The PM & Cabinet Flashcards
(37 cards)
Who formulates and implements policy
The executive
Main functions of the PM
- selecting cabinet & junior govt posts
- being dominant in the core executive
- representing the country abroad
- being party leader
- being the party leader
- chairing cabinet meetings
- being ‘primus inter pares’ with other minsters
Core executive
Comprises of the PM, cabinet and its committees, the cabinet office and senior civil servants
Who makes policy in the UK
- The PM
- Cabinet
- Senior civil servants
- SpAds
How policy is made
policy is made/ influenced by a number of sources:
- manifesto pledges
- PM personal wishes
- public and media pressure
- referendum outcomes
How policy making was impacted by COVID 19
- SAGE (scientific advisers) played major role in policy making
- Led by the GCSA & CMO, they advised the cabinet and COBR (which meets to coordinate the govt response on national emergencies)
Powers of the PM
- royal prerogative
- patronage powers
- convention powers : call & chair cabinet meetings
- reshuffle cabinet
What are prerogative powers
Powers once held by the monarch but are now in the hands of the PM
prerogative powers of PM
- appoint & dismiss ministers (patronage powers) - cabinet reshuffle
- make & ratify treaty
- deploy UK armed forces overseas
- issue & withdraw passports
- granting pardons
Legal limits on the royal prerogative
- Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011: removed PMs power to choose when to hold an election - but was repealed by the DCPA
- Ponsonby Rule - a convention that stated any international treaties should be laid before parliament at least 21 days before its ratification. - But they can’t amend or vote on it
How is the fixed term parliaments act 2010 limited
The Dissolution and calling of parliament act 2022 (DCPA) - PM was allowed to request dissolution of parliament with approval from monarch.
Why Sunak was able to call general election for July 2024 as his request was granted by King Charles
Patronage powers
power to hire/fire ministers and reshuffle cabinet, moving minsters into new jobs
Limits on the use of patronage powers
- Party politics and internal pressure - must mantain party unity and balance factiosn within party
- parliamentary scruntiny
What’s cabinet reshuffle
When a PM moved ppl around his cabinet & both removes ppl and brings in fresh blood to the team.
EG: sunak reshuffled cabinet in 2023 and sacked Suella braverman who was replaced by cleverly due to times article on met police
Why might a PM reshuffle cabinet?
- To reflect a change in policies - BJ removing Brexit secretaries showing its been completed
- To remove under-performing ministers - Gavin Williamson (a level results catastrophe)
- To promote ministers or bring in new ministers to govt
Limitations of cabinet reshuffling
Cabinets resignation speech can be powerful and damaging. Howe’s speech criticised Thatchers attitudes to negotiations with Europe ‘It is like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only to find..their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain’
This came from someone who serves in her cabinet for over 10 yrs and was v damaging. Too many reshuffles can make a leader appear weak/ difficult to work with
Why was the Night of the Long Knives significant ?
On 13th July 1962, MacMillan sacked 7 members of his cabinet. Which was the largest in British history and was widely mocked in the press.
He thought conservative voters may vote Liberal party at a GE and his advisers suggested change was needed and they discussed removing his Chancellor Lloyd - which is a major step for a PM to make ads they are de facto no 2 in govt and he was conscious his cabinet was elderly and brining in younger figures would ‘freshen it up’
Example of prerogative powers being used
2018 Air Strikes on Syria - April 2018 the UK, US and France carries out series of military strikes on various sites in Syria, in response to an alleged chemical attacks on civilians
- the govt authorised the strike using prerogative powers, w/o obtaining Parliaments approval
How does primus inter pares limit the PM
They are equal to cabinet members and cannot force voted.
Cabinet members are usually in agreement with the PM and cannot force voted be seen more of a safeguard than a viable threat to the PM
How is policy made - manifesto pledges
Extending free childcare
- conservative 2017 manifetso promised to offer working parents extra 30 hrs a week instead of 15. This was designed to increase the number of parents in work contributing to the economy. Was in operation by September 2017
Ability to dictate policy/events - Poll Tax 1990
The poll tax widely regarded as Thatchers biggest political misjudgment and hastened her her time as PM. Deflected the ‘Iron Lady’
- calls to reduce high spending and introduced a flat tax regardless of housing or employment
- was passed but broke our large riots in London and Scotland. Led to her
resignation & intro of council tax 1993
- showed that powerful PMs clearly have the power to push through policy
The relationship between the PM and cabinet
Most cabinet have ‘big beasts’ politicians who are too senior or popular to leave out - BJ in Mays cabinet until he resigned in 2018
- Factions emerging within parties (brexiteers and remainers in Mays govt)
Ability to dictate policy - 2017 snap election
Prerogative powers, was a personal decision by May, but had taken advice from political advisers (particularly Nick Timothy who resigned after)
- another election wasn’t due till 2020 but May decided to call on anyways as she wanted her personal endorsement from voters as wanted her own mandate
- she lost seats to Labour and ended up 8 seats short
- conservatives manifesto flopped - ‘dementia tax’, showing her to be a weak campaigner
