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The Prime Minister and Cabinet (Role of the Prime Minister (Political…
The Prime Minister and Cabinet
The Prime Minister
Head of Government
Political leadership within cabinet
Chairs cabinet
Appoints ministers
Leader of the largest party
Role of the Prime Minister
Political leadership
Direction
Priorities
Strategy
National leadership
Appointing the government
Chairing the cabinet
Managing the executive
Prerogative powers
Managing relations with parliament
Representing the UK in international affairs
Who becomes Prime Minister
Member of Parliament
Home 1963
Leader of a political party
Command support
Thatcher 1990
Parliamentary majority
Hung Parliament
Negotiate with smaller parties
Conservative - Liberal coalition
The Prime Minister's Office
190 civil servants and special advisers
Policy Advice
Set future direction
Policy and implementation unit
Communications
Presentation of policy
How powerful is the PM?
Patronage
Life peers
Alter party balance
Blair (162 Labour)
The Honours System
'Cash for Honours' 2007
Honours Committees (independent)
Authority within the cabinet system
Chairs cabinet meetings
Purpose, cohesion and decision
Manages the agenda for political meetings
Structure of government
Cabinet committees
Drive agenda
Economy and Industrial Strategy Committee (2016)
Agenda setting
Controlling presented information
Bilateral meetings
Deciding the chair of committees
Policy - making input
Strong interest is central programme
Set objectives
Backing of senior ministers on major issues
Thatcher
Falklands War 1982 v Poll Tax
Blair
2003 Iraq Invasion
Brown
Financial crisis
Party leadership
Majority = strength
Rebellion
House of Lords reform
Cost and time for new leader
Public standing
PM has a high public profile
Strong and effective authority
Thatcher
Blair
Iraq war
Cameron
Austerity
Communicator - in - chief
House of Commons Liaison Committee
Appointing cabinet ministers
Create their own cabinet
2010 Coalition Agreement
Five Liberal MPs
Brown agreed not to stand against Blair
Ideological considerations
Thatcher 'dries' and 'wets'
Cabinet reshuffles
Freshen up, promote, demote
Thatcher
Geoffrey Howe 1989
The Cabinet
Collective responsibility
Symbolic but no real influence
Cabinet ministers
22 senior ministers
Heads of government departments
Treasury
Home Office
Foreign Office
Politically accountable
Lord Mandelson (Sec. Business, Enterprise)
Lord Adonis (Sec. Transport)
Cabinet meetings
Decrease of frequency and length
Seating arrangement
Advanced settled agenda
Cabinet committees
Standing committees
Autonomy to determine direction
PM creation
Examine priority issues
Important forums of discussion and resolution
The Cabinet Office
Provide support
Secretariat
Regulation and coordination
Meetings
Circulates papers
Prepares agenda
Responsible to PM
Role and power of the cabinet
Functions
Registering and ratifying decisions
Questions of collective responsibility
Unresolved dispute
Clearing house for policy
Discouraged from reopening issues
Ability to decide policy
Constrained by infrequency, size and nature
Discussing and making decisions
Important when
Major or unexpected developments
Issues are important
Unable to reach agreement
Advisory
2003 Membership to euro
Endorse opinion
Decline
Receiving reports on key developments
Keep abreast of events and discuss priorities
Parliamentary report
Outline week in business
Formal role
Clarify or question
Settling departmental disputes
Spending allocation
Court of Appeal role