UK Executive Flashcards
What is the executive?
The branch of government responsible for implementing legislation
What is the core executive?
The informal network of individuals and groups who are involved with policy-making
What are the 5 roles of the Prime Minister?
- Appoint government ministers to a cabinet
- Direct and influence government policy
- Manage the cabinet
- Organise the government
- Provide leadership
What are the 6 roles of the cabinet?
- Approve and coordinate policy
- Run government departments
- Resolve disputes and disagreements
- Debate and discuss issues
- Consider views of party MPs
- Promote collective responsibility
What are civil servants?
People filling permanent unpaid positions aiding ministers in the implementation of government policy
What is collective responsibility?
The notion that government is responsible to parliament for its actions
What is individual responsibility?
The notion that ministers are responsible to parliament for the actions of their own departments
Which minister resigned in 2012 after claims he had sworn at a police officer?
Andrew Mitchell (Conservative)
What are the 3 main functions of the executive?
- Organise the government
- Propose a budget
- Make policy decisions
Which 3 royal prerogative powers does the PM possess?
- Appointing ministers and senior figures such as important judges
- Signing treaties
- Granting honours
Which 5 informal powers does the PM hold?
- Patronage
- Cabinet control
- Party leadership
- Prime Minister’s and Cabinet Offices
- Media exposure
What is cabinet government?
Where cabinet holds most of the power in a government
What is prime-ministerial government?
Where the PM holds most of the power in a government
What is the core executive model?
Where both the PM and cabinet have significant influence in a government
What is presidentialism?
The theory that Prime Ministers in the UK have become similar to presidents
