3.2 the concept of ministerial responsibility Flashcards
What is the individual responsibility?
the principle by which ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and for their departments
What is the Ministerial Code?
document issued at the start of a new government by the prime minister
What does the fate of an individual minister depend on?
- how serious the issue is perceived to be
- the level of criticism in parliament and the media when a mistake is made
- the attitude of the prime minister of the day
What was believed to be Alastair Campbell’s golden rule?
that minister would have to go if he or she was at the centre of a media storm for a given length of time
What is a factor that has eroded the concept of individual responsibility?
many government functions have been delegated to executive agencies under a director general rather than a. minister
What has the blurring of lines of accountability has led to?
civil servants rather than ministers have been held responsible for departmental errors
What is a more common cause of resignations than failures of policy or administration?
personal misconduct
Who was obliged to resign twice from Tony Blair’s first government because of a perception of wrongdoing?
Peter Mandelson
What is collective responsibility?
principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or leave the executive
What must happen if the government is defeated in a vote of no confidence in the Commons?
the government as a whole resigns
What did Robin Cook (leader of the HoC) resign over in 2003?
in opposition to the Blairs governments decision to go to war with Iraq
What is more common for ministers to do who are unhappy with government policy rather than resign?
grumble within
leak their dissatisfaction to the media
Why is it rare for ministers to resign over disagreements with government policy?
may end a political career
Why else may some people resign?
personality clashes and ambitions
Why did Iain Duncan Smith resign as work and pensions secretary in 2016?
he could not accept cuts to disability benefits, on which the Treasury was insisting
