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EVALUATE THE VIEW THAT MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS LARGELY IGNORED -…
EVALUATE THE VIEW THAT MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS LARGELY IGNORED
IMR is largely ignored because ministers don't always resign over policy failure.
Ministers try to divert the blame away from themselves, possibly because they feel it's unfair that they should have to resign for mistakes made by the department as a whole.
For example, Gavin Williamson refused to resign after the scandal over exam grades, instead blaming Ofqual for the scandal, emphasising a lack of responsibility.
Ministers are considered responsible for the policy of their department, and should resign if there are problems with their department's policy, but this doesn't always happen.
Ministers have regularly resigned due to personal misconduct.
In cases of personal misconduct governments are quick to demand answerability and accountability.
There are multiple examples of ministers remaining after personal misconduct, including Priti Patel and the accusations of bullying.
For example, Damian Green resigned after breaching the ministerial code by making 'misleading' statements about pornography allegations, and Gavin Williamson was sacked in connection with a leak from a security council meeting.
Ministers often return to cabinet after a certain amount of time penance on the backbenchers, as demonstrated by David Laws.
Personal misconduct is when the ministers themselves make mistakes, which isn't directly connected to their ability to run a particular department, convention is regularly applied in these cases.
Individual ministerial responsibility is ignored because ministers haven't resigned due to the mistakes of officials.
Also, perhaps the reason she resigned was due to personal misconduct, as she did mislead Parliament, reinforcing the idea that official mistakes are ignored, as then there would be no recent examples.
In fact, one of the only examples of this occurring recently is the resignation of Amber Rudd in 2018. Incorrect info was given to her by her officials, suggesting it was official errors which made her resign, but considering this is only one case it demonstrates how official mistakes are largely ignored.
Government ministers are meant to take responsibility for operational matters handled by officials in departments or executive agencies, but this is very rare.
Ministers are sometimes forced to resign due to pressure from the media.
The media are able to be a voice for the public, and help hold ministers accountable.
Ministers can remain in their position if they're popular in the media, or if they're supported by the prime minister. For example, Robert Jentrick has been backed by Boris Johnson, and Alistair Campbell suggested if ministers can withstand the media barrage for more than a week, they can stay in office.
For example, Shahid Malik was forced to step down as Justice Minister over an expenses scandal due to public outrage and media pressure, and Andrew Mitchell also faced media pressure in the plebgate scandal.
Media response to actions of ministers can mean a swift removal of support from their political party, and pressure from the media can lead to resignations.
Collective ministerial responsibility has been suspended and openly breached.
Furthermore, ministers have sometimes openly breached collective responsibility and kept their position, at least for a while.
For example, Nick Clegg was very critical of David Cameron's policy at the EU Summit in December 2011.
For example, CMR was suspended for the 2011 AV Referendum, and for the Levinson Report.
Ministers have been able to get away with going against the govt.
Collective cabinet responsibility means ministers must support all decisions and actions of the govt in public, and resign if they feel unable to do so, but in the last decade this part of the convention has sometimes been suspended.
CMR has led to resignations.
David Cameron set aside the convention for the 2016 EU Referendum, and ministers continued to speak out against the govt throughout Brexit negotiations.
Breaches of collective responsibility have primarily come about in the last ten years, suggesting it's becoming a trend to ignore the convention.
Has been used to promote govt solidarity and secrecy.
For example, Phillip Lee resigned in opposition to the govt's Brexit approach, and Andrew Lewer was fired from his role when a letter urging recipients not to leak info to the press ended up on the Gudio Fawkes website.
According to CMR, there must be govt solidarity and discussion of policy should take place in private, so when ministers go against the govt or leak info, they should resign, and this has happened.