Prime Minister and the Executive Flashcards
Example of cabinet proposing legislation
The Government Digital Service, part of the cabinet office proposed the Digital Economy Act 2023
Example of Cabinet committees
National Security Council- considers matters relating to national security
Cabinet proposing budget
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt proposed the Spring Budget 2023
Cabinet setting out policy decisions:
2023 Rishi Sunak outlined his 5 key priorities
- Halving inflation
- Economy growing
- Debt falling
- Cutting NHS waiting lists
- Passing laws to stop small boats
Royal prerogative powers given to the PM being limited
-Military action needs parliamentary approval
2018- Parliament authorised Theresa May’s Syrian Air strikes
Example of unsuccessful backbench rebellion
2021- Government faced backbench revolt over ‘Plan B’ covid measures
Example of secondary legislation
The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 gave Ministers powers to create statutory instruments to deal with legal issues caused Brexit
Cameron parliament defeat-
2013- lost Commons vote on Syria action
Example of individual ministerial responsibility
2018- Amber Rudd resigned as home secretary because she inadvertently misled parliament over the issue of illegal immigrants
Example of collective ministerial responsibility being suspended
2016- Collective responsibility was formally set aside during the EU referendum campaign to allow government ministers to state their views without sanction
Boris Johnson resignations
2022- 57 Tory ministers resigned, forced Boris Johnson to resign
Famous example of collective responsibility resignation
2003- Robin Cooke resigned as leader of the Commons out of protest against Iraq
Examples of collective responsibility resignations
2016- Iain Duncan resigned as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions because unable to accept the gov planned cuts to disability benefits.
Splits in cabinet and undermining collective ministerial responsibility
2023- Cabinet split over NHS disputes, over Steve Barclay vs Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt
Individual Ministerial Responsibility not working, with ministers not accepting responsibility:
Gavin Williamson in 2020, blamed exam regulator for A-level results chaos, instead of taking responsibility as Secretary of State for Education
Example of PM appointing close ally to cabinet (2)
- Gordon Brown appointed his former personal advisor Ed Balls as Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Rishi Sunak appointed ally Oliver Dowden as Deputy PM
Example of PM appointing ‘big beast’ to cabinet (2)
- Penny Morduant was made leader of the Commons since september 2022
- Theresa May appointed Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary
Example of PM appointing ministers based on ability
Appointment of Lord Mandelson as Secretary of State by Gordon Brown
Example of PM appointing political adversaries to cabinet
Theresa May appointed Boris Johnson as foreign secretary to silence him
Example of PM appointing ministers based on representation
Liz Truss’ government most diverse in history: 7/31 were non-white
Evidence that Boris Johnson was more presidential in his leadership
Exerted unprecedented influence over the treasury
Evidence that Boris Johnson was reliant on the support of his ministers
2022- Forced out and pressured to resign after scandals, such as Chris Fincher affair, Party Gate and Cost of Living Crisis
Prime Minister setting the agenda
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
Defeats of the PM
Theresa May had an unprecedented 33 defeats in the HoC, due to her having a hung parliament
PM’s controlling cabinet agenda
- Tony Blair, “sofa cabinet”
- Thatcher was accused of using the cabinet as a ‘rubber stamp’
Theresa May being a weak PM
Forced to drop manifesto policies such as increasing the number of grammar schools
Make up of Thatcher’s 1979 cabinet
mix of “Thatcherites” and “Wets”
Make up of Thatcher’s 1979 cabinet
- 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
Example of Thatcher taking a presidential style of leadership
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
First time Thatcher lost a parliamentary vote
1986- Shop Bill, issue of Sunday trading
Thatcher presidential in foreign policy
Initiated the Falklands War in 1982
What brought Thatcher down
Vote of ‘No confidence’ after unpopular stance on poll tax
Patronage being restricted under Cameron
- coalition government, Cameron had to consult Nick Clegg on reshuffles
- Cabinet committee membership determined by Cameron in consultation with Clegg
Cameron maintaining control over cabinet:
- 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)
Examples of rebellions Blair faced (3)
- Iraq (2003)
- University top up fees (2003)
- Foundational Hospitals (2003)
Example of an individual with unprecedented power in Blair’s government
- Brown (as chancellor) had influence over welfare and social policies beyond the conventional power a chancellor should have
Tony Blair controversial decisions w/o consulting cabinet
- Privatised Bank of England 1998
“Downing Street Machine”
- Dominic Cummings instrumental to Covid-19 response
- “Chief Special advisor”
Personalisation of the PM
Brexit Deal presented as “Boris’ deal”
Example of PM trying to act presidential but failing (2)
- May tried to trigger Article 50, forced to get parliament’s consent
- Johnson’s unlawful proroguing of Parliament
Theresa May side-lining cabinet
- Theresa May appointed David Davis as Brexit Secretary BUT used civil servant as negotiator (undermined DD)
Cabinet retaining importance (2)
- Boris Johnson lockdowns- cabinet kept fully informed
- Rishi Sunak more reliant on cabinet
Cabinet minister having influence
Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor of Exchequer- qualified and influential in Spring Budget
PM using statutory instruments
2016- statutory instruments used to abolish maintenance grants for university students
Gov test and trace
Failure- cost £37 billion
Cost of Truss’ mini budget
Failure cost £35 billion
