prime minister and executive Flashcards
1
Q
what makes up the executive
A
- prime minister
- cabinet
- junior ministers
- civil servants
- executive agencies
2
Q
who is the PM and what do they do
A
head of the executive who chairs the Cabinet, managed the agenda and appoints all ministers
3
Q
what is the cabinet
A
group of senior ministers, all of whom run departments and meet once a week
- approve and coordinate policy and discuss issues regarding legislation
4
Q
define cabinet ministers
A
heads of government departments
5
Q
define junior minister
A
work under cabinet ministers in specific government departments
6
Q
what do civil servants do
A
work alongside government to implement policy
- expected to remain permanent, neutral and anonymous
7
Q
define executive agencies
A
semi-private companies carry out work for the government like DVLA for the department for transport
8
Q
functions of the executive
A
- proposing legislation- bringing forward bills or amendments, seen in queens speech and in their manifesto, or doctors mandate
- proposing budget- chancellor present annual statement for governments taxation and spending
- making policy decisions- set legislative and policy direction
9
Q
define doctors mandate
A
propose legislation for emergencies like terrorism
10
Q
define collective ministerial responsibility
A
support cabinet decisions otherwise they leave the cabinet
- can express disagreement in private or leak stories to journalists instead of outwardly going against the government
- ensure united front
- discussion stay in cabinet
11
Q
example of CMR
A
- Sajid Javid, Rishi Sunak and many others resigned in 2023 when they couldn’t support Johnson amidst allegations
- Robin achool in 2003 when he couldn’t support the government invading Iraq
12
Q
define individual ministerial responsibility
A
responsible for their own devision and departments and are held accountable for their mistakes
- cannot knowingly mislead parliament
- expected to resign if there is any major misconduct
13
Q
examples of IMR
A
- Matt Hancock in 2021 with affair and social distancing scandal
- Dominic Raab in 2023 after bullying allegations
- Amber Rudd in 2018 when she mislead parliament about there being no home office targets
14
Q
factors affecting PM selection of ministers
A
- individuals with ability and experience
- loyal to PM
- rewarding loyalty and key allies
- conciliating with political rivals
- maintaining balance between different factions- representative
- meeting expectations of diversity- gender and race
- key figure in parliamentary party
15
Q
exceptions to CMR
A
- when there are coalitions and conflict between ministers
- during referendums parties may be split
16
Q
factors affecting fate of ministers
A
- how serious the issue is perceived to be
- level of criticism in parliament and media
- attitude of PM
17
Q
what are the powers of the executive
A
- royal prerogative powers
- secondary legislation
- initiation of legislation
18
Q
what are royal prerogative powers
A
powers normally exercised by the monarchy but now by the PM and the executive
- grant honours
- sign treaties
- declare war and authorise use of armed forces
- grant and withdraw passports
- appoint ministers
19
Q
what is secondary legislation
A
law made without passing a new act of parliament, normally updates and ammendments
20
Q
define statutory instruments
A
passing laws without parliament scrutinising
21
Q
what is initiation of legislation
A
propose laws for majority of parliamentary time
- whipping system and majority allows government to put through bills
- guillotine or allocation of time limits time allowed for individual clauses
- programme motion- time allocated to individual stages
- can carry over uncompleted legislation to next session
22
Q
factors affecting relationship between PM and cabinet
A
- management of PM- personality of PM as a leader
- PMs ability to set the agenda- choose what gets talked about and what is important
- informal groups to make decisions
- development of PMs office with cabinet office
- impact of wider political and economic image
23
Q
elections during thatcher
A
1979- wins general election with 43 seats
1983- re-elected with 144 seat majority
1987- re-elected with 102 seat majority
1990- loses conservative leadership contest on 2nd round
24
Q
key events in thatchers premiership
A
1982- falklands
1984- won rebate
1984-85- miners strike
1986- single european act signed
1990- poll tax riots
25
thatcher resignations
1986- Heseltine resigns after wanting to reaffirm strong statements that Thatcher opposed
1989- Lawson resigned following dispute on joining ERM
1990- Howe reigns after disagreeing over EU
26
key thatcher policies
- housing act 1980 allowed council tenants to purchase council house at a discounted price to increase house ownership
- privatisation of state run companies for greater competition
- 1986 deregulation of banks
- 1980 and 1982 employment act restricted powers of trade unions
- 1988 education reform act introduced national curriculum, SATs and league tables
- 1989 poll tax
27
examples of thatcher control
- prime ministerial government
- sizeable parliament majority on 1983
- strong domineering personality
- sacking and reshuffling colleagues who did not measure up
- strong leadership during Falklands
- reduced power of trade unions
- privatisation
- rebate
28
examples of lack of thatcher control
- did not feel confident to promote more like minded individuals at the beginning
- high profile resignations
- unpopular poll tax
- high unemployment
- lack of support from the North
- increasing North/ South divide
- opposition to Europe integration and caused party division
29
elections during major
1990- wins conservative leadership election with thatchers majority
1992- wins election with 21 seat majority
1995- resigns as conservative leader to run for reelection and wins
1997- loses general election
30
key events during majors premierships
1991- gulf war
1991- opt out from euro
1993- no confidence vote on maastricht treaty
1992- black wednesday
1993- irish self determination
31
key policies during major
- scrapped poll tax and introduced council tax
- education reform to allow wide access to to nurseries as well as league tables to monitor schools
- negotiations over irish self determination
32
examples of major control
- decisive and more laidback
- support from his predecessor
- short and successful Gulf war
- encouraged President George Bush St to enforce no fly zone over Iraqi
- removed poll tax
- downing street declaration
33
example of major lack of control
- responsive and forced into compromise
- performed poorly in opinion polls
- contrast to domineering prime ministers before and after him
- strengthened voice and power of eurosceptics
- small parliamentary majority after 1993
- major party division
- black wednesday
- sleazes
- media opposition
- lost parliamentary majority
34
example of sleazes during major
- cash for questions for Neil Hamilton and Tim Smith for Mohammad Al-Fayed
- matrix churchill illegally selling weapons to iraq and government tried to hide it
- 12 sex scandals
35
elections during blair
1997- 179 seat majority
2001- 167 seat majority
2005- 66 seat majority
36
key events during blair’s premiership
1997- ecclestone affair- exempting formula 1 from the ban of tobacco advertisement in exchange for £1 million
1997- good friday agreement for peace in NI
1998- human rights act signed
2001- 9/11 and afghanistan war
2003- iraq war
2005- london bombings
2007- cash for honours scandal- peerages in exchange for money
2007- resigns as PM
37
key policies during blair’s premiership
- making bank of england independent
- privatisation of air traffic control
- introduction of internal market in the NHS
- tuition fees for universities
- human rights act
- devolution to scotland and wales
- minimum wage
- good friday agreement
- Lord reform and removing most of hereditary peers
38
examples of blair control
- presidential branch of government
- charismatic, confident, optimistic
- appealed from centre ground
- landslide victories in 1997 and 2001
- passed many important laws like good friday agreement
- priorities a small circle of trusted allies- sofa government
- broad support from media
- helped organsie NATO forces to intervene in Kosovo conflict
- close relationship with George W Bush
39
examples of blair not in control
- lacked ambition to match his mandate with his large majority
- Clare short and mo mowland publicly criticised his style as he failed to use a cabinet and parliament
- could be seen as too close to Bush and commit too willingly to USA
- over 1 million in protest and 139 MPs revsiion against Iraq invasion
- cash for honours scandal
40
key events during browns premiership
2007- elected unopposed
2007- terror attacked in glasgow and london
2007- decides not to call snap election
207- global financial crisis
2008- government nationalised some banks
2009- G20 summit
2009- expenses scandal
2010- calls lady “bigoted woman”
2010- loses general election and resigns
41
key policies during browns
premiership
- lisbon treaty for more european integration
- constitutional reform and abolished Law Lords to replace with supreme court
42
examples of brown control
- elected unopposed as blair’s replacement
- experience from being chancellor
- calm and understated response against Glasgow and London terror attucks
- tried to restore faith in voters
- used cabinet more
- helped to “save the banks”
43
examples of brown lack of control
- lack of public and party support
- chaotic and weak
- did not call a snap election due to poor
opinion polls
- lisbon treaty without referendum
- backtrack of 10p tac and extension of detention period for terrorist suspects
- expenses scandal
- Lib Dem’s rejected government positions from him
- lacked charisma and media personality
- Murdoch media empire switched
- global and country recession
- only 29% of vote in general election
44
key events during cameron’s premiership
2010- forms coalition with lib dem’s
2011- wins AV referendum (vote no)
2012- Conservative rebellion where 91 MPs went against, however Cameron encouraged
2014- won Scottish Independence referendum (vote no)
2015- wins general election (12 seat)
2016- UK votes to leave EU and resigns
45
key policies during Cameron’s premiership
2010- tution fees tripled
2011- fixed parliament act which stopped Lib Dem’s early dissolution
2013- same sex marriage
46
which of the prerogative powers were suspended due to Cameron in coalition
- couldn’t select and fire Lib Dem ministers without Clegg (5 of them)
- can’t call early election
- couldn’t pursue pure conservative policy agenda
47
examples of cameron control
- calm and orderly working environment
- efficient in dispatching government business and chairing meetings
- modernised image
- managerial approach with coalition
- “quad” of Cameron, Clegg, Osborne and Alexander
- chaired or appointee chairs if 2/3 of cabinet committees
- won two referendums
- close relationship with chancellor
- increase in minimum wage
- blocked EU wide treaty to rescue euro and secured real terms cut in European budget
48
examples of cameron lack of control
- coalition for 5 years
- suspension of prerogative powers
- largest parliamentary rebellion in 2012 with elected House of Lords
- £163 billion budget deification- austerity policies lacked vision and control like bedroom tax which had backlash
- prisoner to right wing Eurosceptics
-Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless left and went to UKIP
- suspended CMR during referendums
49
key events during May’s premiership
2016- becomes PM after winning leadership contest
2017- lancaster house speech on her initial plan for Brexit deal
2017- snap election and loses majority so makes confidence and supply deal with DUP
2017- Grenfell tower
2018- high profile resignation including Brexit secretaries
2019- wins no confidence vote
2019- brexit agreement defeated 3x
2019- resigns as PM
50
key policies during May’s premiership
- social care plan which expected elderly to pay full cost of care is their assets totalled £23k
- 10 year NHS plan which allowed for 3.4% annual increase in funding and higher priority for mental health and maternity care
- expansion of grammar schools
- curbs on energy bills for low income households
- requirement for firms to publish difference between CEO and worker pay
51
examples of control May
- well qualified as she was Home Secretary for 6 years
- able, serious minded, hardworking
- 9 of her predecessors ministers were sacked or resigned
- business like approach
- created department for exiting EU and for international trade
- won no confidence vote in 2019
52
examples of lack of control May in general
- stubbornness and lack of flexibility to negotiate
- appointed senior figures from both sides which caused party division
- trusted very few people and poor relationship with Chancellor
- trusted Nick Timothy and Fiona Hills who later became her scapegoats
- minority government
- “maybot”
- poor social care plan which was u turned
- record number of resignations at the time - 51
- poor handling of Grenfell
- conflicting signals on climate change- abolished the department
53
examples of lack of control May Brexit specific
- 2 brexit secretaries David David and Dominic Raab resigned
- criticised for “soft brexit”
- agreed to £39 billion exit payment
- withdrawal agreement defeated 3 times
- Farage’s Brexit party took 29 out of UKs 73 seats in Brussels parliament
54
key events during Johnson’s premiership
2019- becomes PM
2019- supreme court rules proroguing as unlawful
2019- wins general elections (80 seat)
2020- leave EU
2020- start of covid and lockdown
2020- Johnson hospitalised
2021- Taliban invade afghanistan
2021- partygate scandal
2022- russia invaded ukraine
2022- 39 minister resignations like sunak and resignation of PM
55
key policies during johnson’s premiership
- EU bill
- proroguing parliament
- levelling up policy to improve opportunities across the UK
56
examples of control johnson
- effective communicator, charismatic, optimistic
- only had people in cabinet who were loyal to him
- chaired 11 committees and key allies chaired the rest
- quick response to Covid- fastest vaccine roll out in the world
- dominated G7 summit meetings and was one of the first to help Ukraine
- 80 seat majority to push through brexit
57
how did Cummings have too much power
- had lots of influence on government and policies
- made decisions without Johnson’s knowledge
- Cummings wanted to control special advisors around Jarvid if he became chancellor
- caught in Durham during lockdown
58
examples of lack of control Johnson
- withdrew whip from 21 rebels like Phillip Hammond against leaving EU without a deal
- erosion of IMR like with education secretary Gavin Williamson
- lost political capital but staying loyal to people like Chris Pincher
- UK civil service tweeted “arrogant and offensive. Can you imagine having to work with these truth twisters?”
- no control to get British people out of Afghanistan
- 39 minister resignations like from Sunak and Javid
- losing many by elections towards the end
59
key events in Truss’ premiership
sept 2022- becomes PM
sept 2022- death of Queen Elizabeth
sept 2022- mini budget
oct 2022- Conservative party conference
oct 2022- Kwarteng sacked
oct 2022- fracking vote
oct 2022- resigns as PM
60
key policies in Truss’ premiership
- energy price guarantee and promised support to businesses struggling with bills
- mini budget- huge tax cuts which were the biggest in 50 years, OBR had no say, value of pound fee, cost of government borrowing went up
- u-turn on abolition of 45p tax top rate
- oppose ban on fracking
61
examples of power Truss
- puts close allies into power so they work well together
62
examples of lack of power Truss
- alienated some MPs by only trusting allies
- mini budget
- did not confer with OBR
- criticism on economic policies
- sacks her chancellor
- new chancellor Hunt openly disagrees with her economic policies
- unsure if fracking vote was a confidence vote or not, leading to resignations like Chief Whip Wendy Morton
- shortest serving PM of 44 days
63
key policies in Sunak’s premiership
- rwanda bill (scrapped)
- victims and prisoners bill- stricter in law and order
- smoking ban by increasing the age at which you can buy them until they are completely illegal
- maths compulsory up to 18 and the proposition of advanced british standard qualification
- scrap northern leg of HS2
- windsor framework- NI trading agreement
64
sunak examples of power
- bringing cameron back
- helped the country economically by halving inflation
- credible work as chancellor like furlough scheme and eat out to help out
65
sunak examples of lack of power
- HoL defeat in safety of rwanda bill
- party faction division, especially on how harsh the Rwanda bill should be
-not performing well in opinion polls, losing many by election
- lost general election to a labour landslide
66
key events in Sunak premiership
oct 2022- becomes PM
oct 2023- hamas attack on israel
nov 2023- supreme court rules rwanda bill as unlawful
jul 2024- lost general election
67
starmer key policies
- scrapped rwanda bill
- inheritance tax on farms
- increased NI contribution for companies- although not taxing individual it still has knock on effect
- increase 2% stamp duty for additional properties
68
examples of power starmer
- most diverse cabinet- first female chancellor and deputy PM, most number of state educated and female cabinet
- labour landslide with 158 seat majority
69
starmer key events
- july 2024- won general election with 158 seat majority
- oct 2024- largest tax raising budget
70
starmer examples of lack of power
- scrapped green energy contribution
- largest tax raising budget
- public discontent with budget
