The Prime Minister And The Executive Flashcards
Who are the executive?
The branch of government responsible for policy making and implementation
What are the main institutions of the executive?
- The Prime Minister- political executive. Head of government and chair of cabinet.
- Cabinet- political executive. The committee of senior ministers which is the ultimate decision making body of government.
- Ministers- political executive. They are appointed by the Prime Minister to specific policy portfolios within the government.
- Government departments- staffed by civil servants (not political appointments and remain in post when government changes). This is the administrative executive.
What is the role of the executive?
Making and implementing policy decisions- decides how the country should be run
Proposing legislation (primary and secondary)
Proposing a budget- the chancellor sets out proposed levels of taxation and public spending in the budget
What are the powers of the executive that give them control over parliament?
- Prerogative powers
- Control of legislative agenda
- Powers of secondary legislation
What are prerogative powers? Who do they belong to?
Powers that are exercised by ministers that do not require parliamentary approval. The monarch still has some prerogative powers, including the appointment of prime minister and giving royal assent to legislation, but in exercising these, the monarch seeks to avoid controversy and act under the direction of ministers.
Most prerogative powers are exercised by ministers acting on behalf of the crown.
What prerogative powers have been under strain in recent years?
- Deployment of armed forces overseas
- Dissolution of Parliament
- Patronage powers
How can the executive control the legislative agenda?
They control the legislative timetable and most bills are proposed by the government. Private member’s bills that don’t enjoy government support are unlikely to succeed.
This can also be seen in the executives imposition of party discipline on important votes and the requirement that all ministers must support the government in parliament
How can the executive control parliament through its powers of secondary legislation?
This is a form of legislation which allows the provisions of an Act of Parliament to be bought into force or amended by ministers without requiring a further Act (done through statutory instruments). Thousands of SIs are issued each year. They are scrutinised in parliamentary committees, but most aren’t debated and it’s unusual for SIs to be rejected.
What are the main roles of the Prime Minister?
The Cabinet Manual, describes them as ‘head of the government’. The key functions are generally accepted to be:
1. Political leadership- sets out government strategy and priorities. They determine policy on high profile issues
2. National leadership- national leader in times of crisis and are responsible for national security. They also act as communicator-in-chief for the government
3. Appointing ministers
4. Chairing the cabinet- create cabinet committees and hold bilateral meetings with ministers
5. Managing the executive- head of civil service
6. Prerogative powers
7. Managing relations with parliament- makes statements and answers questions. They also shape legislative agenda.
8. Representing the U.K in international affairs
Who can become Prime Minister?
They must be a member of Parliament - until the late 19th century, the Prime Minister was usually a member of the HOL. When HOC became the dominant chamber, it became a constitutional convention that the Prime Minister should be an MP in the Commons
They must be a leader of a political party. If forced to step down as party leader, they also relinquish the office of Prime Minister. The new Prime Minister is not required to call an immediate general election.
The political party will normally lead a majority in the HOC
What is the Prime Minister’s office comprised of?
10 Downing Street
Officially part of the cabinet office
Staff of around 200 with a mix of civil servants and special advisors
The chief of staff is the most influential advisor and works at the centre of operations in Downing Street
The Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister is the most senior civil servant and is head of the Prime Ministers office
What are the two important aspects of the work of the Prime Minister’s Office
Policy advice to the Prime Minister
Communications - intensification of media focus on PM
What are the Prime Minister’s main resources?
- Patronage
- Authority within the cabinet
- Policy making input
- Party leadership
- Public standing
What are the Prime Minister’s patronage powers?
The power of an individual to appoint someone to an important position. The most significant is the power to appoint government ministers.
They also appoint life peers. An independent commission makes recommendations on non party appointments to the Lords, but the Prime Minister makes political nominations. This power allows them to alter the party balance within the Lords. The Prime Minister may nominate life peers with a view of giving them a ministerial position.
They can also appoint people via the honours system
How has the honours system changed?
Allegations of ‘cash for honours’ - that donors to the Labour Party were rewarded with Peerages- in 2007 led to changes to the PM’s role in the honours system. Nominations are now considered by honours committees made up of civil servants and people independent of government. The Prime Minister accepts their list. In cases where a nominee has donated to a political party, the committee considers whether they are deserving of an honours regardless of donation.
How have the PM’s powers of patronage been curtailed?
They now play no role in judicial appointments and is given only one name to approve for ecclesiastical appointments
How does the PM’s ability to appoint cabinet ministers alter their power?
In theory, it gives them power to reward supporters and penalise the disloyal. In practice, they don’t have a free hand:
-A Prime Minister is unlikely to overlook senior party figures, some of whom may be rivals to their job.
-Ideological considerations are important when the prime minister is appointing cabinet positions, as a party which contains politicians from only one wing may not have full support of that party.
-They may want to include diversity within the cabinet
-may chose to include MPs with experience as well as rising stars.
-It may be desirable to appoint MPs from different parts of the country
When do cabinet reshuffles occur
The Prime Minister decides the timing but a sudden resignation may force an unwanted cabinet reshuffle
How can cabinet reshuffles affect the executive and the Prime Minister
The power to dismiss cabinet ministers can backfire. A botched reshuffle may raise questions about the PM’s judgement, reveal divisions and highlight policy failure
Senior ministers may also thwart a PM’s plans by refusing to change post.
What are the PM’s powers within the role of authority of the cabinet?
- Chair cabinet meetings- steers and sums up discussion. A skilful PM will ensure their favourite position prevails. However, if a group of senior ministers promotes an alternative view, the PM doesn’t get their way so easily. A PM that is too weak or domineering within the cabinet will weaken authority
- Manage the agenda, frequency and length of cabinet meetings
- Creates cabinet committees
- Holds bilateral meetings
- Appoints senior civil servants
- Organizes the structure of the government
How can the PM determine the agenda setting of cabinet meetings?
They can control information presented to ministers by determining which papers should be bought before cabinet
Keep potentially difficult issues off the cabinet agenda by dealing with them in a cabinet committee or bilateral meeting
Decide the chair, membership and remit of cabinet committees
What makes the sudden removal of a PM less likely?
The time and cost of a leadership election
Which PM’s had strong relationships with the president of the USA
Blair and Thatcher
What must the PM do under the role of public standing?
The PM has taken on the role of communicator in chief for the government, articulating its policy. Twice yearly appearances before the HOC liaison committee are a formal expression of this part of the role.
What are the reasons which authority in the cabinet system brings the pm significant power?
The pm chairs and manages cabinet meetings
They steer and sum up cabinet meetings
They create cabinet committees and appoints members to them
They can use bilateral meetings with ministers to steer policy
What are the reasons which authority in the cabinet system doesn’t bring the pm significant power?
-Problems can arise if senior ministers feel ignored
-Senior ministers may challenge the prime minister’s policy preference
-The pm isn’t involved in detailed policy making in cabinet committees
-Ministers represent departmental interests, seeking additional resources and influence
What are the reasons for which party leadership brings the pm significant power?
They have authority as party leader
They have been elected
They usually have a working majority
What are the reasons for which party leadership doesn’t bring the pm significant power?
Support from the party is not unconditional
Party rules allow for party leadership challenge
Backbench rebellions have become more frequent
What are the reasons for which public standing brings the pm significant power?
The pm has a higher public profile than other ministers
They are communicator in chief
They provide national leadership in times of national crisis
What are the reasons for which public standing doesn’t bring the pm significant power?
Unpopularity with voters can undermine their authority
They are blamed for government failings
They are expected to represent the public mood
What are the reasons for which their policy making role brings the pm significant power?
The pm directs gov policy and sets the agenda
They can direct policy in their area of choosing
They represent the U.K. on international affairs
What are the reasons for which the policy making role doesn’t bring the pm significant power?
They are expected to articulate a vision
They lack the time and expertise to have any specific involvement in this
Globalisation has reduced their scope for action
What are the executive’s prerogative powers?
Making and ratifying treaties
International diplomacy
Deployment of the armed forces overseas
The Prime Minister’s patronage powers and ability to recommend the dissolution of Parliament
The organisation of the civil service
