PM and Cabinet

Question 1

As of 2025, who is in the Labour cabinet?

Answer 1

Kier Starmer- PM
Angela Rayner- Deputy PM and Secretary of State
Rachel Reeves- Chancellor of the Exchequer
Yvette Cooper- State for Home Department
Ed Milliband- Energy Security and Net Zero
Wes Streeting- Health and Social Care
David Lammy- Foreign, Commonwealth, and Developmental Affairs

Question 2

What are the institutional powers of the PM?

Answer 2

Appoint and dismiss ministers
Chair weekly meetings/ cabinet committees
Dictate policy priorities
Command commons majority (usually)
Issue life peerages

Question 3

What are the personal powers of the MP?

Answer 3

Momentum and Politcal capital that comes with the leading party to election victory
Management of cabinet and backbench colleagues
Unite party
Manage economy and respond to crises

Question 4

What are the sources of the PM’s powers?

Answer 4

Patronage powers and the cabinet
Authority over the cabinet
Cabinet committees
Dictating policy priorities
The Cabinet Committee
Party Leader
Dispensing honours

Question 5

What are the possible reasons for resignation?

Answer 5

Accept blame for an error
Unwilling to accept collective responsibility
Inability to deliver policy promises
Personal misconduct
Politcal pressure

Question 6

What are the models of representation?

Answer 6

Burkean/ trustee
Representative
Delegate

Question 7

What is the Burkean model of representation?

Answer 7

Representatives should act Independently on the facto that they have the education to know what is best for their voters

Question 8

What is the representative model of representation?

Answer 8

Delegate for the views of their voters

Question 9

What is the delegate model of representation?

Answer 9

Responsibility to act in the interests of their voters

Question 10

What are the types of responsibility?

Answer 10

Individual
Ministerial
Collective

Question 11

What is individual responsibility?

Answer 11

Minster/ MP responsibility for their own actions

Question 12

What is collective responsibility?

Answer 12

All members of the cabinet and PM publicly agree on policy or resign

Question 13

What is ministerial accountability?

Answer 13

Role and openness with Parliament

Question 14

What makes a PM presidential?

Answer 14

Has almost total power
Doesn’t use cabinet/ backbenchers
Inner cabinet
Premus inter pares- 1st among equals
Circle of inner advisors

Question 15

What prevents a PM from becoming presidential?

Answer 15

Staff in non-MP roles have poltical influence
Media/ public criticise governement behaviour