Prime Ministerial Styles

Question 1

What was the Prime Ministerial style of Margaret Thatcher?

Answer 1

1979-1990
Presidential
Public image "Iron Lady"
Bypassed Cabinet - filled with her own supporters and controlled it as Wilson did
Often governed alone

Question 2

What was the Prime Ministerial style of John Major?

Answer 2

1990-1997
Aimed to bring back Cabinet Government but it proved to be obstructive due to it containing some of his enemies
Consensual style

Question 3

What was the Prime Ministerial style of Tony Blair?

Answer 3

1997-2007
Presidential
Sofa politics - less use of Cabinet and tended to take decisions on his own.
Used prerogative powers to the max - Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Iraq
Made executive power individual to him

Question 4

What was the Prime Ministerial style of Gordon Brown?

Answer 4

Little dominance to ignore Cabinet
Sole use of executive power
Had little media and public support
Weak in UK but Presidential in foreign affairs