The PM And The Executive- The RS Between The PM And The Cabinet Flashcards
Traditionally, the UK government has been described as a
cabinet government
Traditional features of the cabinet government:
+ The cabinet was viewed as the central decision-making body.
+Any disputes within the government would be resolved in the cabinet.
+ For a policy to become ‘official government policy’, the cabinet would have to approve it.
+ The prime minister was considered primus inter pares.
+The prime minister enjoyed a higher status than their colleagues but could
not make decisions without them.
The shift of the government
Traditionally government described as a cabinet government
Shift from the 1960s onwards towards a prime ministerial government
Features of a prime ministerial government:
+ The prime minister controls the agenda of cabinet meetings.
+ Prime ministers use the media, not just Parliament and the cabinet, to get
messages across to the public.
+ The cabinet is packed with the prime minister’s supporters.
+ The prime minister makes greater use of their royal prerogative powers, particularly with regard to foreign relations - foreign policy is conducted by the prime minister and not by the cabinet.
Cabinet government
A system of government where the cabinet is the central policy-making body.
Primus inter pares
A Latin term meaning ‘first among equals’. It is applied to the prime minister, seen as the most important member of the cabinet but not one who is domineering.
Prime ministerial government
Political circumstances in which the prime minister dominates policy making and the whole machinery of government.
The powers and significance of the cabinet
When considering the debate about the power of the cabinet, it is necessary to examine the numerous governmental functions it is supposed to carry out and whether it continues to do so, or whether those functions are now carried out by the prime minister or by government departments instead.
Governmental functions
Policy formulation
Dealing with crisis
Controlling the parliamentary agenda
Approving decisions mad elsewhere
Settling disputes
Governmental functions
The role of the cabinet in Policy formation
The cabinet often sets out the government’s general principles over what legislation should contain.
How is the governmental function of Policy formulation carried out?
Detailed work on individual policy is carried out in smaller groups. The ban on smoking in pubs was debated in cabinet, but the actual wording of the text was drafted by the Department of Health.
Governmental function
The role of the cabinet in Dealing with crisis
The cabinet often meets during difficult periods to present a ‘show of unity’ and to agree a way forward.
After Black Wednesday (when interest rates rocketed in 1992), the cabinet met to agree economic policy.
How is the function of dealing with crisis carried out elsewhere ?
in a crisis, the prime minister often relies on small teams of experts and advisors, or upon COBRA (COBR). During the Iraq War, Blair relied on just a few ministers, including Geoff Hoon (defence secretary) and Jack Straw (foreign secretary).
Governmental function
The role of the cabinet in Controlling the Parliamentary agenda
The cabinet can be the forum whereby ministers compete to win parliamentary time for the legislation their departments wish to pass.
How is the function of Controlling the Parliamentary agenda carried out elsewhere ?
Decisions on which legislation to prioritise are made elsewhere. In the 2010-15 coalition, the ‘quad’ met each week to discuss Liberal Democrat and Conservative priorities.
Governmental functions
The role of the cabinet in Approving decisions made elsewhere
Cabinet is an ‘endorsing body, approving policies formulated elsewhere (such as in small cabinet committees).
How the functions of Approving decisions made elsewhere are carried out elsewhere ?
The prime minister can establish cabinet committees, which discuss, propose and, in some instances, decide policy. Boris Johnson created various Covid-19 committees that were tasked with implementing policies relating to health, economic matters and public services.
Governmental functions
The role of the cabinet in Settling disputes
The cabinet allows secretaries of state to advocate for their policy positions and to compromise where necessary. The decision to scrap the Educational Maintenance Allowance for sixth-form students was only agreed upon once senior Liberal Democrat cabinet members in the
2010-2015 coalition secured extra funding for its replacement.
How is the function of Settling disputes carried out elsewhere ?
Most disputes are resolved elsewhere, usually involving bilateral meetings between individual cabinet members and the prime minister. In 2017 Theresa May and her chancellor Philip Hammond held tense discussions over whether to scrap the planned rise in national insurance contributions.
COBRA (COBR)
The Civil Contingencies Committee convened to handle matters of national emergency or major disruption. Its membership varies according to the situation, but it is often chaired by the prime minister, and is attended by senior ministers chosen from relevant government departments and those with specific expertise in the matter at hand.
The ‘quad’
An arrangement specifically created for the coalition government between 2010 and 2015, whereby two senior Conservatives (David Cameron, George Osborne) and two senior Liberal Democrats (Nick Cle88, Danny Alexander) would meet to decide government policy.
The power of the cabinet is directly affected by
the power and authority of the prime minister.
A strong and weak PM
A prime minister who is popular and who has a strong majority in the House of Commons is able to have a greater influence over policy and decision making than the cabinet. However, weaker prime ministers who lack popular appeal and who have slim majorities are often challenged by rivals in cabinet.
Which circumstances affect the power of the cabinet?
Size of majority
Prime ministerial preterence
Characters within cabinet
The issue and its importance
How might size of the majority limit the power of the cabinet?
Prime ministers with large majorities will feel that they can disregard their cabinets, safe in the knowledge that there are plenty of backbenchers to vote for their policies and accept promotions should cabinet members resign. Tony Blair and his chancellor Gordon Brown announced the policy of Bank of England independence without prior consultation with the cabinet.
How might size of the majority increase the power of the cabinet?
A prime minister whose party lacks a large majority or who fails to have one will need the support of their cabinet to stay in their job. John Major was forced to negotiate opt-outs on specific sections of the Maastricht Treaty to appease eurosceptics in his cabinet who feared further EU integration.
How might Prime Ministerial preference limit the power of the cabinet?
Some prime ministers prefer to bully or cajole cabinet members into accepting their ideas, and some are also secretive and prefer making decisions with their advisors. heresa May allowed her two closest advisors, tona Hill and Nick Timothy, to write large parts of the 2017 Conservative Party manifesto, rather than having an open dialogue with cabinet.
How might Prime Ministerial preference increase the power of the cabinet?
Some prime ministers prefer to consult cabinet colleagues and delegate decision making. David Cameron gave education secretary Michael Gove a free hand in setting education policy.
How might characters within cabinet limit the power of the cabinet?
Prime ministers use their patronage powers to ensure the cabinet is loyal to them. Johnson only promoted MPs to the cabinet who agreed with his Brexit policy.
How might characters within cabinet increase the power of the cabinet?
Senior cabinet members or the so-called ‘big beasts’ may influence promotions to the cabinet.
Blair had to accept an increasing number of MPs who were ‘Brownites’ instead of ‘Blairites’, in order to satisfy chancellor Gordon Brown, a ‘big beast’ in the Blair cabinet.
How might the issues and its importance limit power of the cabinet?
The cabinet will likely be consulted far more when difficult decisions have to be made on important issues. Gordon Brown’s scrapping of the 10p tax-band rate was discussed at length in cabinet because some cabinet members threatened privately to resign.
How might the issues and its importance increase power of the cabinet?
issues of secondary importance will be left to the prime minister. Despite cabinet concerns, Blair pushed ahead with the construction of the Millennium Dome. The issue was not seen by cabinet members as important enough to resign over.
