Prime Minister & The Cabinet

Question 1

Role of the Prime Minister - Government head

Answer 1

Head of all gov departments, decides who is on cabinet, chairs cabinet meeting, creates new government roles.
Responsible for setting national policy and agenda
Decides which policies shold be a priority for the government

Question 2

Role of the Prime Minister - Party head

Answer 2

Elected by party members and MPs to the position, must keep party united, successfully lead in elections, decide policy and speak at party conference

Question 3

Role of the Prime Minister - Decision Maker

Answer 3

Key decisions often in times of crisis, cheairs that National Security Council’s weekly meetings on UKs most important security Issues.
- 2017 May chaired a Cobra committee meeting following an attempted terrorist attack on London underground train

Question 4

Role of the Prime Minister - International Leadership

Answer 4

Decided whether to deploy Britich armed forces to any foreign intervention, PM involved in overseas engagements and working with other state leaders to make international policy
- 2017 May became PM and visited over 30 countries

Question 5

Role of the Prime Minister - Parliament Role

Answer 5

Leads Parliament as leader of HoC
Leads their party in parliamentary questioning and in debates
Organises their party’s majority in parliament to ensure that parliament will pass gov polucues into law

Question 6

Role of the Prime Minister - Chief communicator

Answer 6

Communicates with media and the public on policy or to explain issues
Talk to media in times of crisis to provide citizens with Information

Question 7

Prime Minister’s Powers - Patronage

Answer 7

Used to appoint MPs to cabinet roles (appoint supporters and dismiss ministers who they view as rivals)

Takes place after an election through a ‘cabinet reshuffle’ (to strengthen the government and the PM’s position)

Question 8

Prime Minister’s Powers - Strengths of Patronage

Answer 8

Can appoint ministers with similar views as themselves
Gives control over cabinet and MPs as PMs strongly influence their careers

Question 9

Prime Minister’s Powers - factors influencing appointments

Answer 9

More likely to appoint ministers who share similar views and who are loyal supporters

Will appoint ministeers in order to balance political views in gov

May appoint ministers to make cabinet more diverse and representative of voters (female/ethnic minority)

Question 10

Prime Minister’s Powers - Parliament control

Answer 10

Majorities give control over law-making process
Appoint chief whip, HoC leader and HoL leader to ensure policies make it into law
Chief whip ensures party members vote in the way the gov wishes

Question 11

Prime Minister’s Powers - heading cabinet

Answer 11

Determine agenda of cabinet meeting and priroitise policies they favour and appoint members to deal with policy decisions

Question 12

Prime Minister’s Powers - media influence

Answer 12

Power to set media agenda as they are more important to the media
Able to successfully influence media agenda so is favourable towards the (Tony Blair hired Alistair Campbell to help set media agenda)

Question 13

Prime Minister’s Powers - power over civil service

Answer 13

Can reform civil service and ensure civil servants remain loyal and supportive to the PM

Question 14

Limits on the Prime Minister’s Powers - cabinet

Answer 14

Cabinet is required to approve PM policy decisions and can overrule, the PM is ‘first among equals’ meaning they have equal say over key policy decisions

Question 15

Limits on the Prime Minister’s Powers - electorate

Answer 15

Loss of support from voters will end PM’s tie in power, 2010 Gordon Brown replaced by Cameron after winning less votes

Question 16

Limits on the Prime Minister’s Powers - parliament

Answer 16

Limits power by voting against gov policies and scrutiny, they are held to account through PMQs weekly

A vote of no confidence can remove PM from their position

Question 17

Limits on the Prime Minister’s Powers - political party

Answer 17

Lose power through weaker support from their party and if challenged by their cabinet or backbenchers to stand down

1990 Thatcher resigned after challenged to stand down by her own party members

Question 18

Limits on the Prime Minister’s Powers - The Media

Answer 18

Media limits power by communicating with the public and influencing their opinion on the PM

It can pressurise the PM over their actions

Question 19

Role of the Cabinet - Policy maker

Answer 19

Reaches financial decisions over policies, have to endorse meetings and reach an agreement
Need to legitimise and ratify PMs policies
Smaller cabinets make reccomendations which the full cabinet must approve to be policy

Question 20

Role of the Cabinet - coordinates government work

Answer 20

Cabinet decided when to introduce legislation
Organises weekly agenda, including backbenchers’ problems and which minitsers are due to speak in parliamentary debates

Question 21

Role of the Cabinet - limits prime ministers powers

Answer 21

If PM loses support of cabinet they will lose authority and risk their role

Question 22

Role of the Cabinet - Emergencies

Answer 22

Cabinets handle emergencies and national crises by making quick decisions, often through COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms) meetings. These meetings involve cabinet members coordinating the government’s response. For instance, a COBR meeting was convened after the suspected Russian poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.

Question 23

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - Use of PMs powers

Answer 23

The prime minister’s use of their powers over the cabinet shapes their relationship and the cabinet’s role. The prime minister sets the agenda, chairs meetings, summarizes decisions, and determines the frequency and duration of cabinet meetings.

Question 24

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - PMs use of cabinet

Answer 24

The prime minister’s reliance on the cabinet for key policy decisions impacts their relationship. Using an inner circle of advisers instead of the full cabinet weakens the cabinet’s power. Prime ministers may use an informal “sofa government” with advisers to coordinate policy rather than the formal cabinet.

Question 25

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - Cabinet members

Answer 25

Strong cabinet members, with influence in the party, are more difficult to be ignored by the prime minister

Question 26

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - example of a sofa government

Answer 26

PM Tony Blair’s ‘sofa government’ involved discussing policy in detail with special advisers and his close team. Advisers included Jonathan Powell and Alistair Campbell

Question 27

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - Media Focus

Answer 27

The media’s focus on the prime minister influences their perceived strength. Greater media attention on the prime minister than on the cabinet boosts their authority as the main communicator of government policy. However, media criticism can weaken the prime minister’s authority by undermining them.

Question 28

Prime Minister and Cabinet Relations - PMs popularity

Answer 28

A prime minister’s popularity with ministers and the public influences their control over the cabinet. A popular prime minister has greater cabinet control, while an unpopular one faces less support, potential resignations, and a damaged public image.