Prime Minister and the Executive

Question 1

Example of cabinet proposing legislation

Answer 1

The Government Digital Service, part of the cabinet office proposed the Digital Economy Act 2023

Question 2

Example of Cabinet committees

Answer 2

National Security Council- considers matters relating to national security

Question 3

Cabinet proposing budget

Answer 3

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt proposed the Spring Budget 2023

Question 4

Cabinet setting out policy decisions:
2023 Rishi Sunak outlined his 5 key priorities

Answer 4

• Halving inflation
• Economy growing
• Debt falling
• Cutting NHS waiting lists
• Passing laws to stop small boats

Question 5

Royal prerogative powers given to the PM being limited

Answer 5

-Military action needs parliamentary approval
2018- Parliament authorised Theresa May’s Syrian Air strikes

Question 6

Example of unsuccessful backbench rebellion

Answer 6

2021- Government faced backbench revolt over ‘Plan B’ covid measures

Question 7

Example of secondary legislation

Answer 7

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 gave Ministers powers to create statutory instruments to deal with legal issues caused Brexit

Question 8

Cameron parliament defeat-

Answer 8

2013- lost Commons vote on Syria action

Question 9

Example of individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 9

2018- Amber Rudd resigned as home secretary because she inadvertently misled parliament over the issue of illegal immigrants

Question 10

Example of collective ministerial responsibility being suspended

Answer 10

2016- Collective responsibility was formally set aside during the EU referendum campaign to allow government ministers to state their views without sanction

Question 11

Boris Johnson resignations

Answer 11

2022- 57 Tory ministers resigned, forced Boris Johnson to resign

Question 12

Famous example of collective responsibility resignation

Answer 12

2003- Robin Cooke resigned as leader of the Commons out of protest against Iraq

Question 13

Examples of collective responsibility resignations

Answer 13

2016- Iain Duncan resigned as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions because unable to accept the gov planned cuts to disability benefits.

Question 14

Splits in cabinet and undermining collective ministerial responsibility

Answer 14

2023- Cabinet split over NHS disputes, over Steve Barclay vs Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt

Question 15

Individual Ministerial Responsibility not working, with ministers not accepting responsibility:

Answer 15

Gavin Williamson in 2020, blamed exam regulator for A-level results chaos, instead of taking responsibility as Secretary of State for Education

Question 16

Example of PM appointing close ally to cabinet (2)

Answer 16

• Gordon Brown appointed his former personal advisor Ed Balls as Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Rishi Sunak appointed ally Oliver Dowden as Deputy PM

Question 17

Example of PM appointing ‘big beast’ to cabinet (2)

Answer 17

• Penny Morduant was made leader of the Commons since september 2022
• Theresa May appointed Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary

Question 18

Example of PM appointing ministers based on ability

Answer 18

Appointment of Lord Mandelson as Secretary of State by Gordon Brown

Question 19

Example of PM appointing political adversaries to cabinet

Answer 19

Theresa May appointed Boris Johnson as foreign secretary to silence him

Question 20

Example of PM appointing ministers based on representation

Answer 20

Liz Truss’ government most diverse in history: 7/31 were non-white

Question 21

Evidence that Boris Johnson was more presidential in his leadership

Answer 21

Exerted unprecedented influence over the treasury

Question 22

Evidence that Boris Johnson was reliant on the support of his ministers

Answer 22

2022- Forced out and pressured to resign after scandals, such as Chris Fincher affair, Party Gate and Cost of Living Crisis

Question 23

Prime Minister setting the agenda

Answer 23

Liz Truss able to push for her ‘Mini-budget’
BUT multiple U-turns, e.g u-turn on the controversial plans to abolish 45p tax rate

Question 24

Defeats of the PM

Answer 24

Theresa May had an unprecedented 33 defeats in the HoC, due to her having a hung parliament

Question 25

PM’s controlling cabinet agenda

Answer 25

- Tony Blair, “sofa cabinet” - Thatcher was accused of using the cabinet as a ‘rubber stamp’

Question 26

Theresa May being a weak PM

Answer 26

Forced to drop manifesto policies such as increasing the number of grammar schools

Question 27

Make up of Thatcher's 1979 cabinet

Answer 27

mix of "Thatcherites" and "Wets"

Question 28

Make up of Thatcher's 1979 cabinet

Answer 28

- Thatcher’s cabinet in 1979 contained a mix of “Thatcherites” and “Wets” (One Nation Conservatives) - Although at first her cabinet had a deep ideological divide, her later cabinets were overwhelmingly New Right

Question 29

Example of Thatcher taking a presidential style of leadership

Answer 29

Used powers of patronage to remove ministers who were critical of her policies, e.g dismissed her deputy foreign minister, **Sir Ian Gilmour** in 1981

Question 30

First time Thatcher lost a parliamentary vote

Answer 30

1986- Shop Bill, issue of Sunday trading

Question 31

Thatcher presidential in foreign policy

Answer 31

Initiated the Falklands War in 1982

Question 32

What brought Thatcher down

Answer 32

Vote of ‘No confidence’ after unpopular stance on poll tax

Question 33

Patronage being restricted under Cameron

Answer 33

- coalition government, Cameron had to consult Nick Clegg on reshuffles - Cabinet committee membership determined by Cameron in consultation with Clegg

Question 34

Cameron maintaining control over cabinet:

Answer 34

- The ‘Quad’ were the top 4 members of the coalition government - Role of the Quad was to ‘iron out’ contentious matters prior to cabinet meetings - The Quad decided all major matters of policy (e.g **the 2013 Budget**)

Question 35

Examples of rebellions Blair faced (3)

Answer 35

- Iraq (2003) - University top up fees (2003) - Foundational Hospitals (2003)

Question 36

Example of an individual with unprecedented power in Blair’s government

Answer 36

- Brown (as chancellor) had influence over welfare and social policies beyond the conventional power a chancellor should have

Question 37

Tony Blair controversial decisions w/o consulting cabinet

Answer 37

- Privatised Bank of England 1998

Question 38

"Downing Street Machine"

Answer 38

- Dominic Cummings instrumental to Covid-19 response - "Chief Special advisor"

Question 39

Personalisation of the PM

Answer 39

Brexit Deal presented as "Boris' deal"

Question 40

Example of PM trying to act presidential but failing (2)

Answer 40

- May tried to trigger Article 50, forced to get parliament's consent - Johnson's unlawful proroguing of Parliament

Question 41

Theresa May side-lining cabinet

Answer 41

- Theresa May appointed David Davis as Brexit Secretary BUT used civil servant as negotiator (undermined DD)

Question 42

Cabinet retaining importance (2)

Answer 42

- Boris Johnson lockdowns- cabinet kept fully informed - Rishi Sunak more reliant on cabinet

Question 43

Cabinet minister having influence

Answer 43

Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor of Exchequer- qualified and influential in Spring Budget

Question 44

PM using statutory instruments

Answer 44

2016- statutory instruments used to abolish maintenance grants for university students

Question 45

Gov test and trace

Answer 45

Failure- cost £37 billion

Question 46

Cost of Truss' mini budget

Answer 46

Failure cost £35 billion