Prime Minister and the Executive Flashcards
(39 cards)
1
Q
How does the government control the legislative agenda?
A
- Legitmacy; HOC has greater legitmacy than the HOL as it is a directly elected body
- Exclusive powers; HOC has the right to insit on its legislation, the HOL can only delay legislation for 1 year + cannot delay or amend ‘money’ bills, only HOC can dismiss the gov through a no confidence vote
- Conventions; by convention the HOL shouldn’t oppose bills implementing the manifesto commitments (Salisbury Conventions) or undly goverenment business or reject secondary legislation
2
Q
How do executive and legislature relations work together?
A
- Goverenment benefits from a parliamentary majority + party cohesion
-
Collective responsibility requires ministers to support the goverenment + whis enforce party discipline
1. Control of the legislative agenda; most bills are proposed by the goverenment + they control the legislative timetable (can limit debate on bills)
2. Secondary legislation; gives ministers the power to amend existing legislation without requiring another act of Parliament is meant to include the new details precisily in the bill
3. Prerogative powers; powers exercised by ministers that don’t require parliamentary approval which includes deploying the armed forces overseas
3
Q
What developments have made Parliament more effective and rebalanced the relationship between the executive and legislature?
A
- Select committes; departmental select committees scruntise policy + administration of gov, many of their recommendations are taken up by gov, election of committee chairs + members has enhanced their independance
- Backbench business; creation of the BBBC allows non-goverenmental MPs to select issues for debate + the increased use of ‘urgent questions’ has weakened executive control of the parliamentary timetable
- Backbench rebellions; backbench MPs from the govering party are more likely to rebel these days which force the goverenment to withdraw or amend policy propsals on issues such as tax or air strikes in Syria
- Weakening of prerogative powers; parliament now decides if there should be an early general election + there is a convention that the UK doesn’t engage with armed conflict overseas without a parliamentary debate
- Assertive HOL; no party has a majority in the HOL + with the removal of hereditary peers in 1999 it has become more assertive, gov defeats in the HOL have become more common*
4
Q
Explain what prerogative powers are and how they have become limited
A
- Prerogative powers; powers exercised by ministers that don’t require parliamentary approval which includes:
- Deploying the armed forces overseas
- The PM could ask the monarch to dissolve Parliament + call an early general election
- International diplomacy
- PM’s patronage powers + ability to recommend dissolution of parliament
- Organising civil service
5
Q
How is secondary legislation scrutinised?
A
- Sometimes the legislation is just laid before Parliament + simply becomes law
- This means MPs have very little power to make any ammendments; must vote to either accept or reject the measure as a whole
e.g: George Osborne proposed secondary legislation to cut £1000 from tax credit income of poor families + was pushed through even though MPs hadn’t propely scrutinised it. The bill received a majority of 35 when the working majorty was 12; the bill was voted down by HOL
6
Q
Why does secondary legislation keep the executive powerful?
A
- Secondary legislation allows the executive to make big changes to policy without MPs noticing; means MPs are less likely to understand the regulations in the Commons/committees
- The executive also don’t appoint people to committees on the basis of experience or expertise
7
Q
Give an example of when secondary legislation was scrutinised by a HOC committee and ‘keep quiet’ failed
A
Example of when ‘keep quiet’ failed:
* Draft Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012
* Caused uproar from four Tory MPs
* Redwood (who encourages budget cuts) oppossed it forcing the gov to retreat + withdraw the policy
- 2 months later MPs had another committee on the same legislation; none of the 4 MPs who had previously opposed it were allowed back on the committee
- Government said they had listened to the MPs concerns + didn’t agree - so hadn’t changed the legisaltion which was then passed by the new committee 2 months later
8
Q
Explain the PM’s patronage powers
A
- The PM has powers of patronage to appoint someone to an important position
- The most significant way this is done is the appointing of government ministers
- The PM’s role in the honours system has also been reduced
9
Q
Explain the PM’s power in appointing cabinet ministers
A
- The PM’s power to appoint + dismiss government ministers (especially at cabinet level) provides them with a crucial advantage to shape their government + policies
- PM can create a cabinet in which they reward supporters + penalize disloyal MPs
- The 2010 coalition required Cameron to appoint 5 liberal democrats to his cabinet including Nick Clegg
- PM’s reshuffling of cabinet portfolios allows the PM to promote successful ministers + demote those who have underachieved; some ministers are moved other are dismissed entirely
- PM decides the timing of a cabinet reshuffle but sudden resignations might force an unwanted one
10
Q
Explain the principle of collective responsibility
A
- The cabinet is supposed to be aunited body
- Ministers are members of the smae party + stood on a agreed manifesto at the general election
- Collective responsibility is a core principle of collective government
- It is convention that all cabinet + members of the governmnet are responsible as a group
11
Q
What are confidence votes?
A
- The entire government must resign if it’s defeated in a vote of confindence
- James Callaghan’s Labour government lost a vote of no confidence after its bill on Scottish devolution was defeated in the Commons
- Boris Johnson had a vote of no confidence in 2022, won 211 to 148
12
Q
Explain the PM’s power in temporarliy suspending collective responsibility
A
- The PM can suspend collective responsibility on various issues
- Meant to ensure theat there isn’t a mass resignation of ministers; leading to a crisis in government
- In 2016, Cameron allowed his ministers to campaign for either yes or no membership to the EU; led to the infamous red bus with Michael Gove + Boris Jonhson
13
Q
Explain individual ministerial responsibility
A
- Principle that all ministers are accountable to parliament for their own personal conduct
14
Q
Describe Thatcher’s term as PM during 1979-1990 and her biggest strength + weakness
A
Thatcher - 1979-1990 - Conservative Party
* Biggest Strength: Cut taxes on people’s wages
* Biggest Weakness: Sold British owned business + ‘poll tax’ where everyone pays the same amount of tax
* Gave people renting council houses the right to buy their homes but this left fewer council homes for people without homes
* High unemplyment (3mil) made her unpopular + she reduced the power of trade unions
* Sold British businesses like BT, British Gas, British Steel, British Airways
* Thatcher’s anti-EU views led the pro-EU politicans in her party to quit forcing her resignation in 1990
15
Q
Describe Blair’s term as PM during 1997-2007 and his biggest strength + weakness
A
Blair - 1997-2007 - Labour Party
* Biggest Strength: Same-sex couples protected by laws, introduced the Human Rights Act, devolution, reduced NHS waiting times
* Raised taxes for the well-off + increased benefits + also introduced National Minimum Wage in 1998
- Biggest Weakness: Fees for univeristy + joined Iraq war
16
Q
Describe Brown’s term as PM during 2007-2010 and his biggest strength + weakness
A
Brown - 2007-2010 - Labour Party
* Biggest Strength: Made it a convention to ask Parliament before the UK went to war + reduced child poverty
- Biggest Weakness: Spent £500bn to rescue the banks from collaspe (grew country’s debt)
- In 2008 the biggest financial crisis occured - unemployment rised significantly
17
Q
Describe Cameron’s term as PM during 2010-2016 and his biggest strength + weakness
A
Cameron - 2010-2016 - Conservative Party
* Biggest Strength: Legalised same-sex marriage (2014), increased minimum wage, kept Scotland within the UK in 2014
- Biggest Weakness: Lost EU referendum, didn’t give any/enough support to the new Libyan government
- Cameron started austerity (cuts of £100bn); meant welfare cuts
18
Q
Describe May’s term as PM during 2016-2019 and her biggest strength + weakness
A
May - 2016-2019 - Conservative Party
* Biggest Strength: Russia on the Sailsbury murder + expelled 23 Russian officals as a result
- Biggest Weakness: Brexit deal was defeated in Parliament 3x, needed the DUP’s support to have a majority in Parliament
- Wanted to end the ban on creating grammer schools but after the 2017 election she had lost her majority in Parliament
- Dementia tax
19
Q
Explain why Dominic Rabb resigned due to individual ministerial responsibility
A
- Resigned as deputy PM after a bullying inquiry found he had been “intimidating” and “aggressive” towards officials
- Complaints refer to his time as Justice + Foreign secretary under Johnson + Brexit secretary under May
- Rabb had engaged in “abuse or misuse of power”and in a manner which was “intimidating”
- Rabb said that he would resign whatever the outcome of the inquiry before the findings had been published + Sunak accepted this
- Rabb resigned with a resignation letter in which he made clear that whilst he accepted the inquiry outcome he didn’t agree with the findings
- Rabb argued that ministers need to be able to give direct critical feedback + have direct oversight of their civil servants to drive the reform the public expect
20
Q
Explain why Dominic Rabb resigned due to
collective ministerial responsibility
A
- Rabb was opposed to Theresa May’s Brexit deal + thought it wasn’t good enough
- Boris Johnson also resigned over May’s Brexit deal
21
Q
Explain why Boris Johnson resigned due to collective/individual ministerial responsibility
A
- Partygate Scandal (Boris Johnson held parties during lockdown at 10 Downing Street which went strictly against Covid-19 guidelines- nobody is above the law).
- Between forming a government on 13 December 2019 after the 2019 general election and his eventual resignation amid a government crisis, Johnson faced the resignation of 10 cabinet ministers
- Prior his resignation statement, the fundamental reason he was pushed out of parliament was due to the final report The Privileges Committee published on 15 June
- The Committee had voted on the final report text and unanimously supported it. They concluded that Johnson had deliberately misled the House, a contempt of Parliament. To escape this Johnson had no choice but to resign
- Boris Johnson also resigned over May’s Brexit deal as Foreign secretary in 2018
22
Q
Explain why Iain Duncan Smith resigned due to collective ministerial responsibility
A
- IDS resigned as work and pensions secretary due to £4 billion of planned cuts to disability benefits (which he denounced as ‘indefensible’)
- He complained of pressure to ‘salami slice’ welfare. (Politically, this term is used to describe a divide and process of threats and alliances used to overcome opposition). He claimed the latest cuts were a ‘compromise too far’ in a budget that benefits higher earning taxpayers
- He cited that the pressure to make cuts to disability benefits as the main reason for his resignation
- He resigned through writing an official resignation letter
23
Q
Explain why Baroness Sayeeda Warsi resigned due to collective ministerial responsibility
A
- On 5 August 2014, Warsi resigned from the Government
- Citing concerns that she was no longer able to support the Cameron Government’s policy on the escalation of violence in the Israel–Gaza conflict
- Described the Government’s position as “morally indefensible”
- After resigning she called for an arms embargo against Israel
- She also expressed concern about the way recent decisions had been made in the Foreign Office
24
Q
Explain why Amber Rudd resigned due to collective ministerial responsibility
A
- Rudd resigned over Boris Johnson’s ‘purge’ of the party and said he wasn’t looking for a Brexit deal
- Rudd was unable to support the government’s stance on Brexit
- Resigned in September 2019
25
Explain why Priti Patel resigned due to individual ministerial responsibility
* Priti Patel was forced to **step down as international development secretary**, she was summoned back from a trip to Uganda and Ethiopia by Downing Street
* Patel **failed to be candid with May** (PM) about **14 unofficial meetings with Israeli ministers, businesspeople senior lobbyist**
* In her resignation letter **Patel admitted her actions “fell below the high standards that are expected of a secretary of state”**
* Prime minister said Patel’s decision was the correct one, in a letter to former cabinet minister she said that the **UK and Israel were close allies and should work closely together through official channels**
26
Explain why Amber Rudd resigned due to individual ministerial responsibility
* On 29 April 2018, Rudd resigned as Home Secretary, stating in her **letter of resignation that she had "inadvertently misled the Home Affairs Select Committee** on the issue of **"illegal immigration"**
* Told **Parliament** that there were **no deportation targets for immigrants; proven to be false**
* The **Windrush scandal had heaped pressure on Ms Rudd** who faced renewed criticism after saying she **did not know about Home Office removals target**
* However, the Guardian published a letter in which Ms Rudd set out her **"ambitious but deliverable" aim to deport 10% more illegal immigrants over the "next few years"** to Theresa May
27
Explain why Gavin Williamson resigned due to individual ministerial responsibility
* Resigned in **2019 after being accused by Theresa May** of being behind the **leak of confidential National Security Council info as Defense Secretary**
* Sir Gavin Williamson has **resigned as a government minister after allegations of bullying**, saying he aims to **clear himself of "any wrongdoing”**
* The MP had been accused of **sending abusive messages** to a fellow Tory MP last month and of bullying a senior civil servant as defense secretary.
* In his resignation letter, he said he was leaving government with "real sadness" but **offered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak his "full and total support from the backbenches"**
* He said he **wouldn’t be taking any severance pay**
* Gavin had come under pressure since a series text messages sent by him to then-Chief Whip Wendy Morton came out + a senior civil servant told the Guardian **Sir Gavin had bullied them and told them to "slit your throat"**
**Williamson was referred to the MPs' bullying watchdog** - the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS)
28
Under what circumstances does a minister have to resign and not have to resign?
* Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to resign
* Ministers don't have to resign if the mistake was the responsibility of civil servants
* The minister does have to inform Parliament of the actions of their department
29
How did the experience of coalition government lead to changes to collective responsibility? How did collective responsibility break down in some areas during the Coalition?
* The **coalition agreement identified four areas in which Lib Dem ministers** would **not be bound by collective responsibility**.
* These were **nuclear power stations, tax allowances for married couples, higher education funding and Trident renewal**
* They were also **allowed to campaign on different sides of the AV referendum**
* The **Lib Dems withdrew support for constituency boundary changes** because their **legislation for Lords reform fell through**.
* As the 2015 election grew closer, it was harder to maintain unity. Most **Lib Dem ministers tried in 2014 to amend the government’s ‘bedroom tax’ against Conservative opposition**
30
Explain how ministerial resignations destabilised May's government
Relations in the executive in May's final months were extremely fraught as there had been an irrecoverable government breakdown over Brexit
* May had **19 ministerial resignations in the first 5 months of 2019 alone** and **43 cabinet or government resignations** over her 3 years in power
Three resignations in the space of 10 days occured:
1. Alister Burt (minister in the Foreign Office) reigned on 25 March 2019 in **opposition to the prospect of leaving the EU without a deal** + explained that he had **'stretched the patience of collective responsibility recently'**+ he felt unable to continue supporting the government + **voted with the opposition to support an ammendment** which would support Parliament to take control of the Brexit process
* Ministerial resignations over Brexit occurred in quick succession because
1. **leaving with a 'deal' didn't look likely**
2.**leaving with 'no deal' was not more confidently embraced by the government**
3. efforts to **avoid a 'no deal' by holding cross-party talks were opposed**
31
Explain the role and impact of the Health and Social Care Committee during the Covid-19 pandemic on the government through their recommendations
* In **early October 2020 the Health + Social Care Committee** produced a report that sought to **'assess the impact and unprecedented challenge caused by Covid-19 to the provision of essential services**
* These included things such as **waiting times, appointment backlogs, the availability of PPE + rountine testing for the NHS**
* It examined details relating to the confusion over shielding guidence, dire consequences of postposing surgical operations + the extra demands on mental health services
Recommendations:
1. On **waiting times** they asked the Department of Health and Social Care + NHS England for an update on **how to manage the overall level of demand across health services by the end of Ocotber 2020**
2. On **protective equipment** they asked the Department of Health and Social Care to update is the **end of November 2020 + they ensure a consistent supply of appropriately fitting PPE to all NHS staff** in advance of a second wave
32
How does the structure of PMQs been criticised, give an example?
* Format of PMQs is criticised leading to accusations that with social media, leaders are searching for opportunities to insert their pre-prepared quipsmsoundbits that can be clipped + **shared usually out of context on different social media platforms**
* On the **30th September 2020** instead of the leader of the opposition using **all 6 questions to foucs on the government's handling of the health crisis**
* He used only 5 + **finished with asking about Black History Month, the disproportionate deaths in pregnancy + childbirth of Black women**
* The PM then had to explain his intention for a **'full review'** before delivering his **pre-planned fianle to a health related question which hadn't been asked**
33
Explain the PM's power of appointing life peers + give detailed examples + why its useful
**Life Peers**; PM can **appoint people to the HOL**+ may include **former MPs or party supporters**
**Appointments Commission** makes recommendations on **non-party appointments to the Lords**
* PM makes **political appointments enables the PM to alter party balance within the Lords** e.g **Blair increased Labour's representation in the Lords** by appointing **192 Labour peers
* PM's can nominate life peers** with a view to giving them ministerial positions; Brown gave **government portfoilos to 5 prominet public figures who weren't politians**
34
Explain the PM's power in appointing cabinet ministers, give detailed + multiple examples + why its useful
Appointing Cabinet Ministers
* PM's power to appoint + dismiss ministers gives them a crucial power; they can **reward key supporters or penalise disloyal suporters**
**2O10 Coalition Government required Cameron to appoint 5 Lib Dem ministers** 7
1. they are **unlikely to overlook senior political figures** who may be **rivals for thier job; Brown agreed not to stand aganist Blair in the Labour leadership contest if Blair promised to make him Chancellor**
* Blair was also required by **Labour Party rules to select his 1st cabinet** from those previously **elected to the shadow cabinet**
2. in **2016, 15 ministers who had attended cabinet under Cameron including George Osborne + Michael Gove weren't appointed to May's first cabinet** ; some saw it as a sign of May's authority + others saw it as a way of creating potential troublemakers
3. **ideological considerations are important when PM's appoint cabinet postions**
* Most minister's in **May's first cabinet had campaigned to remain in the EU**; but **leave campaigners like Boris Johnson, Liam Fox + David Davis** were put in **charge of departments which would deliver Brexit**
36
Give evidence of Cameron losing control
* **Parliament blocked**motion to **strike 5 years after chemical weapons attack**
* Cameron had to **U-turn on cutting disability benefits**
* **Lost 35-40% of party membership** - **Same-Sex Marriage Act**
* **U-turn** on making **academisation of schools compulsory**
* Found to **suspend collective cabinet responsibility for Brexit vote** - **52% voted to Leave** - Cameron had **lost + resigned**
36
Explain how and why Cameron's premiership ended
* Cameron promised a **referendum on the EU + campaigned to Remain** (**after negotiating a new deal with the EU**)
* Cameron faced pressure to allow his **cabinet a free vote + suspend collective responsibility**
* **Micheal Gove + Boris Johnson** were among **Leave leaders**
* When **Britian voted 52% - 48% to Leave** the **EU he resigned the next day**
37
Why did Cameron promise to hold a referendum on the EU?
* Cameron **feared defections from the Conservative party to UKIP** who were **campaigning for a referendum on leaving the EU**
* Cameron believed that a referendum would be a **winning card when campaigning in the next GE**
* UKIP leader Nigel Farage claimed that he was speaking to several **Conservative MPs who planned to defect**- Cameron’s press sectary (Sir Craig Oliver) revealed that they believed up to **20 Conservative MPs could defect**
38
Give evidence of May not being in control
1. May pledged the **end of bans on opening new grammer schools** - after **2017 GE she didn't** have **enough parliamentary support**
2. May called an election - **Labour gained 30 seats**- May **lost her majority** + was **dependant on the support of the DUP in a confidence + supply agreement**
3. **Biggest defeat for a government ever** - a vote on her Brexit Withdrawal Deal was **rejected by 230 votes** - a **second slightly revised version was rejected by 149 votes**
4. May experienced **38 ministerial resignations** (**shortest time of any PM**)
5. **311-293 vote on May's government**was found to be in **contempt of Parliament** - **first time ever that an entire government** had been found in **contempt of Parliament and not just a minister**
39
Explain how and why May's premierhsip ended
* 5th January 2019 May experienced the **biggest defeat in parliamentary history**- Brexit deal **rejected by 230 votes**
* 12th March a second version (slightly revised) was **rejected by 149 votes**
* 29th March a **third Brexit deal was defeated due to backbench rebellions**
* May offered to **step down immediately if MPs voted for the deal - failed** + it was clear she had **no authority as PM so she resigned**
* **Local elections in 2017 - Conservatives lot control of 44 councils**+ **more than 1,300 council seats** - **approval rating fell to -49% in May 2019**
