The Prime Minister & The Executive

Question 1

What are the powers and role of the PM?

Answer 1

• The Power of Patronage - appoints and reshuffles the Cabinet.
• Makes senior appointments to the judiciary and civil service and appoints Lords.
• Enjoys royal prerogative powers which have been transferred to the executive through the common law.

Question 2

What are the powers and role of the Cabinet?

Answer 2

• Known as Secretaries of State and advise the Prime Minister.
• Formulate government policy in their respective areas.
• Ensure that policies are implemented effectively across the country once formulated.

Question 3

What are the powers and role of the Junior Ministers?

Answer 3

• Support the Cabinet.
• Help to formulate specific policies on a technical level.
• Represent the government in Parliament by answering questions.

Question 4

What key areas of power does the executive hold?

Answer 4

• The Executive delivers on it’s manifesto promises, which are outlined in the King’s Speech at the beginning of each parliamentary session.
• The Salisbury Convention ensures that manifesto promises will not be blocked.
• The Executive organises and enforces the budget.
• The Executive can pass secondary legislation or delegated legislation. This is amendments to pre-existing legislation- which bypasses the need for full parliamentary scrutiny.

Question 5

What is a case study of Royal Prerogative powers?

Answer 5

• Royal Prerogative includes the power to prorogue or dissolve Parliament, a power that allows the Prime Minister to suspend or end a parliamentary session.
• In September 2019, Boris Johnson advised Queen Elizabeth to prorogue parliament for five weeks.
• This would see Parliament suspended ahead of the scheduled deadline for Brexit on the 31st of October.
• The aim of the Boris administration was to get a Brexit deal organised with limited opposition from Parliament.
• It was held that this was a political action to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny of the deal.
• The UK Supreme Court held the decision to prorogue unlawful.
• Johnson said he “profoundly disagreed” with the ruling, but would “respect” it.
• Parliament was reopened.

Question 6

What is Individual Ministerial Responsibility?

Answer 6

• Individual ministerial responsibility is a constitutional convention requiring ministers to be accountable to the legislature for their departments’ actions and their own conduct.
• Ministers must answer for their department’s policies, mistakes, or controversies, even if they were unaware of specific decisions.
• This ensures government accountability and allows legislative scrutiny.
• In theory, failure to uphold this responsibility can lead to censure, resignation, or dismissal.

Question 7

Case Study: What was The Falklands War (1982) in relation to IMR?

Answer 7

• In 1982 the Argentinians invaded the Falklands in order to seize back the land (their land, Las Malvinas as it is known in Argentina).
• The Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington, was heavily criticised for failing to anticipate this by ignoring intelligence, and communicating to the Argentinians what an invasion would result in.
• It was argued that the residents of the Falklands should have been invested in and given military support prior to the invasion.
• In 1982 Lord Carrington resigned as foreign secretary from the Thatcher government.
• This was over the failure to anticipate Argentina invading the Falklands, or outline to Argentina what the repercussions of military invasion of the Falklands would result in.

Question 8

Case Study: What was HMP Pankhurst (1995) in relation to IMR?

Answer 8

• In 1995 there was a wave of breakouts at Pankhurst prison, Isle of White.
• Three (two murderers and a blackmailer) made their way out of the prison and enjoyed four days of freedom before being recaptured.
• One of them, Keith Rose, was an amateur pilot.
• During those four days, the escapees lived rough in a shed in a garden in Ryde, having failed to steal a plane from the local flying club.
• Michael Howard, the Home Secretary, refused to resign after a wave of mass breakouts from Pankhurst Jail.
• Instead, Howard both blamed and dismissed the director General of the Prisons service, Derek Lewis.
• Lewis went on to win a case of wrongful dismissal against Howard.

Question 9

Case Study: What was Matt Hancock (2021) in relation to IMR?

Answer 9

• In June 2021, Matt Hancock, then UK Health Secretary, was caught breaching COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
• He was seen kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo, in his office.
• The incident was captured on CCTV and leaked to the media, sparking public outrage as Hancock had been a key figure enforcing lockdown restrictions.
• Amid accusations of hypocrisy and growing political pressure, he initially resisted calls to resign.
• However, facing mounting criticism, he stepped down, acknowledging that he had let people down.

Question 10

What does Collective Ministerial Responsibility mean?

Answer 10

• Ministers are expected to present a united front and speak with one voice on policies and decisions made by the government.
• If a minister cannot support a decision, they are expected to resign from their position.
• This principle ensures that the entire Cabinet is collectively accountable to Parliament for the actions of the government.
• While it is generally upheld, there are some exceptions, such as when ministers are allowed to abstain or express personal views on certain issues, like during free votes.

Question 11

Case Study: Why does CMR work in relation to the Johnson administration during COVID?

Answer 11

• In 2020, the UK government, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, imposed strict lockdown measures to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Despite differing opinions within the Cabinet on the severity of restrictions, ministers collectively supported the decisions, showing a united stance.
• This approach helped the government maintain public trust and manage the national response effectively.

Question 12

Case Study: Why does CMR work in relation to the Johnson administration resignations?

Answer 12

• Boris Johnson was involved in a string of controversies, many of which led to calls for his resignation.
• It was only after a wave of mass resignations, including Sunak (Chancellor) and Sajid Javid (Health Sec) who resigned on the grounds of Collective Ministerial Responsibility that Johnson resigned in July 2022.

Question 13

Why was CMR suspended during the coalition?

Answer 13

• Collective Ministerial Responsibility was suspended during the Cameron-Clegg coalition due to differing views on key policies like electoral reform and Europe.
• This allowed Liberal Democrat ministers to oppose Conservative policies publicly, such as campaigning for electoral reform in the 2011 referendum.
• Analysis: This pragmatic approach allows the government to continue to operate with unity despite opposing views, ensuring democracy is still sustained without inefficiencies such as gridlock or multiple cabinet reshuffles.

Question 14

How is CMR flexible?

Answer 14

• Philip Hammond (2018-2019): As Chancellor, Hammond publicly opposed a no-deal Brexit and advocated for a softer exit, despite the government’s official stance under Theresa May. He was allowed to stay in the Cabinet due to the flexibility of the principle.
• Jeremy Hunt (2019): During the leadership contest in 2019, Hunt, then Foreign Secretary, openly disagreed with Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, yet he remained in the Cabinet, showing that ministers could express differing views within the government.

Question 15

How does Ability & Experience - Ministers Based on Merit affect the patronage of ministers by the PM?

Answer 15

• Some roles require specialist knowledge and proven competence. For example, the Chancellor must be trusted by financial markets, and the Foreign Secretary must manage complex diplomacy.
• After a period of instability in 2022 (Truss government) Sunak chose Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor to restore economic credibility, prioritising experience over factional loyalty. Jeremy Hunt is widely considered as a Cabinet “big beast” with his experience dating back to the coalition in 2010.
• Douglas Alexander served in the Blair and Brown cabinets, and has been brought back to Cabinet in the Starmer administration as the Minister for Trade Policy & Economic Stability and Minister of State due to his experience and expertise of government.

Question 16

How does Appointing Allies - Rewarding Loyalty affect the patronage of ministers by the PM?

Answer 16

• Prime Ministers commonly reward loyal allies with ministerial posts.
• Loyalty helps ensure a united Cabinet and reduces internal opposition.
• Surrounding themselves with loyalists helps a PM push forward their agenda without internal resistance.
• For example, Boris Johnson’s post-2019 Cabinet was filled with key Brexiteers who had supported his leadership bid and Brexit strategy. These supporters included- Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees Mogg, and Sajid Javid.

Question 17

How does Controlling Opponents - Collective Ministerial Responsibility affect the patronage of ministers by the PM?

Answer 17

• A classic strategy is to bring rivals or outspoken figures into the Cabinet. This binds them to collective ministerial responsibility, meaning they must publicly support government decisions or resign.
• This tactic neutralises opposition and keeps political threats under the PM’s watch avoiding the possibility of backbench rebellion.
• Tony Blair appointed John Prescott — a traditional, trade union-backed Labour figure — as Deputy Prime Minister to balance New Labour’s centrist image and contain internal tensions.

Question 18

How does Achieving Ideological Balance affect the patronage of ministers by the PM?

Answer 18

• To maintain party unity and voter appeal, Prime Ministers often try to balance different ideological wings within the Cabinet.
• This shows inclusiveness and helps build coalitions of support across the party and the electorate.
• Sometimes this is called “balancing the ticket”.
• Theresa May included both Leave and Remain supporters in her Cabinet after the Brexit vote, attempting to hold the Conservative Party together during a period of deep division.
• However, this was possibly the beginning of her downfall and the first step to being perceived as “weak and wobbly”. We see an entirely different approach in the Johnson cabinet in his mission to “Get Brexit Done”.

Question 19

How does Diversity & Representation affect the patronage of ministers by the PM?

Answer 19

• Modern Prime Ministers are increasingly aware of the importance of gender, ethnic, and regional diversity.
• A representative Cabinet can signal progressiveness and inclusion, helping to win broader public support.
• Liz Truss’s 2022 Cabinet was among the most ethnically diverse in UK history, with key roles held by Kwasi Kwarteng, Suella Braverman, and James Cleverly.
• However, some critics argued that while seemingly diverse, the Cabinet lacked diversity in background and political thinking, with many ministers ideologically close to Truss herself.

Question 20

What are SPADs (Special Advisers)?

Answer 20

An unelected political appointee who provides advice and support to the PM, often shaping policy whilst working outside the traditional civil service.

Question 21

How does The PM’s Personal Mandate From Voters ensure that the PM is more dominant?

Answer 21

• More so than any other figure in government- the Prime Minister often receives a direct mandate from the voters during general elections, as they lead the party.
• A leader’s personal appeal can significantly impact the electoral outcome (e.g., Tony Blair’s leadership in 1997 or Boris Johnson’s leadership in 2019).
• Cabinet ministers, on the other hand, do not always have the same direct mandate from the public. They are often appointed by the PM, which can further reinforce the PM’s power.

Question 22

How does The PM being The Head of the Cabinet ensure that the PM is more dominant?

Answer 22

• The Prime Minister, as Head of Cabinet, holds significant influence over the government’s decision-making process.
• They control the agenda of Cabinet meetings, deciding what issues will be discussed and prioritised. As the final authority in Cabinet discussions, the PM can direct policy and influence decisions, often ensuring alignment with their own vision.
• The PM also has the power to appoint or remove Cabinet ministers, consolidating their control over the government.
• The Poll Tax was introduced despite significant discontent within Thatcher’s Cabinet, sparking riots.
• Her ability to push this unpopular policy through, even against internal party opposition, demonstrates her immense personal power as Prime Minister.

Question 23

How does The Royal Prerogative - Foreign Policy ensure that the PM is more dominant?

Answer 23

• The decision to consult Parliament and put a vote to Parliament is often a political decision made by the Prime Minister.
• Constitutional convention suggests that the government should consult Parliament on important issues like war or military intervention.
• Prime Ministers have significant discretion in choosing whether to do so.
• Iraq Intervention (2001/ Tony Blair): The vote is put to Parliament who support intervention, supported by Blair.
• Syria Intervention (2013/ David Cameron): The vote is put to Parliament, who vote against intervention, despite Cameron supporting it.

Question 24

How does The Expansion of the PM’s Office ensure that the PM is more dominant?

Answer 24

• The Prime Minister’s Private Office (PMO) has expanded into a powerful political entity, taking on a greater role in policy development, media strategy, and party management.
• Key roles within the PMO include:
• Chief of Staff - Manages day-to-day operations and coordinates communication between the PM and government members.
• Special Advisers (SPADs) - Provide political advice and strategic guidance to the PM and the government.
• Press Secretary - Handles media relations, organizes briefings, and crafts speeches
• Tony Blair famously expanded the PMO with SpAds.
• Blair’s PMO also had strong focus on press management, with key figures like Alistair Campbell having significant influence on his power.

Question 25

What does Primus Inter Pares mean?

Answer 25

“First among equals”- used to describe the Prime Minister, who is formally equal to others (such as Cabinet ministers) but has a leading or coordinating role.

Question 26

How does the PM’s Leadership Style affect the power of Cabinet?

Answer 26

- A dominant Prime Minister can set the political agenda, choose key ministers, control discussions, and expect strong loyalty. - When a Prime Minister is less dominant, **Cabinet ministers have more freedom** to express different views, and decision-making becomes more shared. - John Major **treated his Cabinet with a fairly lenient approach**, but was seen to **lose control during discussions about Europe and the Maastricht Treaty** (which involved deepening ties with Europe and plans for the euro). - Theresa May took a more democratic approach to Cabinet, particularly with Brexit. **She invited her Cabinet to Chequers for detailed discussions**, giving them more input into the deal known as the “Chequers Plan” in 2018.

Question 27

How does the Cabinet Unity affect the power of Cabinet?

Answer 27

- A **unified Cabinet** allows the Prime Minister to depend on their Cabinet for support, while Cabinet members, in turn, have more freedom to **influence decisions**. - When the party is united, the **alignment** of the **party’s manifesto and vision** across MPs and Cabinet members strengthens the Cabinet’s position. - Under May, **Conservative splits over Brexit grew, with ministers like Johnson backing Hard Brexit**. Factions within the party pressure May to rely more on her Cabinet, weakening her authority as PM. - Liz Truss’s cabinet **lacked unity from the start**. Her decision to appoint **close ideological allies and ignore more experienced or moderate** Conservatives created tension. - Her mini-budget in September 2022, created with Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and not properly discussed in cabinet, led to market chaos and her resignation.

Question 28

How does the Big Beasts affect the power of Cabinet?

Answer 28

- Senior, experienced ministers with independent reputations (called “big beasts”) can challenge or influence the Prime Minister and shift cabinet dynamics. - Their presence can either **balance or disrupt PM power**. - Jeremy Hunt, had 5 ministerial posts from 2010-2024, even running for leadership. - Even when he **undermined Theresa May’s authority with regards to her Brexit plans, he was able to remain in Cabinet**. - As Chancellor under Rishi Sunak, he was a **dominant influence over economic policy** and helped stabilise government after Truss.

Question 29

How do response to events affect the power of Cabinet?

Answer 29

- The role of the Cabinet in **responding to events and crises** can support or weaken the PM’s power. If the **Cabinet is seen to work with the PM, this can strengthen their view in the eyes of the party and public**. - However, if there are divisions within the Cabinet this can undermine the Prime Minister’s power. - During the **Brexit Referendum** (2016) David Cameron **allowed Cabinet ministers to campaign on different sides of the referendum** (e.g. Michael Gove and Boris Johnson for Leave, George Osborne for Remain). - Impact: This **undermined Cabinet collective responsibility**. After the Leave result, Cameron resigned, and the Cabinet was left divided over how to proceed with Brexit.