PM: The structure, role and powers of the Executive

Question 1

what are the main roles of the executive

Answer 1

1 - developing gov policy
2 - managing public services through department roles eg Health secretary STEVE BARCLAY on the NHS crisis
3 - organising defence for the country

Question 2

what are PM’s prerogative powers

Answer 2

powers that used to be the monarchs which are given to the PM

Question 3

what are the main roles of the PM

Answer 3

1 - complete power to appoint of dismiss gov ministers and senior civil servants
2 - power to negociate foreign treaties eg BREXIT
3 - commander-in-cheif of the armed forces

Question 4

whats the relationship like with the cabinet and the PM

Answer 4

it changes all the time due to who is in it, and what external issues are going on

Question 5

whos more powerful: the PM or the cabinet

Answer 5

PM- perceived by the public to be a leader and representative of the country which gives them authority HOWEVER if the CABINET is determined then a majority of members cab overrule the primeminister

primisisterial patronage means that they have power over ministers and demand loyalty HOWEVER the cabinet can remove a primeminister from office through mass regisnations eg boris johnson

Question 6

what is prime ministerial patronage

Answer 6

the ability to hire and fire/make appointments. - The PM in effect controls the careers of ministers, which should ensure their loyalty

Question 7

what is collective responsibility

Answer 7

ministers are allowed to express their views on policies in private but they must be seen to be a collective and agree with gov decisions to the public. If ministers don’t want to stay private then they have to resign from cabinet or get sacked eg rishi sunak resigning from boris johnsons gov because Johnsons approach to the economy was too different to his

Question 8

is there still collective responsibility? YES

Answer 8

1 - it is a well established british convention which binds cabinet members and puts up a good front to the public of stability
2 - if a cabinet member does speak out the PM has reason to dismiss them

Question 9

is there still collective responsibility? NO

Answer 9

1 - cabinets are really big so it would be difficult to make everyone come to a formal decision especially when there are informal conversations happening between ministers so the PM would probably be aware of a disagreement before a cabinet meeting
2 - it can be formally set aside eg 2010 coalition: ‘agree to differ’ where you could speak out without having to resign because of the predictable disagreements AND can be suspended on issues such as BREXIT

Question 10

positives to collective responsibility

Answer 10

+ united, strong gov
+ clear, single version of policies to the public and media
+cabinet meetings allow for ministers to speak freely

Question 11

negatives of collective responsibility

Answer 11

• too much power to the PM
• ministers aren’t allowed to express their own views eg in interviews
• resignations are serious and can undermine the gov, making it unstable

Question 12

what is individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 12

each minister is responsible for their own performance.
they are accountable for policies and decisions made by their departments, if they make a serious error they are expected to resign

Question 13

example of breaking individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 13

matt Hancock - breaking covid social distancing guidlines with his mistress

Question 14

example of breaking individual ministerial responsibility and the damage it did to the gov

Answer 14

AMBER RUDD 2018 resignation under May as home secretary
she withheld information for the removal of illegal immigrants (Windrush scandal)
this looked very bad for theresa may because someone in such a high and trusted position didnt know what was going on or what to do

Question 15

example of breaking individual ministerial responsibility and the minister not wanting to resign

Answer 15

CHARLES CLARKE under Tony Blair
had not considered 1000 foreign prisoners for deportation after their release and couldn’t account for where they had gone
he believed he had the right to stay and Blair initially backed him so he had an opportunity to fix it
however the matter didn’t calm down and Blair sacked him

Question 16

formal powers of the pm

Answer 16

patronage - appointing/removing cabinet
commander in chief eg david cameron looking for the approval of parliement to intervene in syria using the uk airforce. he didnt need to do this and parliament voted against it. parliament seem to be taking over military policy
calling elections - with parls permission eg theresa may calling a snap election

Question 17

what are external factors that determine how much power the PM can exercise

Answer 17

• devolution: as it goes further, power of the pm and the uk gov lessens as a whole
• NATO: limits the uks foreign policy options
• Events: eg an economic recession
  AND
• personality and leadership style of PM eg Blair
• size of the govs majority

Question 18

how is the PM dominant within their cabinet

Answer 18

• control agenda and length of cabinet meetings, mps are unlikely to challenge them because they are so immersed in their departments and they don’t feel qualified enough to have an informed view of matters outside their department
• disputes in cabinet are often resolved outside of cabinet in committees or by the intervention of the PM

eg David camerons settlement of the 2011 clash between Chris Huhne and Vince Cable over the level of carbon emmission targtets to which the uk should sign up to

Question 19

the cabinet is important to the pm

Answer 19

• on important issues, the pm recognises the importance of the cabinets support eg David Cameron presenting a renegotiation of the UKs EU membership deal to a full cabinet meeting
• cabinet approves of gov decisions so increases the legitimacy of the pm to parl and the public