The PM & Cabinet Flashcards
Who formulates and implements policy
The executive
Main functions of the PM
- selecting cabinet & junior govt posts
- being dominant in the core executive
- representing the country abroad
- being party leader
- being the party leader
- chairing cabinet meetings
- being ‘primus inter pares’ with other minsters
Core executive
Comprises of the PM, cabinet and its committees, the cabinet office and senior civil servants
How policy making was impacted by COVID 19
- SAGE (groups of expert advisers in emergency) met to discuss the spread of COVID
- Led by the GCSA & CMO, they advised the cabinet and COBR (which meets to coordinate the govt response on national emergencies)
Powers of the PM
- royal prerogative
- patronage powers
- convention powers : call & chair cabinet meetings
- reshape govt to suit their policy agenda
Powers of the PM - influence over legislative agenda
- while few PMBs receive royal assent, govt bills are rarely defeated as the govt has full control ver proceedings in the Commons.
- PM uses programme motions to limit how long govt bills spend in the legislation process, reducing chance govt bills are delayed
EG: Coronavirus Act 2020
What are prerogative powers
Powers once held by the monarch but are now in the hands of the PM
Power of PM - prerogative powers
- appoint & dismiss ministers (patronage powers) - cabinet reshuffle
- make & ratify treaty
- deploy UK armed forces overseas
- issue & withdraw passports
Legal limits on the royal prerogative
- fixed term parliament act 2010: statutory limit on powers to dissolve parliament & trigger election
How is the fixed term parliaments act 2010 limited
The Dissolution and calling of parliament act 2022 (DCPA) - PM was allowed to request dissolution of parliament with approval from monarch.
Why Sunak was able to call general election for July 2024 as his request was granted by King Charles
Patronage powers
power to hire/fire ministers and reshuffle cabinet, moving minsters into new jobs
Limits on the use of patronage powers
- limited talent pool - by convention, most cabinets ministers must be MPs.
- increasing pressure to elect diverse cabinet which reflects population.
- ensuring factions are considered within party to ensure they are represented within party
What’s cabinet reshuffle
when a PM changes ministers roles in cabinet
EG: Johnson dismissed 11 senior ministers and declined 6 to serve and top three were held by new incumbents ; Dominic Raab, Priti Pratel, Sadiq Javid
Limitations of cabinet reshuffling
Cabinets resignation speech can be powerful and damaging. Howe’s speech criticised Thatchers attitudes to negotiations with Europe ‘It is like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only to find..their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain’
This came from someone who serves in her cabinet for over 10 yrs and was v damaging. Too many reshuffles can make a leader appear weak/ difficult to work with
Example of prerogative powers being used
2018 Air Strikes on Syria - April 2018 the UK, US and France carries out series of military strikes on various sites in Syria, in response to an alleged chemical attacks on civilians
- the govt authorised the strike using prerogative powers, w/o obtaining Parliaments approval
How is policy made - manifesto pledges
Extending free childcare
- conservative 2017 manifetso promised to offer working parents extra 30 hrs a week instead of 15. This was designed to increase the number of parents in work contributing to the economy. Was in operation by September 2017
How policy is made- Responses to national crises or emergency
- BJ govt faced with covid and a pandemic
- the global financial meltdown 2008/09
- the 7/7 London bombings Gordon Browns govt
Ability to dictate policy/events - Poll Tax 1990
The poll tax widely regarded as Thatchers biggest political misjudgment and hastened her her time as PM. Deflected the ‘Iron Lady’
- calls to reduce high spending and introduced a flat tax regardless of housing or employment
- was passed but broke our large riots in London and Scotland. Led to her
resignation & intro of council tax 1993
- showed that powerful PMs clearly have the power to push through policy
Ability to dictate policy - 2017 snap election
Prerogative powers, was a personal decision by May, but had taken advice from political advisers (particularly Nick Timothy who resigned after)
- another election wasn’t die till 2020 but May decided to call on anyways as she wanted her personal endorsement from voters as wanted her own mandate
- she lost seats to Labour and ended up 8 seats short
- conservatives manifesto flopped - ‘dementia tax’, showing her to be a weak campaigner
Individual responsibility
Ministers are responsible and accountable for their own actions and outcomes in departments and where they fall short they are expected to resign
Most recent example of individual responsibility
In Nov 2024, transport secretary Louise Haigh stepped down after it was emerged she was convicted for fraud over a missing work phone in 2014 at Aviva. She said not informing Aviva when she found the missing phone ‘was a mistake’
Collective cabinet responsibility
All ministers are collectively responsible and accountable to parliament for the govt policies and performance
How does Annelise Dodds resignation as international development minister show CMR
In 2025 Dodds (high profile minister) decided to resign following Stanmer’s decision to cut the aid budget by almost 50% to increase defence spending, she argued that this could enable Russia and China increase their global influence whilst harming the UKs reputation. As she felt she couldn’t support the PMs Edison publicly and maintain her priorities
How did Tulip Siddiq’s resignation show IMR
In Jan 2025, treasury minister Siddiq resigned form the Labour govt following a claim her family embezzled nearly $4b from Bangladeshi infrastructure spending and had propertied in ldn from her aunt who was PM of Bangladesh. She referred herself to the ethics advisor who reported she didn’t breach ministerial code but showed significant foresight as her role of minister was tackling finance and corruption
What were Stanmers changes to ministerial code
- strengthened independent adviser: they can initiate investigations when they feel minister has breached
- reintegration of the Nolan principles: was moved to the back of the code by BJ
- accepting gifts and hospitality
