally given by monarch)
Declare war + authorise the use of the armed forces- requires parl approval
Sign treaties
Take action to maintain order in case of emergency
Grant + withdraw passports
2011 fixed term act- PM no longer decide date of the next GE. However, like TM June 2017, is poss for PM to override w/ sup of enough MPs
Initiation of legislation
Exec control most of parl time available for leg
20 opp days, 13 days for priv memb bills
Variable amount of time all for debates chosen by Backbench business commission
Intro into either commons or lords… most imp go to commons first
If gov have majority rely on party whipping syst + power of patronage to push through programme… rebels can occur e.g AMM on energy bills
Exec has tools to strengthen its hold over the passage of legislation
The Guillotine allows the gov to curtail debate on the Indiv clauses of a bill… only in commons. Cam attempted to use in a Lords debate over redrawing constit boundaries… abandoned after opposition in 2011
The programming motion enables exec to set out in advance the time limits for each stage in the passage of a bill
Since 2002- gov can carry uncompleted leg from one session to another.
Secondary/ delegated legislation
Law w/out passing a new act of parliament. Instead uses powers erected by an earlier act.
Most common = statutory instruments allows gov to modify or repeal existing legislation w/out introducing a new bill.
Critics raised concern over use of controversial decisions… 2016 used to abolish maintenance grants for uni students + allow fracking on Nat parks.
Gov accused of sneaking changes through the back door. Parl can still debate (+ in theory reject) statutory instils ab 2/3 become law on a specified date in the future w/out being put before MPs
Stat instrums sometimes called H8 clauses bc they enable gov to evade parl scrutiny
Relationship between cap + min
The cab formally responsible for dec making
Usual for dec to be taken elsewhere for ex cab com (or the quad in 2010-2015 coalition)
Exec is now dom by PM - rise of presidential gov… DC created Nat sec cab com + chaired it
Leadership is becoming more personalised- TB created several cab coms but routinely bypassed cab structures… pref informal and bi-lateral meeting in no. 10
Factors that affect the rel between PM + exec
Management
Management skills of PM- exploitation of the elastic nature of office to assert control over the cabinet. By reshaping can marginalise opponents… for example 1980s MT promoted sups such as Nigel Lawson + Norman Tebbit… own image of cab.
However, MT dom of cab + alienation of Sr colleagues undermined her pol.
Factors that affect the rel between PM + exec
PMs ability to set agenda
Dec rarely taken to cab by vote
Views of sr figures more important for ex Brexit ref 2016, DC susp collective resp only 7/23 mins campaigning for leave… but high profile such as a leader of the house Michael Gove… became uncomfortable and stirred up trouble for PM to regain unity
PMs trad right to chair + sum up at end- imp tool of influence
Keep certain issues off the agenda of cabinet meetings… Harold Wilson devaluation of £ 1964-67
Factors that affect the rel between PM + exec
Use of cab coms + informal groups to make decisions
Choose membs + chair = control
TM chaired 3 incl Brexit
Many dec in smaller infl groups- GB National Econ council… used to steer response to the econ crisis
Coalition more nec to have debs in cabs ‘the quad’ also influential DC + NC + George O + Danny Alexander… resolution of differences
Factors that affect the rel between PM + exec
The development of the PM’s office and the cabinet office
PM access to most resources
HW created the pol unit in 1974 enabling PM to gain an overview of+ drive pol across all depts
Blair close co-op between PM + cab to support co-ord + implementation of pol
DC ‘hands off approach’- Indiv mins more autonomy
Press works closely with/ PM, more so under TB. Communication and strategy directorate created… the capacity to get govs message across = imp
Factors that affect the rel between PM + exec
Impact of wider political + economic situation
PM w/ a large majority + united party (TB 1997), easier to gain ascendancy
PM w/ public on side, booming econ + master events e.g MT 1982 aft Falklands war = more powerful. GB never respected for not holding GE
Extent of PMs power
Matter for debate. UK uncodified constitution, no definition of role. Cab office prepared a list of PMs functions in 1947 under CA
Factors governing the PM’s selection of ministers
Power to appoint, reshuffle + dismiss mins belongs to PM
Coalition- 5/22 mins = LD, NC replaced
In single- party gov the PM does not have complete freedom of who to appoint
Composition of exec relies on range of considerations
Ability + experience
Large no of MPs= backbenchers, some views too far outside of mainstream
Gen ability as administrator + communicator is more important than knowledge
In any party some sr figures who needs to be incl
PM come to office by winning leadership contest often incl their rivals for ex Penny Mourdants in Liz Truss + Rishi
Composition of exec
To est a PMs authority
Not all make rad changes
JM didn’t remove key people when he took over from MT in 1990… did when he won GE 18 months later
TM want to distance herself from DC. Sacked George Osborne, 9 sr mins lost their job
Composition of exec
To maintain a bal between different faction w/in the party
To maintain party unity- find posts for MPs w/ diff ideological view points from PM
After Brexit TM incl ‘leavers’ BoJo= for sec
Composition of exec
Diversity
When formed first cab 1990 JM incl no women
2006 Marg Beckett made for sec by TB- first woman to hold 1/3 sr posts
Greater rep of ethnic min groups
Concept of Collective Ministerial responsibility
Convention mins must supp all dec of gov in public
Responsible as a group to parl
Discussions in cabinet should be confidential
If defeated in a vote of no confidence- the gov as a whole resigns to maintain the unity of gov
If ministers can’t accept dec hey should resign
Examples of ppl resigning because of collective min responsibility
2003 Robin Cook, leader of HoC, resigned because of disagreement over Iraq war
Iain Duncan Smith res 2016 (Work + pensions sec) bc would not accept cuts to disability benefits. Object also to GO budget to benefit high earners
Exceptions of collective responsibility
Between Cons + LD to form coalition, LD not bound by collective responsibility ‘agree to differ’. LD allowed to abstain in votes on the construction of new nuclear power stations, tax allowances for married couples + higher ed funding and to propose an alternative to the renewal of the trident nuclear deterrent
AV ref… DC + NC= opposing views
Since 1945 coll responsibility susp on 2 occasions both on eu memb
1975 Harold Wilson… allowed to argue their case in public, would unite on peoples dec. Lab mins allowed to share platforms at pub meetings w/ membs of other parties who shared their views
Dec to remain… cold not speak out against memb at the dispatch box… industry min Eric Hefner sacked for breaking this rule.
2016 DC faced same issue… susp coll responsibility
Only 7/23 mins wanted to leave but incl names like Gove, BoJo also involved… more of an issue for DC could not unite party after. Bc DC was on remain side, once lost forced t res
Concept of individual ministerial responsibility
Mins have a duty to hold parl to account and to be held accountable for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies - ministerial code
Obliged to give accurate information to parl, knowingly mislead = expectation to resign
Responsible for deciding how to conduct themselves.
Only remain in office as long as they retain the confidence of the PM
Gov is so large + complex, min cannot be expected to know everything w/in dept- does not need to resign over a tiny mistake
Fate of an Indiv minister depends on:
How serious the issue is perceived as
Level of criticism in parliament + media
Attitude of PM
