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Politics 5 : The Prime Minister and the Executive - Coggle Diagram
Politics 5 : The Prime Minister and the Executive
The structure of the executive
part of one of three branches (executive, legislative and the judiciary)
executive make policy decisions, take actions and run the country (appears mist dominant)
Made up of PM, the Cabinet, junior ministers and the civil service
described as being under control of the monarch but is illusion and instead is the PM and cabinet
usually about 120 MPs and peers
recently has had growth in special advisors employed as civil servants
eg Nick Timothy and Fiona hill 2016 to May for 2017 election campaign but took control in writing manifesto which was unpopular
eg Dominic Cummings in 2019 to Johnson for election but caught making decisions abt gov policy so resigned in 2020
Individuals or bodies
PM
Cabinet
Treasury
government appartments
Role of the executive
to govern and ensure the country operates effectively by making decisions and come up with ideas
Proposing legislation
Proposing a budget
making policy decisions with laws and the budget
Other functions
conducting foreign policy
organising defence of the country (internally and externally)
responding to major problems/ crises
controlling and managing the forces law and order
organising and managing services provided by the state
The sources of Prime Ministeral power and authority
Traditional authority
Monarch no longer has powers
PM gets monarchs powers and technically is head of state
Ritual appears monarch appointing PM but is an illusion
PM inherits traditional authority of monarch with their approval
Party
PM leader of largest party in HoC so if this changes so does PM
eg Labour 2007 blair to brown
eg 2016 Cameron to may
Patronage
power of an individual to make important appointments
those in high offices tend to be loyal to those who appointed them
disloyal = dismissal
PM appoints ministers, peer and heads of state bodies
They are loyal to PM increasing power and influence
parliament
losing parties recognise authority of the PM
parliament can dismiss whole gov with vote of no confidence
larger the majority the more power of the PM
1995 Major had disloyal backbenchers so he resigned as party leader but got re elected by party members boosting his power and authority
The people
PM isn't directly elected by the people
However PM does still have degree of authority from the people
Cause problem for PM who got their position without an election
The powers of the UK PM
Patronage
hiring and firing
eg replacing Suella Braveman as home secretary with James Cleverly
Chairing cabinet and setting agenda
Cleverly moved from foreign to home secretary and Cameron placed in this role
Rwanda plan
Foreign policy leader
Deals with Ukraine and Zelensky eg Jan 2024 Security deal
Rishi with Brexit talks
Acting as commander-in-cheif
Rishi bombed Yemen without consulting parliament (did consult Starmer the first time)
Signing treaties
UK-Ukraine agreement on security cooperation in Jan 2024 £2.5bil
Calling elections
power to call elections at any time
"looking at the second half of the year"
July 2024 election
The nature of the Cabinet
Consists of 20-25 senior gov ministers which PM controls eg Blair 'sofa style' gov
Main members if the cabinet
PM
Chancellor of the Exchquer
Secretary of state and foreign security
Home secretary
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Lord Chancellor/ secretary of state for justice
secretary of state for defence
secretary of state for health and social car
People who attend cabinet meetings but aren't full members
Chief secretary to the Treasury
Leader of the HoC and Lord president of the Council
Chief Whip
Attorney General for England and Wales
Individuals may be invited if they have special knowledge but won't part take in discussion
One civil servant always attends (the cabinet secretary) currently Simon Case
Features of the cabinet
Only members of governing party can attend (apart from coalition)
Meet once a week on a Thursday and aren't longer than 2 hours
Emergency cabinet meeting can be called
PM chairs meeting and sets agenda
Proceedings of cabinet are secret
Cabinet usually doesn't vote on issues and members who dissent in public would be forced to resign from cabinet
PM approves minutes (decisions record) made by cabinet secretary
Members receive enhanced salary
The role of the Cabinet
Role is often changing with political circumstance and unclear as PM role is unwritten convention
Cabinet can be used to make emergency decisions (eg Taliban in Afghanistan, Blair with Iraq in 2003 and 1982 Thatcher with the Falklands)
Cabinet will set way policy is presented to parliament, own MPs and the media appearing united
Disputes between ministers which can't be resolved will go to cabinet as final 'court of appeal'
settle gov agenda and decide what business should be brought to parliament
The structure of the cabinet
The PM
will develop own proposals
when ministers oppose the PM they resign
Sir Geoffrey Howe to Thatcher in 1989 over European policies
Blair lost 2 over Iraq in 2003
highly damaging for PM
May lost 11 in a year and a half over brexit
The Chancellor
supported by PM
Present economic and financial policy
Autumn Statement
The Budget
The cabinet committees
detailed policy is worked out in small groups of cabinet members
chaired by PM or senior minister
Individual ministers
policies that require wider approval presented by relevant minister and aided by their civil servant
Groups of ministers
policies often developed by advisor policy units and think tanks which then are adopted by ministers and brought to the cabinet
The powers of the UK cabinet
legitimising gov policy
setting the legislative agenda
supporting the PM but can also drive them out of power (eg Blair or May)
deciding on gov policy
can overrule PM if there is enough support (eg 2015 Cameron forced to suspend collective responsibility over EU)
Cabinet doesn't really have much power of its own
Collective responsability
When decisions are taken collectively by the executive so are all responsible and will defend policy
Principles
Ministers are collectively responsible for all gov policies
All ministers must publically support gov policy
If minister dissents gov policy they have to resign
If the dissent without resigning they can be dismissed by PM
Cabinet meetings are secret
Means PM can rely on about 120 votes called payroll votes
Execeptions to collective responsibility
Coalition gov agreed to openly disagree of some things like intervention in Syrian war
During EU referendum conservative ministers could disagree (eg Gove and Johnson against) also happened in 1975 for member ship of EEC
Cook (leader of house) should have resigned under Blair over Iraq
2017-19 many of May's ministers criticised her Brexit deal and 50 resigned forcing her to resign
Howe (dep PM) and Lawson (Chancellor) resigned under Thatcher
Individual Ministerial responsability
Individually responsible for their department
Doctrine of Individual responsibility includes
Ministers have to be prepared to be held accountable in Parliament for their decisions and policy making
If a minister makes a serious error in judgment they have to resign
If major error happens in their department (even if not their fault) they have to resign
If they fall behind on standards required and break ministerial code they should leave office and face dismissal by PM
Last time minister resigned was Home secretary Amber Rudd over windrush scandal
2019 Gavin Williamson defence secretary sacked for leaking security council meeting
Gavin Williamson education secretary CAGs for a levels took a U turn
Priti Patel
Broke IMR over bullying but Johnson refused to sack her
The PM and the cabinet
Their Powers
Powerful PMs use cabinet less and vice versa
Blair and Thatcher used cabinet less
Major and Cameron used cabinet more
Ways PM constructs cabinet
pack cabinet with PMs allies ensuring unity but may lack critical voices (used by Thatcher and Blair)
Pick balanced cabinet with different policies (used by May and Major)
To pick cabinet with best possible people (not used since Wilson and Callaghan)
PMs use patronage to reshuffle cabinet to re-assert authority and ensure quality gov
Factors affecting cabinet appointments
Party Unity - eg May appointed hard and soft brexiters and Johnson removed many soft
Experience
More experiences adds more weight but more difficult to control and could be potential opposition
Cameron appointed Hague and Duncan Smith to coalition cabinet May removed Osborne and Johnson
Ability and talent
Sunak made Chancellor in 2020 after being in junior posts
in 2012 Lansley removed as health secretary
Allies and advisiors
Brown had Manderson as a peer so he could be in the cabinet
Cameron made Osbourne Chancellor
External pressure
Rudd was forced to resign after Windrush
Hunt survived pressure to resign after phone hacking scandal
coalition agreement
Lib Dem MP Huhne forced to resign as secretary of state and replaced by Ed Davey
Diversity
Increased amount of female and BAME cabinet ministers since 1997
May just reflect greater diversity in Parliament
Change in relationship
up to 1960s
PM seen as 'first amoung equals'
called a cabinet government
1960-2010
called 'Prime Ministeral government'
cabinet not expected to work as a collective body but should support PM eg Mowliam said in 2001 "Blaie makes decisions" and they just advise him
Thatcher dominated cabinet through force
Blair marginalised cabinet through 'sofa politics'
2010-19
Cameron marginalised cabinet and used 'inner cabinet' (called the Quad)
known as golden age for cabinet
2019- now
returned to prime ministeral gov
role marginalised again
Factors affecting Prime Ministerial Power
Having large majority in the HoC
can afford to dismiss rebels
Thatcher and Blair 4 defeats
May had 33 defeats
Attitudal cohesion of their party
can make bold decisions even with small majority
EU divisions with Major and May
Unified under Thatcher, Johnson and Blair (first 2 terms)
Securing an electoral mandate for manifesto commitments
Coalition gov no mandate had issues with the lords
Unsecure mandate may loo weak to media
May no mandate v Johnson clear mandate
Having 'Prime ministerial coatails'
MPs who wouldn't normally have their seat do and 'owe' the PM
eg Johnson breakdown of the Red Wall
Having alot of new MPs
newer MPs will need guidence helping MP gain authority
Johnson after red wall
Low salience of issues
eg Blair facing Iraq and before was successful
fear of the alternatives as they could call election if lack of support - used by Major in 1990s to try control conservatives
Being first term gov
problems can be blamed of previous gov
time can show bad decisions
Major after Thatcher or May after Cameron
External factors
devolution
when UK was in EU
membership of NATO limits foreign policy options esp in middle east
Economic policy can reduce power eg in 2008