⭐️ETV that the PM is now presidential

Question 1

Para headings
LOA

Answer 1

1. Personality/ style
2. Handling events
3. In tune with the public & policies
   Disagree- they are not

Question 2

Personality/ style
Agree- presidential

Answer 2

Johnson:
* personal style of leadership
* ‘celebrity’ media personality
* reliance on policy unit & cab. office for strategic advice & ctrl

Blair:
* great self-confidence & vision
* smooth delivery, modern lang., calm demeanour

Thatcher:
* strong, singular leadership
* authoritative & uncompromsing > “Iron Lady”

Question 3

Personality/ style
Disagree- not presidential

Answer 3

Gordon Brown:
* uncharismatic
* attempts to speak directly to the union = ruthlessly parodied by comedian

John Major:
* low-key, managerial/ collegiate style
* preferred quiet consesnus-building & cab. gov. than personal dominance
* lacked charisma/ media flair
* e.g. “ soapbox speeches” > lacked energy & emotional renosance , monotone dleiver & stiff demeanour

Question 4

Handling events/ cabinet
Agree- presidential

Answer 4

Johnson:
* Russia-Ukraine & COVID = approached by communicating directly w UK in televised speeches (flanked by Union flags)

Thatcher:
* Victories over- Argentina (Falklands 1982), the miners (1984-85) > increasingly assertive in cab.

Blair
* bypass cab for Iraq war decision 2003 > failed to consult cab. about advisability of war
* ‘sofa cabinet’ (Wilson ‘kitchen cabinet’)

Question 5

Handling events/ cabinet
Disagree- not presidential

Answer 5

Blair:
* controversies over lagility of war & pol. fallout of 2005 GE (won 35.2% popular vote (v low)) > electoral asset to liability > cab. increasingly looked to Gordon Brown

May:
* Brexit negotiations = indecisive, limited personal authority & rpeated defeats in parl.
* often appeared reactive & constrained by both party factions & parl., little pwr. over cab.

Thatcher:
* needed support of cabinet to survive > told by cab. one-by-one to resign
* increasingly Eurospectic speeches put her at odds w cab,

Question 6

In tune with the public & legislation
Agree- presidential

Answer 6

Blair:
* strong rapport w the british ppl. > reached beyond trad. party loyalties
* charisma and popularity (and large parl. majority) to exercise power over both cabinet and parliament.
* direct addresses to the public, often bypassing traditional parliamentary channels - following the death of Princess Diana in 1997 “people’s Princess”
* intro. of minimum wage (Min. Wage Act 1998) > strong public support for addressing low-pay & reducing in-work poverty

David Cameron:
* same-sex marriage 2013 despite opposition in party

Question 7

In tune with the public & legislation
Disagree- not presidential

Answer 7

Theresa May:
* initially display pres. characteristics when became PM 2016
* failure to engage w public in 2017 GE
* humiliating loss parl. majority > unable to govern in pres. fashion

Liz Truss:
* lacklusture media appearances
* opposition to her econ. policies

Harold Wilson:
* plan to intro. legal restrictions on pwr. of trade unions > oppostion from most cab. > eventually forced Wilson into a humiliating climb-down

Thatcher:
* unpopularity of poll tax & rising inflation > reduced her popularity lots > reduced loyalty of Cons. party who feared defeat at next GE