Factors governing the selection of cabinet ministers

Question 1

What are the two main consequences of poorly selecting a cabinet?

Answer 1

• Threats to your position
• Poor policy making

Question 2

What are the three ways a PM can construct a cabinet?

Answer 2

• Best people possible
• PMs allies
• Reflect party composition

Question 3

Which two former PMs are most notable for packing the cabinet with allies?

Answer 3

Blair and Thatcher

Question 4

What is the major upside and downside of packing the cabinet with allies?

Answer 4

• Ensures unity and bolsters the PM’s power
• Lacks critical voices, which could hinder policy making

Question 5

Give an example of two former PMs that have adopted a more varied cabinet

Answer 5

May and Major

Question 6

When was the last time we saw a cabinet that simply picked the best people possible?

Answer 6

Wilson and Callaghan’s group ‘of all talents’

Question 7

What is a reshuffle?

Answer 7

When the PM changes the make up of their government

Question 7

What is a reshuffle?

Answer 7

When the PM changes the make up of their government

Question 8

What are the two reasons a PM will engage in a cabinet reshuffle?

Answer 8

• To assert authority
• To improve the quality of government

Question 9

What are the 7 factors that influence cabinet selection?

Answer 9

• Unity
• Experience
• Ability
• Allies and advisers
• External pressure
• Diversity
• Coalition agreement

Question 10

How does unity influence cabinet selection?

Answer 10

A PM may want a balanced cabinet that reflects different wings of their party. The more divided the party, the more difficult this becomes. An authoritative PM may back one group over another for ideological reasons

Question 11

How does experience influence cabinet selection?

Answer 11

Experienced and talented figures add authority to the cabinet but are more difficult to control. A new PM may need experienced figures to advice them on how government operates. Big beasts can also become a problem on the backbenches

Question 12

How does ability influence cabinet selection?

Answer 12

The PM must identify talented MPs and allow them to use this talent. Able ministers could be promoted and less able ministers demoted or removed

Question 13

How do allies and advisers influence cabinet selection?

Answer 13

Allies could help formulate policy and provide advice in meetings

Question 14

How does external pressure influence cabinet selection?

Answer 14

The PM must consider public attitudes, the media and parliament. PMs sometimes ride out this criticism in support of an ally

Question 15

How do coalition agreements influence cabinet selection?

Answer 15

In 2010, Clegg was made deputy PM and was allowed to make 4 Lib Dem MPs into cabinet ministers

Question 16

How does diversity influence cabinet selection?

Answer 16

May wish to make the cabinet more reflecting of the nation to get a more diverse set of opinions.

Question 17

Give an example of an appointment based on party unity

Answer 17

• May appointed a mix of hard and soft Brexiteers
• Boris Johnson removed many of these soft Brexiteers

Question 18

Give an example of an appointment based on experience

Answer 18

• Cameron appointed Hague and IDS in 2010 in deference to their party standing
• May removed Osborne and Johnson removed Hammond because they saw them as potential rivals

Question 19

Give an example of an appointment based on ability

Answer 19

• Rishi Sunak was made chancellor in 2020 after proving himself as chief secretary of the treasury
• Lansley was removed as health secretary as he was thought to be too out of his depth to implement the necessary reforms

Question 20

Give an example of an appointment based on allies and advisers

Answer 20

• Brown made Mandelson a peer so that he could offer advice in the cabinet
• Cameron appointing Osborne as chancellor

Question 21

Give an example of an appointment based on external pressure

Answer 21

• Amber Rudd was forced to resign following the Windrush Scandal
• Jeremy Hunt survived calls for him to resign as culture secretary following a phone hacking scandal

Question 22

Give an example of an appointment based on a coalition agreement

Answer 22

David Cameron had to keep Vince Cable in post even after controversy around impartiality due to his ties with Rupert Murdoch

Question 23

Give an example of an appointment based on the basis of diversity

Answer 23

Increase in the number of female and BAME cabinet members since 1997