The Prime Minister And Cabinet 2

Question 1

The power to make senior govt. appointments and to dismiss office holders is known as _____________

Answer 1

Patronage

Question 2

On first coming to power a PM has to start afresh in forming a new cabinet. What initial decision must he make

Answer 2

Whether to choose a ‘balanced’ cabinet or one that is ideologically united

Question 3

Functions of the PM

Answer 3

Head of govt. (patronage)
Chief govt. spokesperson
Chief policy maker
Commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Chief foreign policy maker
Parliamentary leader

Question 4

Limitations on power of the PM

Answer 4

Small majorities
Unity of party / coalition
Public / media profile of PM
Confidence of cabinet and parliament
Opposition from own party

Question 5

Reasons the PM is now a president

Answer 5

PM is effectively head of state
PM's network of political advisors
Media's concentration on PM
Growth of importance of foreign affairs
Spatial leadership

Question 6

What is spatial leadership

Answer 6

The idea that leaders consider themselves distinctly separate from the rest of govt. - Presidents are naturally spatial as they’re elected separately

Question 7

Reasons that the PM is not a president

Answer 7

Change in style of leadership - same constraints remain
'Elastic' theory
Role of PM is flexible
PM may not be personally popular
PM is part of govt. (e. coalition)

Question 8

Arguments that PM is the most powerful in the UK

Answer 8

Patronage
Choice of cabinet
Have advisors
Choose committees

Question 9

Arguments that the PM is not the most powerful in the UK

Answer 9

Party faction

Coalition

Question 10

Arguments that civil servants are the most powerful in the UK

Answer 10

Permanent roles

They implement policy

Question 11

Arguments that civil servants lack power

Answer 11

They have to be politically neutral

They don’t make decisions

Question 12

Arguments that secretaries of state are powerful

Answer 12

They’re in the cabinet

They have power over decision making in their department

Question 13

Arguments that secretaries of state lack power

Answer 13

They must gain approval from cabinet

They’re held accountable by parl.

Question 14

Arguments that cabinet are the most powerful in the UK

Answer 14

They are the voice of the govt. as a unified voice

Most important legislation must be approved by cabinet

Question 15

Arguments that the cabinet lack power

Answer 15

Power of cabinet undermined by committees
Can be sacked by PM
Some decision making is done outside cabinet

Question 16

Arguments that downing street machine is most powerful

Answer 16

Influences PM’s decisions

Most accountable

Question 17

Arguments that downing street machine lacks power

Answer 17

Have no constitutional power

Cannot make decisions, can only influence them

Question 18

Formal powers enjoyed by all PM’s

Answer 18

Patronage
Head of civil service
Leading cabinet
Senior judges (final say over appointments)
Commander-in-chief of armed forces
Conducting foreign relations
Maintaining national security

Question 19

What’s the difference between head of civil service and patronage

Answer 19

Patronage is the power to appoint and dismiss ministers

Head of civil service means the PM can create and abolish new departments

Question 20

Informal powers of PMs (vary according to circumstances)

Answer 20

Making govt. policy - Dependent on unity of govt. policy
Parliamentary leadership -Dependent on majority
Controlling cabinet - Dependent on unity of cabinet
National leadership - dependent on personal popularity of PM

Question 21

Sources of PM’s power

Answer 21

Support of ruling party
Royal prerogative
Popular mandate
Parliamentary authority

Question 22

Differences between ministers and civil servants

Answer 22

Political allegiance
Public responsibility
Temporary / permanent position
Job security

Question 23

Define: Civil service neutrality

Answer 23

The constitutional principle in the UK that civil servants must retain political neutrality, must give neutral advice to ministers and should not become involved in party politics

Question 24

Define: Open government

Answer 24

A principle and an aspiration that the processes of government should be made as open to the public and parliamentary scrutiny as it is possible and reasonable

Question 25

Define: Collective responsibility

Answer 25

In the UK all cabinet decisions must be collectively supported by all members of the government, at least in public. It also implies that the whole government stands or falls as a whole on the decisions made by cabinet

Question 26

Define: Cabinet government

Answer 26

A system of government where the cabinet is the central policy-making body

Question 27

Define: Prime-ministerial government

Answer 27

Political circumstance in which the prime minister dominates policy making and the whole machinery of government

Question 28

Define: Individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 28

The convention that a minister should resign if they or their department make a serious political or personal error. In practice this usually means that a minister is responsible to Parliament and must face questioning and criticism

Question 29

In the UK, MPs are accountable to their ______________ and the government is accountable to _______________

Answer 29

Constituents

Parliament

Question 30

How many government departments under Theresa May

Answer 30

25

Question 31

The structure of departments: Led by a minister, titled ___________ _____ _________
Under this minister are junior ministers known as __________ _____ ________
To assist these junior ministers there are a number of private political ___________

Answer 31

Secretary of state
Ministers of state
Private political advisors

Question 32

What is a permanent secretary

Answer 32

An experienced administrator head of many civil servants, acting on policy decisions of PM. There is one within each department