IMR and CMR as checks on government Flashcards
(9 cards)
Question
Evaluate the view that the conventions of individual ministerial responsibility and collective responsibility are no longer an effective check on the government.
Factors
- Maintains government unity and effectiveness.
- Ensures ministers maintain high standards of behaviour.
- Take responsibility for the performance of their department.
Judgement
IMR and CMR are no longer effective checks on government.
Weaker argument maintains government unity and effectiveness
→ Under May both Davis and Johnson resigned after the Chequers agreement as they couldn’t support it.
→ In 2019 under Johnson Amber Rudd resigned being “unable to stand by when loyal MPs were purged”.
→ Under Cameron Iain Duncan-Smith resigned when he couldn’t support cuts to both disability benefits and Capital Gain Tax.
→ Lord Carrington – resigned as Foreign Minister in 1982 because he couldn’t support the Falkland’s War.
Stronger argument maintains government unity and effectiveness.
→ 2018-2019: May many senior ministers disagreed but didn’t resign - Chancellor Hammond and Brexit Secretary David publicly challenged each other but neither resigned.
→ March 2019: 13 Tory frontbenchers abstained on ruling out a no-deal Brexit in all circumstances despite a three-line whip for them to oppose it.
→ Michael Gove often disagreed outwardly with the Cabinets and PM he was serving: under May he disagreed with Brexit strategy and under Johnson he disagreed with the lifting of COVID restrictions - he stayed in both Cabinets.
→ Ken Clarke outwardly spoke about his disagreement with the position that the Thatcher and Major governments had on the EU but kept his position.
→ As Home Secretary under David Cameron, May publicly criticised some Lib Dem-led civil liberties reforms.
Weaker argument ensures ministers maintain high standards of behaviour.
→ 2019: Alun Cairns, Secretary for Wales resigned after claims he had known of an aid’s role in the sabotage of a rape trial.
→ 2020: Matt Hancock resigned after he was caught having an affair whilst pushing the social distancing policy.
→ 2025: Andrew Gwynne resigned after it was revealed he had sent antisemitic, sexist, and racist messages on Labour WhatsApp group chat.
→ Damian Green (First Secretary of State, 2017) - resigned when he was found to have lied about pornography found on his parliamentary computer.
Stronger argument ensures ministers maintain high standards of behaviour.
→ 2020: Priti Patel broke ministerial code - allegations of bullying civil servants in her department. Yet Johnson refused to sack her.
→ 2012: May was able to keep her job as Home Secretary despite confusion over deadlines for appeals against Abu Qatada’s deportation to Jordan.
→ Jeremy Hunt didn’t resign in 2012 when his closeness to the Murdoch family had led him to making a bias decision allowing NewsCorp to control BskyB.
→ Gavin Williamson - Accused of bullying civil servants and sending threatening messages (e.g. “slit your throat”)
→ Boris Johnson has a history of making offensive jokes but has never resigned over them - e.g. As Foreign Secretary, he made the following joke: “There’s a group of UK business people…they have a brilliant vision to turn Sirte into the next Dubai once they’ve cleared the dead bodies away.”
Weaker argument taking responsibility for the performance of their department
→ 2018: Amber Rudd resigned as Home Secretary when she inadvertently misled MPs over whether she knew about targets to remove illegal immigrants.
→ 2017: Priti Patel resigned over controversy about her unauthorised meetings with Israeli officials.
→ Estelle Morris – Education Secretary (2002) - resigned after her department mishandled A-Level grading reforms, causing chaos for students and teachers.
Stronger argument taking responsibility for the performance of their department
→ Priti Patel – Home Secretary: though the Windrush scandal began under May, the compensation scheme under Patel was slow. Rising migrant crossings were blamed on Home Office mismanagement. Patel remained in post for years despite calls to resign.
→ 2020: Gavin Williamson blamed Ofqual for the fiasco with A-Level results rather than accepting the responsibility himself.
→ Chris Grayling – Transport Secretary (2016–2019) - Awarded a £14m ferry contract to a company with no ships and oversaw major rail timetable chaos in 2018, he remained in Cabinet.
→ Matt Hancock – Health Secretary (2018–2021) - despite eventually resigning because of his affair calls for Hancock to resign had been ongoing because of his handling of PPE during the COVID crisis.
