PM and cabinet

Question 1

powers of the PM - patronage

Answer 1

the ability to hire and make appointments
not checked by the legislature

Question 2

how is the PM strengthened by patronage

Answer 2

-promote loyal colleagues making a stronger cabinet
-controls career making them more loyal

Question 3

powers of the PM- cabinet management

Answer 3

the ability to shuffle cabinet

Question 4

how is the PM strengthened by cabinet management

Answer 4

-control cabinet and how long it meets for
-chair the most important meetings

Question 5

how can cabinet management limit PM powers

Answer 5

• cabinet resignations can damage authoirty of the PM

Question 6

powers of the PM - political circumstances

Answer 6

-strong economy gives advantage
-large majoirty- more likely to pass legislation

Question 7

constraints on the PM - cabinet

Answer 7

-if the PM fails the cabinet will likely not support them
-cabinet resignations lose authority of the PM

Question 8

constraints on the PM - party

Answer 8

if the party does not have faith in the PM then they will not survive. e.g Tony blairs authority over labour party was weaked by his support of the 2003 iraq war

Question 9

constraints on the PM- electorate

Answer 9

-PMs popularity may decilne in the public
-parties will not support a PM if they do not think they can provide electoral success

Question 10

features of a presidential government

Answer 10

strong PMs office
personalised leadership
communicator in chief
control of foreign policy

Question 11

why is the PM not presidential

Answer 11

can be removed from a vote of no confidence
can be removed from party pressure
a PM likely to use cabinet for decision making

Question 12

cabinet government

Answer 12

PM is first among equals
collegial decision making style

Question 13

example of cabinet government

Answer 13

2010 coalition between conservatives and lib dems

Question 14

individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 14

-holds minsiters responsible for their actions and their departments actions
-expected to resign after any major failings
-keeps a strong and accountable government
-fails when ministers blame others

Question 15

ministerial responsibiltiy example

Answer 15

2016 Amber Rudd resigned after her departments targets for deporting illegal immigrants misled legal officials

Question 16

collective responsibility

Answer 16

-ministers that fail to publicly support cabinet decisions must resign
-ensures a united cabinet
-ministers may defend policies they disagree with so they dont have to resign

Question 17

collective responsibility examle

Answer 17

2018 Boris Johnson disagreed with Chequers Deal for leaving the EU

Question 18

where do powers of PM and minsisters come from

Answer 18

Crown Preogative

Question 19

what do select comittees do

Answer 19

scrutinise and investigate govt and publish report which they must respond to in 60 days
broken down into departmental

Question 20

how does PM have control legislation

Answer 20

-three line party whips
-parliamentary sovereignty
-control parliament timetables

Question 21

how did the HRA 1998 shit sovereignhty

Answer 21

introduces rulings from ECHR placing sovereignty in the judiciary

Question 22

how did the constituional reforms shift sovereignty

Answer 22

moved it to other political instituions e.g devolution
transferred HoL power to SC

Question 23

how is the PM limited by patronage

Answer 23

ministers must come from HOC or HOL so limited choice and must be from majority party
must be a balance of ideas to prevent alienation of. party
it may be better to have opponents in the cabinet as they are bounded by collective responsibility

Question 24

how do political circumstances weaken the PM

Answer 24

small majority = PM grip and power more precautious

Question 25

example of patronage power

Answer 25

David Cameron appointed George Osborne as chancellor as they were close allies with similar ideologies

Question 26

3 qualifications to become PM

Answer 26

Must all be MPs and sit in HOC (Lord Salisbury and Lord Cameron exceptions) they must be a party leader their party must have majority control of the HOC and come into power as a result of winning election (Thatcher) and out leave office as a result of leadership election defeat (Callaghan 1979)

Question 27

primus inter pares

Answer 27

first amongst equals

Question 28

roles of the PM

Answer 28

sets the overall direction and defines policy goals chairs cabinet meetings set up staff cabinet committees they set up, reorganise and abolish government departments national leadership in times of criss

Question 29

constitution theory of cabinet

Answer 29

highest executive body above the PM and so the uk has a cabinet government system

Question 30

three central features of cabinet

Answer 30

fuses the exec and leg bodies as its members head government departments but are also drawn from and held accountable by parliament controls the policy making process and makes major government decisions policy is made democratically within cabinet

Question 31

main roles of cabinet

Answer 31

approve policy discussions and debates e.g. Blair decision to make BofE semi-independent was consulted with chancellor brown ensure ministers know what is going on in their departments and reconcile their individual responsibilities raise issues and stimulate discussion and take in the views and morale of parliament cabinet meetings - Pm reports and policies are confirmed.to maintain strong government underpinned by collective ministerial responsibility

Question 32

2 main features of collective ministerial responsibility

Answer 32

implies the government are collective responsible to parliament and rests on the confidence of the HOC implies all ministers are to support govt majority policy publicly and in parliament, failure to do is implies political secrecy

Question 33

features of individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 33

implies ministers are responsible for parliament and the actions of their departments reflected in the obligation to inform e.g. question time

Question 34

cabinet government

Answer 34

helps to ensure cabinet collegiality a ministers resignation could threaten the strength of govt and authority of the PM

Question 35

prime ministerial govt

Answer 35

PM dominates policy making process cabinet only acts as advisor to the govt

Question 36

presidentialism

Answer 36

growth of spatial leadership (PMs distancing themselves from cabinet) Pm addressing the nation in times go high crisis mass media increasingly portraying the elections as battle between the leaders they are he ideological councousness of their party, their source of conviction and policy direction

Question 37

select comittee examples

Answer 37

defence select committee energy security SC transport select comittee