Prime Minister and Executive

Question 1

Who are the key individuals in the executive branch?

Answer 1

PM
Cabinet
Political advisors

Question 2

What powers does the executive have?

Answer 2

• Pass legislation
  ⤷ from manifesto
  ⤷ ‘doctors mandate’ - from changing circumstances
• Introduces budget

Question 3

What manifesto legislation has passed?

Question 4

What ‘doctors mandate’ legislation has passed?

Answer 4

Coronavirus Act 2020
Banking Special Provisions Act 2008
Terrorism Act 2006 (7/7 attacks)
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

Question 5

What was introduced in the most recent budget?

Answer 5

• Reduce borrowing by £3bn by 2029
• Increase Universal Credit above inflation from 2026

Question 6

What are the features of the Cabinet ministers?

Answer 6

Collective responsibility
⤷ support executive
Individual responsibility
⤷ responsible for the conduct of themselves and their dept

Question 7

** add ministerial responsibility examples from book

Question 8

When has individual ministerial responsibility been supported?

Answer 8

(Resignations)

Michael Fallon 2017
- touching of 2 journalists and comments to MP Andrea Leadson in cabinet meetings
- May wrote a code of conduct that meant ministers could be fired for bullying, harassment, or inappropriate or discriminating behaviour

Priti Patel 2017
- meetings with Israeli politicians and PM without approval from foreign and common wealth office
- resigned after 2 more meetings were revealed

Question 9

When has ministerial responsibility been supported?

Answer 9

(Resignations)

Sajid Javid
- couldn’t support Johnson as he had him replace all of his staff if he were to remain in his position

Question 10

When has ministerial responsibility been limited?

Answer 10

• PM can change their ministerial code
• Heads of departments can be lords, who are not held to the same account as their MP colleagues
  ⤷ e.g. Cameron

Question 11

When has ministerial responsibility been a grey area?

Answer 11

2010-15
⤷ coalition policies were not harmonious across parties

Brexit
- Under Cameron the cabinet was divided on the referendum (if it should be called, and the stance to take)
⤷ pro-leave views allowed
⤷ e.g. Gove

2015-17
- May failed to unite the cabinet that was 50/50

Question 12

Why is collective responsibility good?

Answer 12

• Too much PM power
• Creates an echo-chamber

Question 13

Why is collective responsibility bad?

Answer 13

• Creates united gov and party
• Ministers are able to engage in honest discussions

Question 14

How have ministers been used for the PM’s advantage?

Answer 14

Appearance
- Blair and Prescott
⤷ strongly w/c and reassuring the the old labour demographic

• May sacked G. Osborne as Chan. of Exchequer. to look less elitist
  ⤷ history of austerity and decline of NHS under Cameron
  ⤷ booed in 2012 paralympic medal awarding and least popular MP

Unity
- May hired Johnson as foreign secretary
⤷ prominent leave figure and threatening to her power as leader

Question 15

When have ministers controlled the PM?

Answer 15

Johnson
- largest mass resignation ever
⤷ 36 in 24hrs
⤷ 62/179 ministers etc
- over Chris Pincher scandal (Johnson ignored ongoing sexual assault allegations)

Question 16

How is the cabinet useful?

Answer 16

• Provides in-depth knowledge to PM
  ⤷ Johnson consulted cabinet on the lockdown measures
  ⤷ Johnson held meeting when Russia invaded Ukraine

Question 17

How is the cabinet weak?

Answer 17

• PM coattails etc
• Under control of PMs
• Only advisory
  ⤷ Blair made decisions mainly from 1-1 discussions
  ⤷ avoided cabinet meetings
  ⤷ 2019-20 - key strategies were made with Cummings over the cabinet (chief advisor)

Question 18

What powers does the PM have?

Answer 18

Head of Government
- Patronage
- Call elections
- Recall parliament
- Setting policy

Head of State
- Commander-in-chief
- Foreign relations
⤷ signing treaties, attending summits
- National spokesperson

Question 19

When has the PM used the power of commander-in-chief?

Answer 19

May 2018
- sent fighter jets into Syria w/o par consent

Question 20

What are factors affecting the power of the PM?

Answer 20

• HC majoirty
• Cohesion
• Make manifesto commitments
• Incumbency
• New MPs
• Prime ministerial coattails
• Fear of alternatives
• Issues

Question 21

What are examples of fear of the alternatives?

Answer 21

(threatening to resign or calling an election)

Worked
- Mayor 1995

Failed
- Blair was failing against brown so had limited power

Question 22

What are examples of PM coattails?

Answer 22

(support from across usual demographics)

Worked
- 1997 Blair won 146 seats (418 total)
- 2024 Starmer won 211 seats (411 total)
⤷ MPs more supportive of his policy as they want a seat

⤷ 1997 - lost 178 seats (165)
⤷ 2024 - lost 251 seats (121)

Question 23

What are examples of the HC majority?

Answer 23

2024 - 86 majority, 290 more than cons

Question 24

What are examples of the cohesion?

Answer 24

Success
- Johnson - unified on Brexit

Failure
- May - cabinet created division

Question 25

What are examples of the manifesto commitments ?

Answer 25

Successes - Blair - followed through on lords reform and rights protections Failures - Johnson - raised national insurance despite it being in the 2019 manifesto that no tax raises would be made

Question 26

What are examples of the first term governments?

Answer 26

Successes - 1997 - comparative NHS success and workers rights were popular ⤷ Minimum Failures -

Question 27

** add pm case studies

Question 28

What are examples of low salience of issues?

Answer 28

Success - Blair - confidently dealt with NI conflict by creating the Good Friday Agreement Failure - Brown - financial crisis 2008 - Cameron - Brexit led to his resignation - Johnson -