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Politics > Prime Minister and the Executive > Flashcards

Prime Minister and the Executive Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Executive Branch?

A

It is the branch responsible for formulating and implementing policy.

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2
Q

Approximately how many government ministers are there?

A

As of March 2021:
- 109 paid cabinet ministers, ministers of state, parliamentary under secretaries and whips.
- 23 unpaid ministers and 40 ish PPSs.
- Over 468000 civil servants

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3
Q

Who heads the government?

A

Prime Minister.

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4
Q

Why might some argue that it is not the Prime Minister who heads the government?

A

Some argue it is in fact the special advisors who lead the country at time, with the PM just being the face of the poster.

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5
Q

What is the cabinet?

A

The main collective decision making body of the government.

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6
Q

Who generally becomes a member of the cabinet?

A

MPs and occasionally Lords. But more specifically, with certain governments, it’s a means to get your chums a job.

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7
Q

Within each government department, what are the different types of minister?

A
  1. Secretaries of State - overall responsibility for department
  2. Ministers of State - responsibility for more specific policy areas.
  3. Parliamentary under-secretaries of state - most junior ministers, likely from backbenches
  4. Parliamentary private secretaries - unpaid advisors
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8
Q

What is the civil service?

A

They are crown employees who provide administrative and professional support to the government. They work in the various govt departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

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9
Q

What is the difference between a civil servant and a minister?

A

Civil servant: Permanent, impartial, anonymous, accountable to ministers, appointed on merit.
Minister: Temporary, ideological/partisan, high profile, accountable to parliament, political appointees.

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10
Q

What do ministers do?

A

Manage specific portfolios in government.

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11
Q

What is the administrative executive?

A

Government departments staffed by civil servants which oversee the daily administration of government. They are professional and permanent.

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12
Q

What are the three main roles of the executive?

A
  1. Making policy decisions
  2. Proposing legislation
  3. Proposing a budget
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13
Q

What powers does the PM have to expand the cabinet system? Give examples.

A

PM can expand or amalgamate departments. E.g. the role of the deputy PM is not a fixed one.

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14
Q

Who attends cabinet meetings?

A

All cabinet members, the chief whip, ministers with a departments and ministers without portfolio.

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15
Q

Who does not take part in cabinet decisions?

A

Chief Whip

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16
Q

Why is cabinet changeable and unclear? (4)

A
  • Cabinet’s existence: Unwritten constitutional convention
  • Cabinet functions vary based on political circumstances
  • Some leaders, like Thatcher, viewed cabinet as legitimizing decisions
  • Codified Cabinet Manual exists but not entrenched
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17
Q

What are three examples of current UK cabinet committees?

A

Home Affairs Committee, Parliamentary Business and Legislation, Domestic and Economic Affairs.

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18
Q

How did cabinet committees increase in importance in 3 certain circumstances?

A
  1. They were revived as important forums for discussion and resolution of differences in the CON-LIB coalition.
  2. The cabinet committee on Covid-19 strategy played an important role in determining policy in the early stages of the pandemic.
  3. Meetings of the ‘QUAD’ of senior ministers then became more significant.
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19
Q

What sets out the role of cabinet?

A

The ministerial code and cabinet manual.

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20
Q

What are the four functions of cabinet?

A
  1. Registering decisions/policy approval
  2. Discussion/making decisions
  3. Reports on current issues
  4. Resolve disputes
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21
Q

Expand on cabinet registering decisions/policy approval. (2 points)

A

The main business of cabinet and cabinet meetings concerns:
1. questions that engage the collective responsibility of government because they raise major policy issues or are of critical public importance.
2. Matters on which there is an unresolved dispute between govt departments.

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22
Q

Why does cabinet take less decisions than in the past?

A

It can take cabinet too long to reach decisions. Since the Thatcher period, key decisions are often made by smaller meetings of ministers and their advisors.

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23
Q

Expand on cabinet for discussion/making decisions. (1/2)

A
  • Cabinet: Theoretically and formally ultimate decision-making body
  • In reality, not significant in most government decision-making areas
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24
Q

Expand on cabinet for discussion/decision making. (2/2)

When might cabinet have more power?

A

Circumstances requiring rapid decisions:
- Important or sensitive issues
- Major or unexpected developments
- Inability of government departments or ministerial committees to reach agreements

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25
Q

Expand on cabinet reporting on current issues.

A

The cabinet hears reports on current developments, allowing ministers to keep abreast of events and discuss policy priorities.

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26
Q

Expand on cabinet resolving disputes. Include an example.

A
  • If issue not resolved in committee or bilateral meetings, referred to cabinet
  • Smooth process not guaranteed
  • Example: 1985 Westlands Affair - Michael Heseltine resigned over Thatcher’s ruling on cabinet hearing his appeal
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27
Q

What are ministers individually responsible for?

A
  1. Their own actions and performance
  2. Actions of their departments
  3. Expected to keep parliament informed
  4. Expected to apologise for mistakes
  5. Expected to take actions to correct mistakes
  6. Resign if mistakes are serious enough.
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28
Q

How are ministers held individually accountable and responsible?

A
  • Parliament lacks power to directly remove non-resigning or unsacked minister
  • Parliament can oust entire government via vote of no confidence
  • PM risking political consequences by retaining unpopular minister
  • PM may prefer minister’s resignation to avoid further political fallout
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29
Q

What is an example of a minister resigning over their actions and decisions in office?

A

8th November 2021 - Resignation of SoS for International Development, Priti Patel. Resigned after breaking ministerial code by acting without official approval - held unauthorised meetings with Israeli politicians and officials.

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30
Q

What is an example of a minister resigning due to revelations about their conduct in their private lives?

A
  • June 26, 2021: Hancock, SoS for Health and Social Care, resigned
  • Reason: CCTV images published by The Sun showing him kissing non-executive director, with whom he had an affair
  • Resignation letter cited desire not to distract from COVID efforts
  • Actions violated his own guidelines
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31
Q

Why are ministers also considered to be accountable and responsible for their entire department?

A
  • Civil servants offer impartial advice, ministers make policy decisions
  • So ministers should bear blame for policy failures
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32
Q

What is an example of a minister resigning over mistakes made by their own department?

A
  • Sir Thomas Dugdale, Minister of Agriculture, resigned
  • Landowners not given promised land sold to govt during WW2
  • Previous owners campaigned for promise fulfillment, leading to public inquiry
  • Inquiry criticized civil servants, not Dugdale
  • Despite no direct criticism, Dugdale resigned
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33
Q

Why have ministers argued that they should be held accountable but not necessarily responsible for the arms-length bodies that largely implement their department’s bodies?

A
  • Ministers argue they should be accountable for policy
  • But the chief executives of agencies and bodies are responsible for policy implementation success
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34
Q

What is the ministerial code? What are its limitations?

A
  • Cabinet Office document outlines standards for government ministers
  • Not legally binding, cannot be enforced by courts
  • Only specific dismissible offense: “knowingly misleading parliament”
  • PM determines standards and consequences of breach
  • Recent PMs inconsistent in enforcing the code
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35
Q

What role does the Independent Advisor on Ministers’ Interests play in the enforcement of Ministerial Code?

A
  • Advises PM on Ministerial Code and ministers on managing private interests
  • Investigates potential breaches of code when requested by PM
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36
Q

What are some of the political factors that influence whether or not a minister will either resign or be fired? (7 points)

A
  1. How resistant the minister is to resigning
  2. How much support they have on the back benches
  3. How willing the PM is to accept the loss of an ally
  4. How serious the error is
  5. How effectively the error is being used by the opposition
  6. How the issue is playing out in the media
  7. How the issue is effecting govt polls.
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37
Q

What are the three key elements of collective cabinet responsibility?

A
  1. Secrecy - ministers must keep details of discussion secret
  2. Binding decisions - once a decision is reached it is binding on all ministers whether they agreed to it or not. They must publicly support the decision.
  3. Confidence vote - If cabinet loses a vote of confidence specifically on the government policy it must theoretically resign, though this is rare.
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38
Q

Why is collective cabinet responsibility important?

A
  • It provides clarity as plmt only speaks with one voice. The opposition can then hold them collectively responsibility.
  • Allows ministers to speak openly in meetings without fearing that their views will appear in the headlines.
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39
Q

Exceptions to collective cabinet responsibility. (x3)

A
  1. Temporary suspension during referendums - prevents ministerial resignations
  2. Coalition - 2010 coalition identified 4 issues on which LibDem Ministers would not be bound by collective responsibility and were permitted to abstain on votes. Collective responsibility also broke down when significant differences arise.
  3. Free votes - may be granted to ministers as well as backbench MPs on issues of conscience such as assisted dying (2015) or abortion (2015 vote on abortion based on gender of unborn child and 2019 vote on rights in NI). Cameron allowed a free vote on the Marriage Bill in 2013.
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40
Q

Strains on collective cabinet responsibility. (x4)

A
  1. Johnson’s Telegraph article criticising May’s BREXIT plan
  2. Leaks e.g. Gavin Williamson. Nick Clegg and Ed Balls have revealed cabinet discussions in books.
  3. Prime-Ministerial dominance - Blair and Thatcher undermined collective cabinet responsibility by ignoring cabinet.
  4. Dissent & non-resignation - one-nation Tories in Thatcher’s govt and Phillip Hammond in May’s govt.
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41
Q

How has individual ministerial responsibility been modified?

A

Ministers should not be held personally responsible for decisions made in their department without their knowledge and operational matters handled by officials in departments or executive agencies.

42
Q

What is an example of individual ministerial responsibility being breached by policy failure?

A

Amber Rudd - Home Secretary. Resigned in 2018 when it was revealed that she had mislead the Home Affairs Select Committee by stating that the Home Office did not have targets for deporting illegal immigrants.

43
Q

What are some examples of individual ministerial responsibility being breached in terms of personal misconduct?

A
  • Suella Braverman. Shared secure information from her personal email account rather than her work one. First half of resignation letter included apology, second criticised govt thus also collective
  • Matt Hancock. When a sexual scandal occurs, media attention increases
  • Liam Fox Defence Sec 2011. Allowed a mate into high security meetings as his “personal advisor” but was in fact lobbying. Shows how difficult it is to get rid of someone when they have support of PM.
  • Patel. Sacked by May for breaking cabinet protocol. Joined Johnson’s govt. Shows flexibility. Johnson refused to sack her for bullying. Shows flexibility again.
44
Q

What are some examples of individual ministerial responsibility being breached by mistakes in department?

A
  1. BSE - inquiries made in 2000 uncovered mistakes in the department but ministers survived.
  2. OFQUAL - Head of Ofqual and senior civil servant of DoE resigned in 2020 following the failure of the policy of using algorithms to determine GCSE and A-Level grades, but edu sec Williamson did not resign.
45
Q

Why is there flexibility in Individual Ministerial Responsibility and why is it subject to interpretation?

A

It is not legally binding. Potential breaches of ministerial code are investigated by an independent authority, but the PM makes the final decision.

46
Q

What are two examples of flexibility in individual ministerial responsibility?

A
  1. Priti Patel - had secret meetings with Israeli govt but then brought back by Johnson. Then accused of bullying, of which she refused to resign for.
  2. Johnson as foreign sec - resigned collectively after chequers deal. Should have resigned over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe comments as could have jeopardised her trial in Iran.
47
Q

What are the two key factors leading a minister to resign? Give example.

A
  • Required to resign if PM loses faith or publicity damages govt
  • Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell resigned in 2012 amid police insult allegations, after pressure on his position from the press
48
Q

What did Cameron say about political lives?

A

“All political lives end in failure.”

49
Q

What is an ideological balance?

A

A spectrum of beliefs within a party.

50
Q

How are the powers of the PM variable?

A
  1. They are not clearly defined as the UK has an uncodified constitution
  2. They are dependent on circumstances (media support, party unity, size of parliamentary majority, external events and force of personality)
  3. Depends on how they are used by the PM i.e. Blair manipulated cabinet system.
51
Q

What is the difference between pre-eminent and pre-dominant?

A

Being a pre-eminent leader means being the most powerful in cabinet and usually getting what you want; pre-dominant extends to further power.

52
Q

What powers do all PMs enjoy? (pre-eminent)

A
  • Patronage
  • Chairing cabinet
  • Foreign policy leader
  • Calling elections
53
Q

What powers do some PMs enjoy? (pre-dominant)

A
  • Controlling govt policy
  • Controlling legislative agenda
  • Economic leadership
  • National leadership in crisis
54
Q

How does a PM use patronage?

A
  • Life Peers: Although an appointment commission makes recommendations on non-political appointments, the PM chooses political appointments.
  • Lords: Johnson criticised for appointing more Tory life peers at a time when the HoL wanted to reduce its membership.
  • Cabinet ministers: Most will be chosen for loyalty and same political outlook.
55
Q

What are the limits of patronage?

A

It is not totally a ‘free hand’.
- Ideological wings: May had to appoint brexiteers, Sunak appointed Esther McVey
- Rivals kept close: Blair had to appoint Brown as Chancellor under agreement. As Brown was inside cabinet and bound by cabinet protocol, he would be unable to launch a leadership challenge.
- Popularity and talent: must appoint vote winners and those popular within the party.
- Coalition: Cameron had to appoint a set number of Lib Dems
- Ability to fire or reshuffle cabinet must be used carefully as can be overused or attract negative media attention e.g. Truss firing Kwarteng

56
Q

How does the PM manage authority over the cabinet system?

A

PM chairs cabinet meetings, manages agenda of cabinet meetings, determines their frequency and length, directs and sums up cabinet discussions, creates cabinet committees and appoints their members, holds bilateral meetings with ministers, appoints senior civil servants, and organises structure of govt.

57
Q

What limitations are there to the PM managing authority over the cabinet system?

A
  • Resignations are damaging. Brown had resignations in the run-up to elections. Johnson and Davis resigned from May’s cabinet.
  • Coalition - far harder to manage cabinet
  • Certain items always on the agenda - a report on international and EU affairs (foreign sec) and a report from leader of HoC.
  • Groups of ‘heavyweights’ can’t be ignored. May couldn’t ignore Davis and Johnson.
58
Q

How does party leadership create power for the PM?

A
  1. MPs are usually loyal to their PM for career advancement.
  2. Majority (FPTP) + party discipline + elective dictatorship
  3. Compared to US, PM has more overlapping and dominating power, as there is no great separation of powers, but also meaning fewer checks and balances.
59
Q

What are two examples of limitations of party leadership?

A
  1. Truss: diminished all credibility by ruining the one thing the Tories are supposed to be good at - managing the economy.
  2. Thatcher: had a no-confidence vote, headed by Michael Heseltine. She won, but by such a small margin that it had to go to a second round. Even though she emerged technically victorious, politically she was not as it vastly increased her vulnerability and decreased confidence.
60
Q

What are the limitations of a PM having policy making input?

A

It can backfire as the PM takes blame rather than the party or cabinet. E.g.:
- Blair & Iraq. Invasion undermined Blair’s position when doubts about the govt’s case for war raised questions about his judgement and trustworthiness.
- Thatcher poll tax. Instances of policy success (Falklands) made her more popular but in the case of the poll tax, policy failure undermined her authority.

61
Q

Why is the power of public standing/being communicator in chief an important power of PM?

A
  • Public profile for PM is much greater than with other cabinet ministers.
  • They become a political celebrity.
  • Can reach over other cabinet members and speak directly to the public.
62
Q

What is an advantage of the PM having the power of policy making input?

A
  • PMS don’t have a specific department and so can interfere wherever they want.
63
Q

Why can the PM having the power of being ‘communicator in chief’ be a double-edged sword?

A
  • Blair and Cameron had charisma and charm, but if you don’t have it, it is not as effective.
  • The media can be very critical: the hype can work against the PM turning a problem into a crisis; media can undermine the credibility of a PM e.g. Truss after market crash, Johnson after ‘partygate’.
  • It is dependent on the media performance of a PM: May’s dancing, Blair after Diana’s death, contrast in May vs Corbyn over Grenfell tower collapse.

The media can work with or against you. (NOTE: Blair friendly with Murdoch).

64
Q

What are the institutional resources available to the PM?

A

The team of civil servants and special advisors that comes with the office of PM.

65
Q

How has the size and role of the PM’s office in No.10 changed in recent decades?

A
  • In 2020, 51 out of the 116 special advisors were based in No. 10.
  • In recent years, No. 10 has had around 100 members of staff, far more than the 35 that supported Wilson in 1964.
66
Q

What are the constitutive powers available to the PM? Why is it difficult to identify the PM’s constitutional powers?

A
  • PM has statutory/conventional responsibility for decisions/actions
  • UK lacks codified constitution specifying PM’s powers/responsibilities
67
Q

Why are the royal prerogatives a source of constitutional power?

A
  • Royal prerogatives: powers exclusive to the crown by common law
  • Convention: PM and cabinet advise on using these powers
  • PM effectively controls royal prerogatives in practice
68
Q

What are examples of recent legal and non-legal limits that have been imposed on royal prerogatives? How effective are these limits?

A
  • Legal limit: Fixed Term Parliament Act (2010), put a statutory limit on the prerogative power to dissolve Parliament and trigger an election. However Theresa May was still able to use the terms of the statute to call and early general election in 2017.
  • Non-legal limit: Parliamentary Approval for Military Action. A developing convention that parliament should debate and vote on the use of the armed forces. Yet May authorised air strikes in Syria in 2018 without obtaining approval in the HoC.
69
Q

How does the cabinet office support the cabinet system today?

A

Cabinet Office provides administrative support:
- Prepares agenda, takes minutes, circulates papers
- Ensures ministers are informed
- Coordinates policy development across departments
- Identifies and resolves policy clashes between departments

70
Q

How and why does the cabinet office support the PM?

A
  • PM chairs cabinet, support varies among PMs
  • Blair expanded units within cabinet office, focused on PM’s priorities
  • Units abolished by coalition in 2010
  • Boris Johnson asked to re-establish units in 2021, focusing on policy implementation
71
Q

In constitutional theory, what is the main role of the cabinet? To what extent does cabinet still perform this function?

A
  • Cabinet: Main decision-making body by convention
  • Discusses and makes policy decisions
  • Collective cabinet responsibility to Parliament
  • Rarely discusses matters in detail
  • PM may allow airing of views for consensus on divisive policies
72
Q

What are the other main functions performed by the cabinet system?

A
  1. Ratification - formerly approves and legitimises policy decisions made in cabinet committees or more informally
  2. Information - keeps ministers informed about developments across government, business in parliament etc.
  3. Coordination - coordinate policies that cut across various departments and ensures that different policies are compatible.
  4. Arbitration - resolves conflicts between different departments if problems cannot be solved more informally.
73
Q

What is the traditional explanation of where power lies in the executive branch?

A

The traditional view is that, under our system of cabinet government, the Prime Minister is simply ‘prima inter pares’ (first among equals).

74
Q

What led some academics to suggest that the office of PM had become increasingly presidential?

A
  1. The increasing institutional resources available to the PM. The number of civil servants and special advisors had increased significantly. Was it now the PM’s office, rather than cabinet, that coordinated the executive?
  2. Cabinet meetings had become shorter and less frequent, with ministers not being fully briefed in advance of meetings, making it difficult to scrutinise decisions that had effectively been made in No. 10.
  3. TV, internet and the 24-hour news cycle increased the focus on the PM. PM went from making infrequent public statements to appearing on TV daily.
  4. Spatial leadership. PMs distance from party and government to appeal to voters. Campaigns focus on leader’s suitability as PM. Successful PMs claim personal mandate.
75
Q

How have the arguments that the office of PM has become increasingly presidential been criticised and challenged?

A
  • PM’s access to resources depends on variables
  • Political circumstances, PM’s personality, skills affect resource utilization
  • ‘Presidential’ leaders like Thatcher, Blair resigned after depleting resources
  • PMs like Major, May had limited influence despite same resources
76
Q

Why is the question of whether it is the prime minister or cabinet that dominates the executive arguably flawed?

A
  • Power is fluid, shared between PM, cabinet and others
  • PM and cabinet reliant on each other for goals
  • Others in executive crucial in policy formation
77
Q

What is the core executive model?

A

The theory argues that the PM and cabinet are part of a larger network of actors who are all dependent on each other to achieve their goals. Everyone in this network has access to particular resources but no one has access to all the resources they need.

78
Q

Why does power and influence within the core executive model vary from policy to policy?

A

Core executive interdependence influenced by:
- Political circumstances
- Characteristics, personalities of individuals
Influence varies by policy area:
- Cabinet focuses on domestic issues
- PM and foreign secretary dominant in foreign policy, especially if they cooperate

79
Q

What is the theory of a prime ministerial government?

A
  • The PM is the dominant actor as they set policy direction, take the major decisions and intervene when desired.
  • Cabinet is a source of advice and support to the PM but does not decide policy.
    HOWEVER
  • Cabinet still has more weight than in a presidential system as the PM still has to work through his cabinet , which can damage credibility.
80
Q

What is the theory of ‘presidentialism’?

A

A British PM is now almost a ‘de facto’ president due to the personalisation of politics.
1. Personalised leadership - the PM imposes their personal views, creating an impression of personal mandate (e.g. Cameron and gay marriage)
2. Public outreach - The media spotlight on the PM is a great advantage in terms of image projection
3. Spatial leadership - a sense of distance has been created between the PM & ministers. The PM relies on an inner circle and advisors rather than the cabinet as a whole i.e. sofa govt and QUAD.

81
Q

What is the theory of cabinet government?

A
  1. Power is collective: policy decisions are taken by all cabinet members together
  2. PM leads the Cabinet only as “first among equals”
  3. Must be discussion before final decisions are taken in cabinet
82
Q

What resources to pre-eminent PM’s have?

A

Institutional resources - legal head of govt (e.g. appointing ministers), leadership of the govt (e.g. setting policy agenda), the PM’s office, setting the political agenda (through the party and media)

83
Q

Which PMs were pre-eminent?

A

Richard Hefferman argues that all PMs are pre-eminent but only some are pre-dominant. Major, Brown, Cameron and May were pre-eminent.

84
Q

What resources do pre-dominant PMs have?

A

Personal power resources - leadership ability and reputation, association with political success, electoral popularity and a high standing within their party.

85
Q

Which PMs were pre-dominant?

A

Thatcher and Blair

86
Q

What are the arguments that cabinet govt is dead and replaced with a prime ministerial govt, and the PM is a president in all but name?

A
  1. Cabinet govt has been downgraded
  2. Growth of institutions which empower the PM
  3. Personal leadership/policies
  4. Public outreach
  5. Spatial leadership
87
Q

What are the arguments against the idea that cabinet govt is dead and replaced with a prime ministerial govt, and the PM is a president in all but name?

A
  1. Core executive theory - PM leads but cannot always command
  2. PM has to work through cabinet - big beasts, coalition & cooperation means formal discussion, resignations are attritionally damaging.
  3. PM is dependent on party as they can be challenged
88
Q

Why was delivering Brexit always likely to be a significant challenge?

A
  • Exiting EU after 40 years of membership and integration complex
  • Challenges extend beyond government
  • Include supply chains, universities, judicial systems, law enforcement
  • Irish border issue especially challenging
89
Q

How did inheriting a divided government, a divided parliament and a divided country make May’s job even harder to deliver Brexit?

A
  • May had to reinstate collective responsibility convention
  • Cameron suspended it during referendum
  • Cabinet includes both remainers and leavers
90
Q

To what extent was May able to influence Brexit policy within the core executive?

A
  • May aims for more formal cabinet system, but No. 10 asserts control over Brexit policy
  • May creates 2 new Brexit departments, while No. 10 establishes Europe Unit in Policy Unit
  • Cabinet ministers not briefed before announcements; No. 10 meetings exclude ministers
  • May excludes ministers from negotiations
  • Even after 2017 election, May blocks opposed options like maximum facilitation, no deal, second referendum
91
Q

In what ways did May lack the personal and political resources to deliver BREXIT? How was the process influenced by her experience, skills, decisions and priorities?

A
  • May disliked party politics, avoided building support in Commons
  • Unfamiliar with many backbench MPs
  • Left selection of junior ministers to whips and advisors
  • Lacked strong communication skills, dubbed “Maybot” by media
  • Rejected voice, media coaching
  • Reluctant to win over newspaper editors, journalists
92
Q

How does the PM being too powerful downgrade cabinet?

A

Cabinet is no longer a decision making forum, most of the time only rubber-stamping .
1. Cabinet committees - most decision making occurs in cabinet committees and the growth of government has necessitated a streamlining of decision-making
2. Informal “inner” government - “kitchen cabinets” have existed in the past but are now more serious; Blair’s sofa govt devalued cabinet and increased his control; Cameron promised to reverse this decision but still relied heavily on the Quad.

However, the degree of this factor is less so when a PM is weaker. Thatcher vs Major and Blair vs Cameron.

93
Q

How does the increase in institutional resources available to the PM made the PM too powerful?

A
  1. Institutions:
    - Blair expanded the PM’s office
    - Cameron introduced the Policy Implementation Unit reporting jointly to PM and deputy PM
  2. Use of special advisors (SPADS)
    - Blair had over 50
    - May often ignored the cabinet leading to the 2017 election, focusing on her two close advisors Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill
    - Johnson’s work with Dominic Cummings led to Sajid Javid resigning as Chancellor
94
Q

How has personal leadership made the PM too powerful?

A
  • PMs increasingly drive central policies
  • Traditionally involved in foreign policy, economy
  • Recent PMs notably drive specific policies: Truss & radical tax cuts, Johnson & focus on Ukraine, Cameron and push for gay marriage, Blair and commitment to Iraq war
  • Personalized election campaigns reinforce PM’s role
  • PM’s popularity often mirrors government’s popularity
  • Party leader debates in 2010 shift UK politics towards US style
  • PMs claim personal mandate based on electoral success
95
Q

How has public outreach made the PM too powerful?

A
  • Political leaders are public commodities
  • PM receives most media attention
  • Expected to connect with popular mood, represent public interest
  • Use popular media to communicate directly with public
  • Johnson held televised briefings during pandemics
96
Q

How has the growth of “spatial leadership” made the PM more powerful?

A
  • Distance between PM and government, party
  • PM relies on inner circle of advisors
  • Examples: Blair’s “sofa government,” QUAD in coalition
  • Blair, Cameron portrayed as party outsiders
97
Q

How does the core executive theory show the PM is restrained?

A
  • Power shared between cabinet and wider core executive
  • Fluid, with shifting alliances among many players
  • No single part of core executive always dominant
  • PM, while usually powerful, is just one player among many
98
Q

How is the PM restrained by having to work through parliament?

A
  1. The Prime Minister cannot ignore heavyweight ‘big beasts’ - Blair’s “dual executive”, May with Johnson and Fox, Sunak appeasing the “five families”
  2. Coalition/cooperation necessitated discussion - with two parties the government is more formal, all of Cameron’s policies had to be checked against the coalition agreement
  3. Resignations - heavy handedness and committee abuse can lead to resignations which undermine credibility. This can lead to a loss of public support and in turn party support. E.G. May was damaged by the resignations of ERG members over her Chequers plan and Johnson had 60 members resign before he did including the most senior members of his cabinet.
99
Q

How does the fact that a PM can only act presidentially if they have success and is popular show that the PM is still restrained?

A
  • PM’s ability to personalize politics risky
  • Policy failure, toxic image lead to personal failure
  • Weight of failure falls on PM
  • Example: Liz Truss lost trust after market collapse
100
Q

How does the fact that a PM is dependent on their party show that they are still restrained?

A
  • PM leads largest party, lacks direct mandate of presidential system
  • Vulnerable to leadership challenge if perceived as electoral liability
  • Even if PM survives challenge, credibility may suffer
  • Example: Thatcher lost support, faced cabinet revolt
  • Parliament can bring down PM with vote of no confidence, though rare

Politics (7 decks)

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