Uk Government: Prime Minister and executive Flashcards
What are the main roles of the executive
Proposing Legislation:
The executive introduces proposals for new laws or amendments to existing laws. Announced during the Queen speech at the start of the Parliamentary session. Legistration is not only confined to the manifesto also to introduce emergency powers - doctors mandate
Proposing the budget:
Needs to raise revenue in order to fund the public services and meet it spending priorities. Created by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in consultation with the Prime Minister and revealed to the cabinet before before it is delivered. An annual statement of the government plans for changes to taxation and public spending and family. House of Commons has to approve it
Making policy decisions
Has to decide how to give effect to its aims for the future direction of the country
What are the main powers of the executive
Royal prerogative powers:
powers that historically belong to the crown but which overtime has been transferred to the Prime Minister or other ministers
What Are the main prime Ministerial prerogative powers
Sign treaties
Take action to maintain order in case of emergencies
Grant and withdraw passport
Grant legal pardons
Appoint ministers and other senior office holders
Declare war and authorise the use of the armed forces
What are to corrupted powers that are under Parliamentary authority
The 2011 fixed term parliament Act remove the right of the Prime Minister to determine the date of the general election. If you call for an early election with a 2/3 majority
Government have accepted that military action required prior Parliamentary approval The debate about the Iraq war in 2003
What is secondary legislation
Laws are made without passing a new act of parliament. Instead the government uses power created by earlier act
Most common form is statutory instruments-enables the government to modify or appeal existing registration without introducing a new bill
How is legislation initiated
The executive controls most of the Parliamentary time available for Legislation
Exceptions of these are 20 opposition days, 13 days set aside for private members bills and a variable amount of time allocated for debates
If the government has majority in the Commons it can rely on the party whip system and the power of patronage to push through its program
The guillotine - known as an allocation of time motion allows the government to cut debates on the individual clauses of the bill
What does the prime minster do
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of the British government.
This role is usually performed by the leader of the largest
political party in the House of Commons.
The Prime Minister appoints ministers to head government
departments, selects the ministerial Cabinet (the government’s top policy-making body), and exercises the executive power of the royal prerogative.
The Prime Minister must be either an elected Member of
Parliament, or (very rarely) a member of the House of Lords. The Marquess of Salisbury (retired 1902), was the last peer to be a PM.
The powers and duties of the Prime Minister have been
established by long-established convention, rather than by
legislation.
What are the main powers of the PM?
Appointment, reshuffling and the dismissal of government ministers
Management of cabinet, including chairing at its meeting, controlling the agenda and summing up its conclusion
Leadership of the largest party in the House of Commons
Responsibility for the overall shape and structure of government, including the number and function of government department
Direction of government policy, with a special responsibility for economic and foreign policy and for discission to use military force
Providing natural leadership and representing the UK in international affairs
What are the limitations on prime-ministerial power?
The extent to which the governing party and cabinet are united
The popularity of the Prime Minister and the size of the governing parties Parliamentary majority
The impact of external pressure such as the state of the economy and unforeseen crisis in foreign affairs
The personality and leadership style of the Prime Minister
List the functions of the PM.
Chief policy maker
Head of government
Chief government spokesperson
Commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Chief foreign policy maker
Parliamentary leader
What factors does a PM take into account when
appointing ministers?
The importance of including individuals with ability and experience
Establishing a Prime Minister‘s authority
Rewarding loyalty and including key alive-but also conciliating potential rivals
Maintaining a balance between different factions within the governing parties
Meeting expectations of diversity
Why is it important to include individuals with ability and experience when an PM chooses a minister
The importance of including individuals with ability and experience- The PM does not have an unlimited pool of talent in the Parliamentary party.
There will be a large number of MPs who are neutral backbenches (do not have the aptitude for higher office or their views are too far outside the mainstream).
General ability as an administrator and communicator is more important than detailed knowledge of policy areas as each department is staffed by civil servant
Exceptions include if a prime minister came to office after winning a leadership contest they will usually include the defeated rival in recognition of the standing within the party (EG: John Major retained Douglas Hurd)
Why is it important to establish a Prime Minister‘s authority when choosing ministers for Cabinet
An incoming prime minister will want to stamp their own authority on government.
Not all prime minister is make radical changes to the team they inherit.
For example John Major did not remove key people associated with Margaret Thatcher
But in contrast Theresa May was determined to distance herself from David Cameron’s administration
Why is it important to think about rewarding loyalty and including key allies-but also conciliating potential rivals important when choosing a minister
For example Blair appointed several committed supporters of the new Labour project to keep positions because they were loyal to him.
It is politically wise to occupy potential troublesome MPs with senior posts even if it means handling tension within the team. For example Blair appointed Brown as Chancellor
Why is maintaining a balance between different factions within the governing party important when choosing a minister
In order to maintain party unity it is often necessary to find posts for MPs with different ideological views from those of the Prime Minister
For example Theresa May had to appoint pro Brexit members such as Boris Johnson and Liam Fox but also appoint remain members such as Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd
Why is it important to meet expectations of diversity when choosing a minister
It has become the norm for prime minister is to appoint a number of female ministers to upper cabinet positions. Also been greater representation of ethnic minority groups in Recent years
What is individual ministerial responsibility
When appointed, a minister is expected to ‘take the fall’ for any failings in their department.
This incudes serious mistakes by their civil servants.
They are obviously expected to also resign in the case of personal failings or personal disagreements with government.
They have to retain the confidence of the Prime Minister as he is described as the ultimate judge of the standards expected of a minister
What are the main roles of the PM in a coalition cabinet
Due to the greater risk of splits within cabinet and potentially damaging leaks to the media, Cameron needed to be much more compromising than the PM of a single party government.
It was his ability to diffuse rows, manage personalities, seek compromise and most of all his ability to take everybody’s views into account that determined his success.
As the head of a majority Conservative government, he carried on in the same vein, very much a consensual and compromise politician.
How was cabinet different under coalition?
There were still agreements to differ. Both parties had to drop policy commitments made during the election but were still allowed to publicly disagree. E.g. The two parties took different sides in the AV Referendum in 2011 and on House of Lords reform.
In reshuffles, Cameron had to agree any moves of LibDem ministers with Nick Clegg.
Occasionally, collective responsibility did break down and ministers took to the media to publicly disagree with each other.
What is the similarity of a coalition cabinet to a single party cabinet
The PM still dominates, chairs the meetings and controls the agenda.
Meetings are still secret.
All ministers are still bound by collective cabinet responsibility.
All ministers expected to publicly defend government policy even if they privately disagree.
What are the O Donnell Rules
The Cabinet Manual is a document which sets out the main laws, rules and conventions affecting the conduct and operation of the Government.
It was written by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell
The Manual gives an overview of the UK’s system of
government, reflecting the importance of Parliament, Cabinet
government and the democratic nature of the UK’s
constitutional arrangements by explaining the powers of the
Executive, Sovereign, Parliament, international institutions
and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales.
Why is the o’ Donnell rules important
The Manual was written as a guide for members of Cabinet, other ministers and civil servants in the execution of government business, but also serves to consolidate many of the previously unwritten constructional
conventions through which the British government operates.
The wording and appearance of the document resembles that of a written constitution.
What is exceptions of collective responsibility
During the 2010 coalition government to allow for compromises between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats on nuclear power plants, tax allowance for married couples and higher education funding
The European union membership and the European leavers, The alternative vote electoral system referendums
What factors affect the relationship between Prime Minister and the cabinet
Management skills of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister’s ability to set the agenda
The use of Cabinet committees and informal groups to make decisions
The development of the Prime Minister’s office and the Cabinet office
The impact of the wider political and economical situation
How does a Prime Minister’s ability to manage cabinet affect the relationship between the cabinet and the Prime Minister
A dominant prime minister will exploit the nature of the office to assert control over the cabinet
The right to appoint and dismiss ministers can be used to reshape the top team, remove poor performers and bringing in new blood
This power cannot be overused for example Margaret Thatcher imposed her will on the cabinet too much that this led to her resignation due to the lack of support
How does a Prime Minister’s ability to set the agenda affect the relationship between the cabinet and the Prime Minister
The views of the most senior figures will usually come on more weight
Most ministers are too concerned about their individual department responsibility to challenge the views on a matter they have a limited knowledge on
The Prime Minister traditionally chairs the meeting and sums up at the end in an important source of influence.
Prime Minister can keep certain items of the agenda of Cabinet meetings
How does a Prime Minister’s use of Cabinet committees and informal groups to make decisions affect the relationship between the cabinet and the Prime Minister
By choosing the membership of cabinet committees and taking charge of it hey can assert significant control
Theresa May decided to check three important committees including the one dealing with critical issues on Britain’s exit from the EU
Many decisions are taken in smaller informal groups involving the Prime Minister and a colleague
How does the development of the Prime Minister‘s office and the Cabinet office affect the relationship between the cabinet and the Prime Minister
No official Prime Minister‘s department the Prime Minister has access to more resources than all the ministers with a Prime Minister‘s office in number 10 Downing Street staffed by civil servants and special advisors
Created to enable the Prime Minister to gain an overview and to drive policy across departments
Blair used the Prime Minister’s office and the Cabinet office to support the coordination and implementation of policy
The press office which handles the governments presentation in the media also works closely with the Prime Minister
How does the impact of wider political and economic situation affect the relationship between the cabinet and the Prime Minister
A prime minister with a large Parliamentary majority like under Tony Blair and an united party will find it easier to gain ascendancy then for instance Theresa May‘s government
Popularity with the public and a booming economy will strengthen the hand of the Prime minister
Reasons for the cabinet remaining an important body
The Cabinet approved government decision, confers legitimacy on them in the eyes of Parliament and the public. Ministers who cannot accept the agreed line should resign from the cabinet
An important issue the MP recognises the need for the cabinet support.
The cabinet is also important in times of national crisis such as a military conflict
The cabinet is where the program of government business in parliament is discussed. Also where disagreements between departments are resolved
The UK does not have a presidential system in reality. The fall of Thatcher demonstrates the continuing importance of keeping the support of Cabinet
What evidence is there to suggest the Prime Minister is the dominant force in government
Decisions are commonly taken by Cabinet committees handpicked by the MP
The MP controls the agenda and length of Cabinet meeting. It only meets once a week and then only while Parliament is sitting, unless an emergency occurs. Most ministers do not feel qualified and are too immersed in their own departments to offer an informed view on the details of other departments
Most ministers are reluctant to challenge the Prime Minister as he has the power to dismiss automotive ministers
Disputes are usually resolved outside of the cabinet, in committees or by the intervention of the Prime Minister
The media focuses heavily on the Prime Minister. Modern Prime Minister’s tend to project themselves as national leaders, separate from the Institute of government
what is the 2 types of PM
the chairman - Boris
the chef - tony blare
