The Prime Minister and The Executive

Question 1

Executive

Answer 1

The collective group of Prime Minister, Cabinet, and junior ministers, sometimes known as ‘The Government’.

Question 2

Core Executive

Answer 2

The core executive is that part of government that implements policy. The PM and his cabinet. Meetings happen every Tuesday for a meeting

Question 3

Who are some current core executives?

Answer 3

kier Starmer- Prime Minister
David Lammy- Foreign Secretary
Yvette Cooper MP- Home Secretary

Question 4

Cabinet

Answer 4

The Prime Minister and senior ministers, most of whom lead a particular government department.

Question 5

Minister

Answer 5

An MP or member of the House of Lords appointed to a position in the government, usually exercising specific responsibilities in a department.

Question 6

Government Department

Answer 6

A part of the Executive, usually with specific responsibility over an area such as education, health, or defence.

Question 7

Royal Prerogative

Answer 7

A set of powers and privileges belonging to the monarch but normally exercised by the Prime Minister or Cabinet, such as the granting of honours or legal pardons.

Question 8

Primary Legislation

Answer 8

Primary legislation refers to laws that are enacted by a parliament or another legislative body. This type of legislation serves as the foundational legal framework in a jurisdiction

Question 9

What is an example of Primary Legislation?

Answer 9

Safety of Rwanda Act 2024

Question 10

Secondary Legilsation

Answer 10

Powers are given to the Executive by Parliament to make changes to the law within certain specific rules. these don’t necessarily make new laws, and they don’t go through the same process, so it gives too much power to the executive

Question 11

Individual Responsibility

Answer 11

The principle by which ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and for their departments. They must take responsibility

Question 12

What is an example of an MP taking Individual?

Answer 12

2024- Louise Haigh claimed her phone was stolen even though it wasn’t, as a result she left

Question 13

Collective Responsibily

Answer 13

You either have to agree with government policy, or you quit

Question 14

What is an example of collective responsibily

Answer 14

In Kier Starmers’ government, Annaliese Dodds ( senior minister in the in cabinet ) quit because she said that taking money from her department to spend on defence was wrong. She quit

Question 15

Presidential Government

Answer 15

An Executive dominated by one individual, this may be a President but is also used to describe a strong, dominant Prime Minister.

Question 16

Primus Inter Pares

Answer 16

First among people, strictly speaking, the PM is no different to other ministers, he also serves the minister. But amongst them, he is the most important

Question 17

Elective Dictstaorship

Answer 17

Lord Hailsham said it was a dictatorship as no one could override the powers of the PM. Over the years, PMs have become increasingly presidential

Question 18

Who was Britain’s first PM?

Answer 18

Sir Robert Walpole, who essentially elected himself PM

Question 19

What is the actual job of the PM?

Answer 19

Essentially there is no role of PM, he is Lord Chief of the treasury

Question 20

What are the main aspects of the job?

Answer 20

1.making governments-Once invited by Her Majesty to form a government the PM has absolute authority over who they hire and fire.
2.2 Directing government policy-2 Directing government policy
3 .Managing the Cabinet. The PM chairs Cabinet, determines its length and what it discusses, and creates or dissolves Cabinet sub committees.
4 Organising government. PMs can - and do - reorganise and abolish government departments. The PM is also the Minister for the Civil Service.
5 Controlling Parliament. As the leader of the largest party, but dependent on the size of their majority, PMs can effectively control the House of Commons.
6 )Providing national leadership. Thanks to intense media focus the PM is the most recognised political figure in the country and is expected to show national leadership - especially at times of crisis.

Question 21

What are some examples of showing national leadership as national leadership?

Answer 21

1. On Monday, Kier Starmer spoke about the mistreatment of Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, showing support
2. During the Falklands war- national leadership shown by Margaret Thatcher
3. Covid- it could be said that Boris Johnson supported the country during the crisis

Question 22

How is the PM of the UK and the president in the USA different or similar?

Answer 22

The UK prime minister is head of government, while His Majesty is head of state. In the US, the president is both head of government and head of state.

Question 23

What are the three branches of the executive?

Answer 23

1. Legislative
2. Executive
3. Judicial

Question 24

Who is the current Feb 2025 cabinet Secretary?

Answer 24

Chris Wormald

Question 25

What are the two main roles of the Cabinet Secretary?

Answer 25

1. To be the country's most senior civil servant, to provide impartial guidance to the PM. Taking the minutes of the cabinet. It is taking official notes of what happened at debates, so records cant be changed. 2. The PM takes policy advice from key political advisors who work for them in

Question 26

Why was Boris Johnson's appointment of Steve Barclay MP as his new chief of staff in 2022 controversial?

Answer 26

It is seen as a full-time job and it's hard to combine with running a constituency. It was difficult having to go answer parliamentary questions about the MP. He argued that it all seems desperate. As an MP, he can't give impartial advice to the MP as he will have to listen to him. its not right to have an MP in the legislature,

Question 27

What is blue labour?

Answer 27

Labour is proposing legislation that we associate with conservatives. E.g. immigration bills

Question 28

Who is Kier Starmer's current chief of staff?

Answer 28

Morgan McSweeney, he was appointed after Gray quit, saying that the "intense commentary around her position caused distraction

Question 29

In what way does the executive propose new legislation?

Answer 29

Introduces into Parliament proposals for new legislation based on the manifesto. these include the monarch's speech, which is delivered at the state opening to HoC and HoL

Question 30

What is the executive's 'doctors mandate'

Answer 30

He introduces legislation into Parliament in response to changing circumstances, the monarch's speech always refers to it as the doctor's mandate "Other measures will be laid before you"

Question 31

What is the Executive's budget?

Answer 31

One of his roles is to introduce a budget which outlines how the government proposes to raise revenue. This is presented to Parliament in the autumn

Question 32

Who draws up the Budget for the Executive?

Answer 32

The exchequer in negotiation with the prime minister.

Question 33

What can the executive do with secondary or delegated legislation?

Answer 33

He ca introduce secondary or delgeated legilsation. This means that when legilsation has already been passed by parliament it can be modified by the parliemnt without the need for new legilsation.

Question 34

What are statutory instruments?

Answer 34

They are sometimes known as Henry VIII clauses, are used to change laws (secondary legislation)

Question 35

What is a criticism of statutory instruments?

Answer 35

They are undemocratic as they seek to bypass full parliamentary scrutiny and debate. E.g. during the COVID-19 pandemic, many restrictions on public activity and personal freedoms were introduced through SI.

Question 36

What does the authority of the PM derive from?

Answer 36

The fact that they have been asked by the monarch to form a government on their behalf. This is because they can support the majority of the House of Commons.

Question 37

What are six examples of the Royal Prerogative powers?

Answer 37

1. appoint a prime minister 2. summon or propogate parliamnet 3. Give or refuse loyal assent to bills 4.legilsate by prerogative orders in council or by letter patents 5. Wage war by any means and to make peace 6. make treaties

Question 38

what's an example of when the RP exercised a certain amount of discretion in choosing a PM?

Answer 38

For example, before 1965, leaders of the The Conservative Party were not elected but was selected through discussions among the senior party figures Following the resignations of Anthony Eden in 1957 and Harold Macmillan in 1963, there There was more than one candidate for the premiership. On each occasion, the Queen chose a successor based on what was presented to her as the majority view amongst Conservative MPs and members of the House of Lords.T his method of selecting a prime minister was criticised at the time as being opaque and undemocratic,