UK PM and cabinet Flashcards
(51 cards)
1
Q
Role of PM
A
- head of gov
-leader of nation
domestic affaris
foerign affairs
leader of political partu
2
Q
role of pm: head of gov
A
- makes major deisions
- chooses policy direction
- chairs cabinet meetings and chooses agenda
- chooses cabinet
3
Q
role of pm- leadoer of nation
A
- bj covid
- einston ww2
4
Q
role of pm : foreign affiairs
A
- state visits
- giving weapons to ukraine
5
Q
role of pm : party leader
A
- leads in pmqs
- keeps behaior in check
6
Q
sources of the pm power
A
-public standing
- party leadership
-paronage powers
-authroity within cabinet
- pm office
7
Q
source of pm power: party leadership
A
- voted in by his mps showing their back9ng and support
8
Q
sources of pm power : patronage pwors
A
- appointing people whowill back him or sacking whoever
-sunak sacking lee anderson
9
Q
source ofpm power: authrotiy within cabinet
A
-can pick the cabinet
- chairs the cabinet meeting and chooses agendas
10
Q
source of pm power : pm office
A
- 200 civil sercants working for pm
- eg press office spin dfoctrs
11
Q
powers of the pm
A
- royal preogative
- patronage powers
-parliament control - heading cabinet
- media influence
12
Q
powers of. the pm : royal preogative
A
- is the monarchs power but has devolved overtime to pm and moiniseers
- regarding judical system it can include legal pardons
- can deploy army or use powers in times of emergency
13
Q
royal preogrative exampel
A
-2018 thersa may send britsh figheters to syria to carry out air strikes in responsse to suspected chemical weapons
- without parlianetns apporval
14
Q
powers of the pm: patronage pwoers
A
- able to dissmiss and appoint anyone ( can strenghten their positon by removing any threats and appoint ppl who would back them)
- fill the cabinet with ppl with similar views to them or freidns eg sunak and cameroon
15
Q
power of the pm: parliametn control
A
- pm can use their parties majority to ensure their polciies become law
- pm can appoint cheif whip who ensures party members vote on the party line
16
Q
power of the pm : heading cabinet
A
- power to determine the agenda of cabinet meetings
- priotise the polciies they favour
17
Q
power of the pm: media influence
A
- power to set the media agenda as they are the main media focus
- pm with a strong press office will be able to succesfully influence the media so the agenda is favourable towards them
18
Q
who did tony Blair hire as press secetary
A
alistair campbell
19
Q
LIMITS ON THE PM POWER: Cabinet
A
- cabinet limits the power as it is requiered to approve the pms policy decisions
- the pm is the first among equal in the cabinet
20
Q
what is primus inter pares
A
- the pm is first emong equall
21
Q
limits on the pm power: political parties
A
- the pm must mainatin the support of their party in order to remian in power
- without support from their parties pms are in a weaker position and can be challegned by backbenchers and cabinet to stand down
22
Q
when did a pm have to resign
A
1990 maggie thatchers resigend as pm after a vote of no confidence
- james callahan
23
Q
the cabinet
A
- group of senior ministers and heads of gov departments who make decisions and advise the pm
24
Q
how did the cabinet develop
A
- ww1 changed the way the gov worked as the gov had to take on more responsibility to run the country effectively
24
how is the cabinet formed
- pm selcets the cabinet ( power of patronage at the highest level)
- important as it shapes the politcal direction of the gov
25
what two types of balances can cabinets have
- balanced cabinet (EG john major 1992, mix of cons and liberals)
- ideologically unified cabinet)
26
role of the cabinet
policy. making
coordinating gov work
limiting pm power
acting in times of emergency
27
role of the cabinet: policy making
- cabinet is needed to legitimise and ratify pm polciies
28
role of cabinet: coordinating gov work
- cabinet decided wehn to iintroduce legislation itno parliament
29
role of cabinet: limit pm power
- if pm looses support of cabinet they wilkl loose theri authority
-risk being removed from office EG blair over iraq war
30
what are cabinet committees
- sub committtes of cabinet composed of ministers
31
example of semi permanent cabinet committee
EDP
32
exmaple of sub committee that arise periodically due to emergencies
Misc. 57
33
significanvce of cabinet committees
- results in the amount fo work the gov does being increased
(engine room of gov)
34
what can differnet styles of government mean for the style of the cabinet
- can result in presidential government
or cabinet goverments
35
what is the presidentual style of cabinet
- when the pm is strong and domiannt over the executive
- key features include a pm with a strong personality with a greater focus on the pm than cabinet EG tony Blair
36
how did tony blair a presidential style of cabinet
- less cabinet meetings and interactions
- making took advice from a couple of top advisors such as alistair campbell
37
what is the Pm office like in a presidential style cabient
- pm office is stronger in a presidential style of gov
- with many special advisors who have more access to the pm than many of the cabinet ministers
38
what was tonly bairs style of gov called
- sofa government
- as he formulated policy with a small nuber of special advisors
39
what is a cabinet style government
- when the pm is first among equal
- primus innter pares
40
what are the features of a cabinet style government
- policy is ollectively decided by all cabinet membrs
- eg 2010 Cameron coalition with lindens
41
what is individual minsterial responsibility
- principle by which ministers are held to account for their actions
- ministers are responsbile for the performace of their department and are expected to resign if there are major failings in the departments conduct
42
pros of inidivudal ministerial responsibility
- means a strong standard of behavior is maintained by government officals
- holds gov accountable for their behavior to public
43
example of holding gov being held accountable for their behavior to public
- defence secetary 2017 michael fallon forced to resign due to claims of sexual misconduct
44
cons of individul miniserial responsibility
- it fails when ministers choose not to resign and blame others in their department for failing
45
exmaple of individual ministerial responsiblity failing
- 2011 home secetary thersa may did not resign over weakended boder checks which allowed foreign terrorsts into the uk
- blamed border force instead
46
what is collective ministerial responsibility
- a convention that cabinet members must publicly support the decisons made by the cabinet
-anyone who fails to support cabinet policies ust resign
47
example of collective ministerial responsibltiy
- 2018 BJ resigned as foreign secetary as he disagreed with the gov leaving the eu
48
pros of collective ministerial responsibility
- ensures the government appears united as ministers are supporting each other
- ensures a strong government as it means gov has clear stance on policies
49
cons of collective ministerial responsibiltiy
- means that minisers have to defend policies they dont agree with (meaning policies can be forced upon them by pM)
50
example of collective miniserial responsibility failing
-memebrs of tonly blairs cabinet were not asked for their approval on invading iraq 2003 until 3 days before the invasion
