Prime minister and cabinet

Question 1

Executive

Answer 1

The branch of government that is responsible for the implementation of laws and policies made by Parliament.

Question 2

Prime minister

Answer 2

The head of the government and chair of the cabinet.

Question 3

Presidentialism

Answer 3

The tendency for political leaders to act increasingly like executive presidents, through the rise of personalised leadership.

Question 4

Cabinet

Answer 4

The committee of leading ministers which is empowered to make official government policy.

Question 5

Primus inter pares

Answer 5

First among equals. Prime ministers are ‘first’ in the sense that they are the primary representatives of government, both in relation to the monarch and through the right to be consulted about all significant policy issues; ‘among equals’ in the sense that all members of the cabinet had an equal influence over decisions.

Question 6

Inner cabinet

Answer 6

A group of very senior ministers who are close to the prime minister. Members of such a group can control cabinet by determining policy among themselves.

Question 7

Sofa government

Answer 7

Associated with Blair’s style of government; he made key decisions with as unofficial advisory group, thereby bypassing the cabinet.

Question 8

Political advisors

Answer 8

Work in a supporting role to the government and are described as ‘temporary civil servants’. They are political appointees who are loyal to the governing party and even to particular ministers.

Question 9

Deputy prime minister

Answer 9

A senior cabinet minister who acts for the PM in his or her absence; this position in the UK is neither official nor permanent and does not have set responsibilities

Question 10

Kitchen cabinet

Answer 10

A loose and informal group of policy advisors consulted by the prime minister outside the formal cabinet, including senior ministers, officials and special advisors

Question 11

Vote of confidence

Answer 11

A vote on the life of the government itself; if defeated, the government is obliged to call a general election.

Question 12

Collective ministerial responsibility

Answer 12

Collective responsibility is the convention where all government ministers are collectively accountable for Cabinet decisions. They must publicly support these decisions, even if they privately disagree, or they are expected to resign from their position.

Question 13

Ministers

Answer 13

They run government departments, make policy and oversee the work of civil servants. They are appointed by the prime minister, usually from the ranks of the majority party in the House of Commons.

Question 14

Civil servants

Answer 14

They are appointed government officials who provide ministers with policy advice and implement government policy.

Question 15

Individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 15

Individual responsibility is the principle where each government minister is accountable for their personal conduct and the performance of their department. They are expected to take responsibility for any failures or issues within their area of control.

Question 16

Secretaries of state

Answer 16

Cabinet ministers in charge of a government department.

Question 17

Ministers of state

Answer 17

Junior to the secretaries of state but senior to other ministers and PPSs; they are not usually in the cabinet, a common exception being the chief secretary to the Treasury.

Question 18

Cabinet office

Answer 18

The body that services the cabinet system, through the cabinet secretariat, and is responsible for co-ordinating policy across Whitehall departments and ensuring effective policy delivery; the nerve centre of government.

Question 19

Cabinet secretary

Answer 19

The Cabinet Secretary is the most senior civil servant in the UK government. They lead the Cabinet Office and provide advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers

Question 20

Prime minister’s office

Answer 20

A collection of senior officials and political advisors (numbering over 100) who advise the prime minister about policy and implementation, communication, party management and government relations.

Question 21

Laissez-faire leaders

Answer 21

Style of leadership - leaders who are reluctant to interfere in matters outside their personal responsibility. They tend to have a ‘hands off’ approach to cabinet, government and party management. Example - Alec Douglas Home.

Question 22

Spatial leaders

Answer 22

The tendency of prime ministers to distance themselves from their parties and governments by presenting themselves as ‘outsiders’ or developing personal ideological stance - ‘Thatcherism’

Question 23

Cabinet manual

Answer 23

It sets out the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the conduct and operation of government.

Question 24

The quad

Answer 24

Meetings with Cameron, Clegg and their two closest senior cabinet colleagues, the Chancellor George Osborne and Danny Alexander.

Question 25

Majority government

Answer 25

one political party has an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons and forms the government

Question 26

Minority government

Answer 26

• no political party has an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons
• a party without a majority forms a government but must try to secure support from other parties for key measures
• fewer than 325

Question 27

Coalition government

Answer 27

• no political party has an absolute majority of seats in the House of Commons
• two or more parties agree a deal to form a government, following negotiations and a formal agreement on policy

Question 28

Cabinet reshuffles

Answer 28

• some ministers might be moved to another post and others dismissed entirely
• promote successful ministers, demote those who have underachieved and freshen up the team
• the PM decides the timing of the cabinet reshuffle, but a sudden resignation may force an unwanted reshuffle
• Coalition Agreement for stability and reform limits Cameron’s patronage powers

Question 29

Thatcher’s leadership

Answer 29

• made less use of her cabinet than her predecessors
• in times of crisis her leadership skills manifested themselves: Falkland War 1982, Increased privatisation, defeat of the trade unions
• sacked cabinet ministers who didn’t agree with ideology
• cabinet led to downfall, economic problems, unpopular policies, cabinet divisions and low opinion poll ratings

Question 30

Blair’s leadership

Answer 30

presidentialism
- communicator-in-chief
- informal meetings of an inner circle advisers, filled with loyal ‘Blairites’
- more akin to a department of Prime Minister and Cabinet” increased administrative resources, SPADs, Alistair Campbell Civil service replaced by those sympathetic to the Labour party
- more often than the whip would bring into line the lack of dissenting members
- stronger centre: not to face same problems as Major
- gifted communicator, telegenic, populist in rhetoric
- popular mood his speeches

Question 31

Temporary suspension

Answer 31

On rare occasions prime ministers have suspended collective responsibility temporarily to prevent ministerial resignations
- 1976 referendum European Economic Community
same as 2016: Cameron suspended it

Question 32

Special Advisers

Answer 32

rather than rely on advice for officials, they employed special advisers
- special advisers are political appointments employed as temporary civil servants: carry out policy advisers or media liaison roles known as spin doctors
- coalition government initially pledged to reduce the number of SPADs but now has 97
- role is controversial, Alistair Campbell was given power to issue instructions to civil servants