UK Government - Prime minister and Cabinet

Question 1

Prime minister

Answer 1

The first or leading minister, the head of government

Question 2

Cabinet

Answer 2

Group of 20-25 senior ministers who meet regularly, usually weekly. The cabinet is chaired by the prime minister and is the key decision-making body in the UK government

Question 3

Primus inter pares

Answer 3

Latin term meaning ‘first among equals’. In respect of the prime minister, it implies he or she is the most important member of the cabinet, yet they govern in a collective manner

Question 4

Core executive

Answer 4

Policy-making network that includes the prime minister, senior ministers, cabinet committees and top civil servants

Question 5

Cabinet committees

Answer 5

Special subdivisions of the cabinet comprising fewer members who focus on particular policy areas

Question 6

Patronage powers

Answer 6

Ability to appoint individuals to key offices. It is arguably one of the most important prerogative powers

Question 7

Blair’s ‘‘sofa government’

Answer 7

Informal chats involving two or three ministers including the prime minister, to full-length cabinet discussions

Question 8

‘Wets’ and ‘dries’

Answer 8

Shorthand terms that roughly translated into dissenters and supporters, with the former increasingly marginalised from positions of real influence (Thatcher’s style of government)

Question 9

‘Quad’ of the 2010-15 coalition government

Answer 9

PM David Cameron, DPM Nick Clegg, Chancellor George Osborne and the Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury, Danny Alexander

Question 10

Spatial leadership

Answer 10

When a sense of distance is created between the prime minister and the rest of their government and party. In such situations, the prime minister relies to a great extent on a small inner circle of advisers (known as inner cabinet)

Question 11

Inner cabinet

Answer 11

Small core of minister a prime minister particularly relies upon for advice or support. In part, it reflects the relatively large size of the full cabinet, but also a tendency for the prime minister to seek ideas and support from minister they particularly trust

Question 12

SpAds

Answer 12

Special advisers, who unlike permanent civil servants, are political and personal appointments made by prime ministers. They are policy advisers who are often believed to wield too much power over the prime minister at the expense of fellow ministers and the civil service

Question 13

How is policy made?

Answer 13

• Manifesto pledges and promises
• Personal convictions of the PM
• Outcome of referendums
• Results of deals with minority/coalition parties
• Responses to national crises and emergency situations
• Mounting pressure from the public and media
• Changing social/cultural attitudes