uk government Flashcards
What are the powers of the PM?
- authority to appoint + dismiss members of cabinet
- controls cabinet agenda
- influence on policy decisions
What is the role of the cabinet?
-advise + support pm
- scrutinise work
- meet with individual cabinet ministers
- discuss issues
What is COBRA?
- A civil contingency committee where matters of national emergencies are handled
Who is QUAD made up of?
Cameron, Clegg, Alexander, Osburne- during 2010 coalition
What does primus interpares mean?
Most important member of the cabinet, still among equals
What is royal prerogative??
powers given from the monarch
what is the role of cabinet committees?
small groups of ministers that make decisions on specific policy areas (20-25 senior ministers)
State the legislative process
First reading
Second reading
Committee stage
Report stage
Passage to HOL
Royal assent
How does parliament perform it’s legislative function?
- scrutiny, quality bills eg Rwanda
- delay for 1 year
- expertise
How doesn’t parliament perform it’s legislative function?
- cant veto
What are the weaknesses of the HOC?
- Workload
- too big- 800 members
- adversarial- opposing each other
How does parliament perform it’s representative function?
- HOC directly elected in
- Represents a certain amount of people- smaller area
How does parliament not perform it’s representative function?
- Not always representing their constituency (groups of voters)
- Doesn’t represent minority voters
- 34% mps, barely 1/4 peers are women
Give 3 strengths of the HOL
- Scrutiny
- delay legislation for a year
- hold government to account
Give 3 weaknesses of HOL
- lack of democratic legitimacy
- lack of diversity
- can only delay legislation for a year- can’t block it
