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UK Gov't > The prime minister and cabinet - 3.3 Prime Minister and Executive - UK Government > Flashcards

The prime minister and cabinet - 3.3 Prime Minister and Executive - UK Government Flashcards

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1
Q

The Factors governing the prime minister’s selection of ministers

A 
Ability & experience of individuals
Establishing PMs authority
Rewarding loyalty & conciliating rivals
Maintaining a balance between party factions
Diversity
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2
Q

Example of prime minister being limited in power to appoint, reshuffle and dismiss ministers

A

2010 coalition 5 cabinet ministers were the responsibility of Lib Dems

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3
Q

Ability & experience of individuals (factor governing the PMs selection of ministers)

A

Will always be ‘natural’ backbenchers (i.e. not suitable for government (being a minister)) due to talent or political view - could be too extreme
General ability is more important than knowledge of particular policy as departments are staffed by civil servants.
In case of leadership contest PM will usually include defeated rivals in government in recognition of their standing

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4
Q

Example of PM appointing defeated rivals from a leadership contest into government

A

John Major 1990 kept Douglas Hurd in Foreign office and offered Hesseltine choice of senior posts

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5
Q

Establishing a PMs authority (factor governing the PMs selection of ministers)

A

Incoming PM will want to stamp their authority on government

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6
Q

Example of PM stamping own authority on government

A

2016 Theresa May distanced herself from Cameron’s administration by sacking Osborne & 9 other senior ministers

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7
Q

Rewarding loyalty & conciliating rivals (factor governing the PMs selection of ministers)

A

Politically wise to occupy potentially troublesome MPs with senior posts

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8
Q

Example of prime minister rewarding loyalty by appointments

A

2001 Blair appointed committed supporters of New Labour - David Blunkett & Alan Milburn

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9
Q

Example of prime minister conciliating rivals with minister positions

A

Blair appointing Brown as chancellor

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10
Q

Maintaining a balance between party factions (factor governing the control PM has on minister selection)

A

In order to maintain party unity - need different ideological views

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11
Q

Example of PM appointing ministers with different ideological views

A

Theresa May had to include Brexiteers e.g. Boris Johnson & Liam Fox as well as Remainers such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd

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12
Q

Meeting expectations of diversity (factor governing the control of PM’s selection of ministers)

A

PMs must be careful to include women and ethnic minorities

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13
Q

Example of PM not including women - causing controversy

A

John Major 1990 cabinet included no women

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14
Q

Example of greater representation of ethnic-minority groups in recent years

A

Sajid Javid (Asian) has served under May and Cameron

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15
Q

Presidential government

A

An executive dominated by on individual. E.g. President in US

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16
Q

Presidential government UK

A

Cabinet is formally responsible for policy-making but argued that cabinet is not strongly dominated by Prime Minister. Increase in presidential government - leadership becoming much more personalised and PMs are more distant from & less dependent on traditional institutions

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17
Q

Factors affecting the relationships between Cabinet and the PM

A

Management skills of the PM
PMs ability to set the agenda
Use of cabinet committees and informal groups
Development of PMs Office & Cabinet office
Impact of wider political system

18
Q

Management skills of the PM (affecting the relationship between Cabinet and PM)

A

Determined & astute PM will assert control over cabinet using the right to appoint & dismiss ministers to shape their team & marginalise opponents.

19
Q

Prime Minister’s ability to set the agenda (affecting the relationship between Cabinet and PM)

A

PM has traditional right to chair and sum up cabinet meetings. PMs can keep topics off the agenda

20
Q

Example of prime minister keeping a topic off the agenda

A

Harold Wilson & devaluation of the pound 1964-1967

21
Q

Use of cabinet committees and informal groups (affecting the relationship between Cabinet and PM)

A

PMs (since 1945) have increasingly used cabinet committees to take decisions later ratified by full cabinet.
PM can choose membership of these committees and chair the most important ones - gives significant degree of control.
Many decisions are taken in smaller groups or bilateral meetings (PM & one colleague)

22
Q

Example of PM influencing important committees

A

2016 Theresa May chaired 3 important committees including Brexit committee.

23
Q

Example of bilateral meeting

A

Tony Blair & Gordon Brown decided to place management of interest rates in the hands of the Bank of England - rest of cabinet were informed later

24
Q

Example of informal body

A

The Quad - under the coalition consisting of David Cameron, George Osborne & Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander - met to resolve differences between parties

25
Q

Development of PMs office and cabinet office (affecting the relationship between Cabinet and PM)

A 
Prime minister able to gain an overview & drive policy across departments.
Press office (handles media) works closely with Prime Minister
26
Q

Prime ministers office in Downing Street

A

Staffed by a combination of civil servants & special advisors drawn from governing party

27
Q

Example of close cooperation between Prime Minister office and Cabinet office

A

Under Blair to support the coordination and implementation of policy

28
Q

Example of ‘hands-off’ approach to government departments

A

Cameron - gave individual ministers more autonomy than under Brown & Blair but he strengthened the centre after some policy embarrassments.

29
Q

The impact of the wider political and economic situation (affecting the relationship between Cabinet and PM)

A
  • Larger majority & united party makes it easier to gain

- Popularity with the public, booming economy, ability to master events rather than appear as their victim

30
Q

Example of strong PM due to strong majority & united party

A

Blair 1997

31
Q

Example of weak PM due to small majority

A

Major 1992 onwards

32
Q

Example of PM successfully handling events increasing strength

A

Margaret Thatcher & The Falklands 1982

33
Q

Example of PM being the victim of events & it weakening them

A

Gordon Brown not holding a general election after allowing expectation of a contest to develop

34
Q

Example of PM being harmed by the economic situation

A

Brown - financial crash 2007-2008. This was highlighted when Brown didn’t push for or sack Alistair Darling who refused to take another post in favour of Ed Balls replacing him - Brown couldn’t handle to damage it would cause

35
Q

The extent to which the cabinet remains an important body

A
  • Cabinet approves government decisions
  • Cabinet important in important issues & emergencies
  • Programme of government business is discussed in cabinet & disagreements between departments are resolved
36
Q

Example of PM recognising need to cabinet support (enhancing the importance of cabinet)

A

2016 Cameron presented his renegotiated terms of UK’s membership in the EU

37
Q

Extent to which Prime Minister is the dominant force in government

A
  • Cabinet committees are influential & hand picked by PM
  • Cabinet is just a ‘rubber stump’ on decisions taken elsewhere (e.g. bilateral meetings)
  • PM controls agenda & length of cabinet meetings
  • PM has power to dismiss ministers who challenge them
  • In practice disputes aren’t usually resolved in cabinet
  • Media focuses heavily on PM, modern PMs project themselves as national leaders - more personalised = more presidential
38
Q

Example of dispute not being resolved in cabinet

A

Cameron’s settlement of the 2011 clash between Chris Huhne & Vince Cable on the UK’s level of carbon emissions targets

39
Q

Powers of the Prime Minister

A

Leader of the largest party in the Commons
Responsible for overall shape and structure of government
In charge of direction of government policy
Provide national leadership & represent UK in international affairs
Appoint, reshuffle and dismiss government ministers
Manage cabinet, chair cabinet meetings, control agenda, sum up cabinet meetings

40
Q

Factors affecting the powers of the PM

A
  • Popularity & size of majority
  • External pressures (e.g. economy or foreign affairs)
  • Personality & leadership style
  • Extent to which party is united

UK Gov't (24 decks)

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