The cabinet and core executive Flashcards
Why does Young think that cabinet government still exists?
Blair and Thatcher merely gave the appearance of being in control by surrounding themselves with sycophants
Why does Henessey think that cabinet government still exists?
Says that the prime ministerial dominance of Thatcher and Blair is the exception and not the rule. Claims Thatcher’s dominance was actually just the result of her lengthy reign
Why does Jones think that cabinet government still exists?
Claims that prime ministerial dominance is style over substance. In practise, they are at the whim of things like cabinet defeats, backbench rebellions and the elasticity principle
What does the cabinet model government tell us?
- That no PM can survive without cabinet support, despite the development of the position
- The PM relies on the support of cabinet big beasts
- Some PMs enjoy such widespread government and party support that they become effectively unsackable
Explain the core executive model
The idea that the PM and cabinet must act within a network of relationships
Why created the core executive model?
Smith
Describe prime ministerial government
PM can decide on any policy area due to having a monopoly of power
Describe PM clique government
The PM has an inner circle of advisers and uses units and teams to present and implement policy
Describe cabinet government
The cabinet is means of holding the PM to account and a final authoritative forum for policy resolution
Describe ministerial government
Ministers have their own resources and a responsible for their own departmental domain
Describe segmented decision government
PM specialises in the economy and foreign policy, the cabinet and ministers in other areas of domestic policy
Describe bureaucratic decision government
Civil servants have a monopoly of information and run the show
