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Politics (UK government) > Prime Minister and Executive > Flashcards

Prime Minister and Executive Flashcards

1. Executive (structure, role, powers) 2. Prime Minister (structure, role, power) 3. Individual and Collective ministerial responsibility 4. Power of PM in relation to executive 5. Influence of 2 PMs (case study)

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1
Q

What is the executive?

A

The branch of government that implements policy

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2
Q

What does the executive comprise of?

A

Prime ministers, cabinet ministers (senior ministers), ministers (junior ministers) and government departments

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3
Q

What are cabinet committees?

A

A committee comprising of several cabinet ministers responsible for a policy area

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4
Q

What are the role of the executive? Elaborate. (3)

A
  1. Policy decision-making (setting the legislative agenda and political direction, making day-to-day decisions over policy)
  2. Proposing legislation (carrying out manifest promises, drafting and initiating legislation, secondary legislation)
  3. Proposing budget (Chancellor devises a budget specifying government spending and taxation after discussions with other cabinet ministers)
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5
Q

What are the powers of the executive? (3)

A
  1. Prerogative
  2. Secondary legislation
  3. Control of legislative agenda
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6
Q

What is a prerogative power?

A

A power exercised by the monarch or prime minister without the requirement of parliamentary approval

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7
Q

What are three prerogative powers that the executive has?

A
  1. Ratifying treaties
  2. International diplomacy
  3. Deploying armed forces overseas
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8
Q

How has the prerogative to deploy armed forces overseas changed?

A

David Cameron sought the opinion of Parliament on the issue of air strikes against Syria in 2013, setting a precedence to consult Parliament on such issues. Parliament voted against air strikes in 2013 but later voted in favour for it in 2015.

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9
Q

How does the executive have power over secondary legislation?

A

Secondary legislation is delegated to the executive and often goes undebated and unchallenged

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10
Q

How many statutory instruments are issued a year?

A

Over 3500

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11
Q

How does the executive control the legislative agenda? (4)

A
  1. Control the legislative timetable (can decide the topic and duration of debate)
  2. Government bills often succeed due to a parliamentary majority and imposition of party discipline
  3. Private Members’ Bills often fail if they do not have government support
  4. Executive initiates most bills
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12
Q

What are the requirements to be a prime minister? (3)

A
  1. Elected as an MP
  2. Leader of governing party
  3. Command a majority in votes of confidence
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13
Q

What are the roles of the prime minister? Expand. (8)

A
  1. National leadership (communicator-in-chief for government, leader in times of crisis)
  2. Political leadership (shapes the political agenda, direction and strategy, policy-making input)
  3. Head of cabinet (chairing cabinet meetings, holding bilateral meetings with ministers, creating cabinet committees)
  4. International affairs (representing the UK on the world stage)
  5. Managing relations with Parliament (answering questions and making statements in HoC, setting the legislative agenda)
  6. Managing the executive (commands the civil service, in charge of overall organisation of the government)
  7. Appointing cabinet ministers (can appoint, dismiss, or reshuffle positions of cabinet ministers anytime)
  8. Prerogative (deploying armed forces overseas, recommending public appointments)
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14
Q

What are the powers of the prime minister? (6)

A
  1. Patronage
  2. Authority in cabinet
  3. Appointing cabinet ministers
  4. Party leadership
  5. Public standing
  6. Policy-making input*
    * PAAPPP
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15
Q

What is the power of patronage (PM)? (2)

A
  1. Life peers (PM can make political nominations for life peers)
  2. Honours (PM simply accepts list of recommendations and cannot veto)
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16
Q

Is the power of patronage (PM) fair? (2 + 2)

A

YES:

  • Independent HoL Appointments Commission makes non-political appointments for life peers + approves nominations by PM -> PM does not have total control over life peer appointments + prevents bribery (eg. Loans for Peerages scandal where several donors to the Labour party were found to have been nominated for life peerages) + ensures that range of expertise is reflected in HoL
  • PM cannot personally make recommendations for honours (honours are now nominated by independent committees, who ensure that nominees who have made political donations are honoured solely based on merit)-> prevents issue of bribery for wealthy donors (eg. Cash for Honours scandal where donors to Labour party were found to be rewarded with honours)

NO:

  • PM can skew the party balance in HoL by appointing a large number of government life peers (eg. Tony Blair appointed over 160 Labour life peers, almost half of all life peers he appointed)
  • PM may appoint life peers based on connections rather than individual merits (eg. Tony Blair accused of cronyism when he appointed life peerages to numerous friends)
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17
Q

What is the power of authority in the cabinet (PM)? (5)

A
  1. Chair cabinet meetings (steers discussion)
  2. Decide frequency and duration of cabinet meetings
  3. Determines agenda of cabinet (creating cabinet committees, deciding issues discussed in cabinet)
  4. Hold bilateral meetings with ministers
  5. Appoints senior civil servants
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18
Q

Is the power of authority in the cabinet fair (PM)? (3 + 1)

A

YES:

  • allows PM to drive forward their agenda
  • ensures cohesion of government policy (cabinet committees work together)
  • acts as a broker on disputed issues (bilateral meetings keep issue away from involving the whole cabinet)

NO:
- PM may tactfully ensure that their favoured position prevails (determining cabinet agenda, appointing loyal senior civil servants, ignoring cabinet) HOWEVER keeping certain issues out of the cabinet agenda can work against the PM (eg. Thatcher was confronted about government policy regarding the ERM systems after trying to keep the issue away from her cabinet)

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19
Q

What is the power to appoint cabinet ministers (PM)?

A

PM can appoint, dismiss and reshuffle positions of cabinet ministers at any time

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20
Q

Is the power to appoint cabinet ministers (PM) fair? (2 + 3)

A

YES:

  • meritocracy + accountability (underperforming ministers can be demoted and competent ones promoted)
  • allows PM to have a cabinet that can work alongside her to deliver manifesto promises

NO:

  • cabinet ministers may support PM out of fear of being demoted
  • PM may appoint a wholly supportive cabinet (no challenging/opposition -> no scrutiny) HOWEVER PM’s usually appoint a diverse cabinet (eg. Theresa May’s first cabinet had mostly Remain supporters but assigned Leave supporters to main Brexit roles - Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary, David Davis as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, and Liam Fox as International Trade Secretary)
  • PM may appoint cabinet ministers based on personal connections rather than individual merits (eg.
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21
Q

What is the power of policy-making input (PM)? (2)

A
  • PM can legislate on any subject matter of their choosing

- sets objectives, directs and coordinated foreign and economic policy

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22
Q

Is the power of policy-making input (PM) fair? (2 + 1)

A

YES:

  • PM is able to shape policy under own vision and agenda
  • decisions by PM requires support of cabinet

NO:
- PM is not directly elected yet has large influence on policies

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23
Q

What is the power of party leadership (PM)?

A

PM commands a majority (usually) in the HoC

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24
Q

Is the power of party leadership (PM) fair? (2 + 1)

A

YES:

  • elected as party leader by party members (legitimate) HOWEVER this may not always be the case (eg. Gordon Brown became PM through his Granita Pac with Blair, hence without winning an election or leadership contest)
  • party support is not unconditional (eg. Thatcher was forced to resign after losing a leadership contest in 1990)

NO:
- backbench rebellions are more frequent (party may disagree with PM however rebellions may not have any influence)

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25
Q

What is the power of public standing (PM)? (2)

A
  1. PM is communicator-in-chief for government

2. PM represents UK in international affairs

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26
Q

Is the power of public standing (PM) fair? (2 + 2)

A

YES:

  • PM strongly influences political agenda, this should be able to express this articulately
  • PM is the predominant political figure in the UK, hence should be the one representing the UK internationally

NO:

  • PM may endorse personal view rather than view of cabinet (eg. David Cameron endorsing Remain during EU referendum)
  • PM may not have the greatest expertise on subject matter
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27
Q

What is collective ministerial responsibility?

A

The principle that ministers must support all cabinet decisions (even if they disagree with it personally) or resign

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28
Q

What are the 3 elements of collective ministerial responsibility?

A
  1. Secrecy - all cabinet discussions are held in secret so as to prevent sensitive information from being leaked and personal disagreements from being revealed
  2. Binding decisions - once a decision by the cabinet has been made, it is binding and ministers must adhere to it
  3. Confidence vote - all ministers must resign if the government loses a vote of no confidence
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29
Q

What are some exceptions to CMR? (3)

A
  1. Referendums
  2. Free votes
  3. Coalition
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30
Q

What does it mean when there is an exception to collective ministerial responsibility?

A

The PM has formally suspended the principle of CMR after coming to an agreement with the cabinet

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31
Q

Why might CMR be suspended during referendums?

A

To prevent ministerial resignations, and so that the government can remain united over other issues during the course of the referendum

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32
Q

What are two examples of CMR being suspended during referendums?

A
  1. Harold Wilson suspended CMR during the referendum on UK membership in the EEC, with the government supporting a ‘yes’ vote
  2. David Cameron suspended CMR during the EU referendum, with the government supporting ‘Remain’
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33
Q

What is an example of CMR being suspended during coalitions?

A

During the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, CMR was suspended in 4 policy areas, including support for Trident

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34
Q

What is an example of CMR being suspended during free votes?

A

Tony Blair granted free votes on the Hunting Act 2004

35
Q

What are free votes?

A

Votes based on conscience

36
Q

What are some strains to CMR? (3)

A
  1. Leaks
  2. Dissent and non-resignation
  3. Lack of cabinet involvement
37
Q

What is an example of a leak that strained CMR?

A

Previous cabinet discussions were revealed in books by Nick Clegg

38
Q

What is an example of dissent and non-resignation that strained CMR?

A

Traditional conservatives in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet openly criticised her economic policies, and were eventually only dismissed after she gained a supermajority in the 1983 election

39
Q

How might a lack of cabinet involvement strain CMR?

A

Ministers may feel reluctant to support policies that they had little say or influence over

40
Q

What is an example of lack of cabinet involvement that strained CMR?

A

Geoffrey Howe and Michael Heseltine criticised Margaret Thatcher for ignoring her cabinet during their resignation speeches

41
Q

What is an example of a government losing a vote of no confidence?

A

James Callaghan’s government lose a vote of no confidence in 1979

42
Q

How might leaks strain CMR?

A

Disgruntled ministers may leak sensitive information to the press in order for disapproval to be aired without facing personal responsibility

43
Q

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

A

The principle that government ministers are responsible for all the work of their department

44
Q

What are ministers responsible for in terms of IMR? (4)

A
  1. Mistakes made by department
  2. Policy failure
  3. Personal injustices
  4. Anything that parliament can criticise
45
Q

What are ministers not responsibility for in terms of IMR? (2)

A
  1. Decisions made without their knowing

2. Mistakes made during the implementation of the policy

46
Q

What might lead to a minister resigning due to IMR? Elaborate. (4)

A
  1. Mistakes made by department (quite rare for a minister to actually resign over this, usually they notify Parliament and rectify the mistake)
  2. Policy failure
  3. Personal misconduct (ministers are subject to the Ministerial Code and the ‘7 principles of public life’ which includes honesty)
  4. Political pressure (pressure from media, public or Parliament for a minister to resign, not really associated with any one policy)
47
Q

What is an example of a minster resigning due to a mistake in their department?

A

The Crichel Down affair led to Agriculture Secretary Sir Thomas Dugdale resigning after a mistake in his department regarding the selling of the land

48
Q

What is an example of a minster NOT resigning due to a mistake in their department?

A

No ministers resigned when a mistake in the Department for Agriculture led to the spread of Mad Cows’ Disease in 2000

49
Q

What is an example of a minster resigning due to policy failure?

A

Edwina Currie resigned after claiming that British eggs are contaminated with salmonella

50
Q

What is are two examples of a minster resigning due to personal misconduct?

A
  1. Many MPs resigned after the MPs expenses scandal in 2009, such as David Laws
  2. Amber Rudd resigned after lying to select committees about her knowledge of deportation targets set by her department
51
Q

What is an example of a minster resigning due to political pressure?

A

Andrew Mitchell resigned after media pressure following an incident in which he insulted a policeman in Downing Street

52
Q

How does IMR affect ministers compared to the PM? Why is this so? (2)

A

IMR affects ministers more heavily than on the PM as

  1. PM requires a vote of no confidence in order to be dismissed whilst ministers can be dismissed by the PM
  2. PM faces less pressure to resign for every policy failure whilst ministers are due to their specific responsibility
53
Q

What are the roles of the Prime Minsters’ Office? (2)

A
  1. Policy advice

2. Handle communications with press

54
Q

How does the Prime Ministers’ Office provide policy advice?

A

PM appoints senior advisors who provide expertise on a range of policy areas

55
Q

What are the pros of policy advice in the Prime Ministers’ Office? (2)

A
  1. Constant updates and guidance for PM

2. Widens the debate

56
Q

What are the cons of policy advice in the Prime Ministers’ Office? (2)

A
  1. Senior advisors are not directly elected and may give advice which conflicts that given by cabinet ministers
  2. PM may hire advisors based on personal connections rather than individual merits
57
Q

How does the Prime Ministers’ Office handle communications with press?

A

They answer questions on behalf of the PM

58
Q

What are the pros of handling communications with the press (Prime Ministers’ Office)?

A

Allows PM to spend time on more important issues

59
Q

What are the cons of handling communications with the press (Prime Ministers’ Office)?

A

They may manipulate the press and put a positive skew on issues

60
Q

What events and policies allowed Margaret Thatcher great influence and control? (4)
(Majority, party unity, events, policy, leadership style)

A
  1. Supermajorities of over 100 from 1983 onwards
  2. Wholly supportive cabinet from 1983 onwards, after dismissing all the ‘wets’
  3. Falklands War victory, economic growth, decline of communism and USSR, defended British interests in Europe
  4. Uncompromising and visionary style led to strong personal leadership
61
Q

What events and policies undermined Margaret Thatcher’s influence and control? (4)
(Majority, party unity, policy, fall)

A
  1. Weak majority of 43 in 1979-1983
  2. Divided cabinet (‘wets’ openly criticised her economic policies)
  3. Economic policies were not effective (economic downturn until 1983)
  4. Incredibly unpopular poll tax undermined popularity and led to loss in leadership contest
62
Q

What events and policies allowed Tony Blair great influence and control? (5)
(Majority, party unity, events, policy, leadership style)

A
  1. Supermajorities of over 160 from 1997-2005
  2. Party was wholly united behind him and New Labour
  3. Healthcare and education improvements, successful military operations in Sierra Leone and Kosovo, sustained economic growth, peace process settled NI
  4. Positive media image
  5. Focused on foreign policy`
63
Q

What events and policies undermined Tony Blair’s influence and control? (4)
(Majority, party unity, policy, leadership style)

A
  1. Dramatic drop in majority size to 66 in 2005
  2. Party divisions from 2003-2007 (‘Blair-ites’ and ‘Brown-ites’)
  3. Invasion of Iraq in 2003 (violence in Middle East and discovery that speculations that Saddam Hussein had amassed weapons of mass destruction were false) and growing inequality in UK
  4. Ministers felt that his focus on foreign policy made his approach to singular
64
Q

What events and policies undermined Gordon Brown’s influence and control? (4)
(Party unity, events, leadership style, election)

A
  1. Divided party (‘Blair-ites’ and ‘Brown-ites’)
  2. Elected unopposed (due to Granita Pact with Blair) and considered holding an election before changing his mind -> undermined his legitimacy
  3. Global Financial Crisis 2008 (actually acted decisively during this but received little credit)
  4. Blamed for economic crisis as he was previously Chancellor (although the crisis was global)
  5. Negative media image (indecisive and lacking Blair’s vision)
65
Q

What factors affect how powerful the PM is? (4)

A
  1. Size of majority
  2. Party unity
  3. Prominent events
  4. Leadership style
66
Q

How does the size of majority affect how powerful the PM is? Why is this so? (4)

A

The larger the size of the majority, the more likely the PM can pass legislation successfully

  1. Rebellions by backbenchers have less influence
  2. Less opposition to a PM who can bring electoral victory
  3. Coalition governments must make compromises with joint party
  4. Minority governments are dependent on other parties for support in passing legislation
67
Q

How does party unity affect how powerful the PM is?

A

A united party is less likely to oppose and rebel against the PM, making it more likely for her to influence policy and pass legislation successfully

68
Q

How do prominent events affect how powerful the PM is?

A

Events can associate a PM with policy success (and vice versa) even if the PM had no personal influence over the event

69
Q

What is an example of a PM making compromises due to being in a coalition government?

A

Liberal Democrats thwarted Conservative plans to raise the threshold for inheritance tax to £1m

70
Q

What is an example of a prominent event strengthening the power of the PM?

A

The victory in the Falklands War strengthened Margaret Thatcher’s authority and popularity

71
Q

What is an example of a prominent event undermining the power of the PM?

A

Tony Blair’s popularity suffered hugely after the invasion of Iraq in 2003

72
Q

How does leadership style affect how powerful the PM is? (2)

A
  1. Personalised leadership means that PM has strong influence over policy and can shape agenda to suit their personal vision
  2. Spatial leadership means that PM distances themselves from their cabinet during policy-making input
73
Q

What is an example of personalised leadership?

A

Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair were personally associated with policies such as the Right to Buy scheme and radical constitutional reforms

74
Q

What is the elastic band theory regarding personalised leadership?

A

When a PM stretches their authority too far, forces will pull them back

75
Q

What is an example to illustrate the elastic band theory?

A

Margaret Thatcher was forced to shift government policy regarding UK’s membership in the European Exchange Rate Mechanisms after her Chancellor and Foreign Secretary threatened to resign

76
Q

What are three examples of spatial leadership?

A
  1. Tony Blair’s ‘sofa government’
  2. Gordon Brown’s ‘kitchen cabinet’
  3. David Cameron’s ‘Quad’ (consisting of himself, Danny Alexander, George Osbourne and Nick Clegg)
77
Q

How does the cabinet limit the PM’s powers? (6)

A
  1. PM cannot act unilaterally (requires support for cabinet)
  2. Cabinet ministers seek influence over policy (greater expertise than PM over specific policy area)
  3. Cabinet committees are involved in detailed policy-making
  4. Ministers may refuse to be reshuffled
  5. Botched reshuffles can make a PM appear weak/question their judgement
  6. Ministers have spoken out against the PM before (break of CMR -> PM cannot command respect and authority)
78
Q

What is an example of a minister refusing to be reshuffled?

A

Alistair Darling refused to be moved from Chancellor when Gordon Brown wanted to make Ed Balls Chancellor instead

79
Q

What is an example of a botched reshuffle?

A

Justine Greening resigned after refusing to be moved from Education Secretary to Work and Pensions Secretary during May’s 2018 reshuffle

80
Q

What is an example of a minister speaking out against the PM?

A

Boris Johnson criticised a Brexit policy by stating that the UK should not be expected to contribute to the EU budget during the transitional phase

81
Q

How does Parliament limit the PM’s powers? (4)

A
  1. May veto the legislation (HoC)/may delay the legislation (HoL)
  2. Private Member’s Bill can influence the legislative agenda
  3. Parliament may pass a vote of no confidence
  4. Opposition likely to scrutinise and oppose legislation
82
Q

How does the party limit the PM’s powers? (2)

A
  1. Party support is not conditional (may call for a leadership contest)
  2. MPs may rebel during divisions
83
Q

How does public opinion limit the PM’s powers? (4)

A
  1. Low approval ratings undermine PM’s authority
  2. PM expected to represent the public mood
  3. Electorate may not re-elect PM
  4. PM blamed for government failings
84
Q

How might miscellaneous circumstance limit the PM’s powers? (patronage)

A

PM is limited by availability of talent and need for diversity or social representation (the smaller the majority a PM enjoys, the greater the need for a cabinet with diverse political opinions as the PM cannot claim a strong mandate to have only one ideology represented)

Politics (UK government) (3 decks)

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