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Prime Minister and the Cabinet - Coggle Diagram
Prime Minister and the Cabinet
The Cabinet is the highest tier of executive government and includes the PM, it's roles include:
Making final policy decisions, coordinating the development of policy sorting ministerial disagreements, managing parliamentary business and emergencies
Cabinet committees are groups of cabinet ministers designed to allow discussions with a few ministers in the Cabinet, approximately 25 main cabinet committees who advise policy (National Security Council)
Power of the PM
His role includes appointment / firing of ministers, and setup of departments, directing government policy particularly in times of crisis, making statements both in the Commons and internationally
They also have "royal prerogative" powers which exercised on behalf of the monarch by the PM, not requiring Parliament's permission, evolved organically over time
The 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act limited some of the PM's royal prerogative, the ability to call elections was replaced by five year terms
Some of the "royal prerogative" include making treaties, heading civil service, patronage and deploying the military
Selecting Ministers is perhaps the most important power, many will be close allies that have supported their rise to power, a "big beast", high ability or require ideological balance
Occasionally the PM promotes political adversaries, e.g Bojo to Theresa May's cabinet. Alternatively they may promote social inclusion in the cabinet, e.g David Cameron or promote good parliamentarians as they often face close scrutiny
Is Cabinet still important?
Yes
More important under coalition, also deals with COBRA emergencies not just the PM
Only place to deal with ministerial disputes outside of the public eye and reconciles coalition partners
Discuss government strategy and goals,occasionally makes key decisions (2017 GE) and some cabinet ministers have their own department
No PM can survive without cabinet support, and can influence or override the PM (Thatcher's aided her departure)
No
The PM has significant powers of patronage, and rely on them less for policy, preferring special advisors
Collective Responsibility silences dissenters, Cabinet meets less and the number / nature of members is decided by the PM
PM's shape cabinet agenda, the growth of committees is way for the PM to select his "inner committee" and a cabinet united has enormous power
Power of the Cabinet and the PM - this has evolved over time and is often stretched to different extents by PM's
limits to patronage include political and social representation, including rivals from all sides
Limits over the party - loyalty is dependent on chances of electoral success, backbench rebellions and possibility of leadership challenge
Institutional support - there has been a growth in support for the PM, but there is still no formally structured PM department, powers of other departments often overshadow and is miniscule compared to that of the U.S president
Powers over government - they call, chair and set the agenda for Cabinet meetings / Cabinet committees, many feel the executive is dominated by the presidential government, but the PM still requires Cabinet support on major issues, "big beasts" have their own authority and any threat of resignation can damage a PM