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PM & CABINET - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Blair only came into Parliament once a week for PMQs - Alike the US system of the separation of powers.
        
        However the formal balance of power is very different to that of the US
  - - - Prime-ministerial government - This observation was first made by Richard Crossman (1963) in a new introductions to Bagehot’s ‘English Constitution’. This shift was seen to be a post-war change where the PM became the focus of of executive power and the Cabinet simply provides support and advice.
      - presidentialism - This theory came to the foreground in the 1990s seen in (Micheal Foley, The Rise of British Presidency, 1993, 2001).This model does overlap in some elements with the Prime MInisterial government model, and cites example figures as Blair, Thatcher and Wilson.
      - Cabinet government - This is a traditional view of executive power which claims that power is shared equally within the cabinet and all ministers have the same power to influence the government. This idea is underpinned by the convention of collective responsibility. There is a suggestion that this is outdated.
    - - Collective responsibility, individual ministerial responsibility.
        
        The cabinet has become more disposable which has led to the rise of the power of the PM
  - - - Ministers
        
        4 great offices of state - inner circle
        
        Prime Minister, Chancellor of the exchequer, Foreign Secretary, Home Office
        
        Cabinet minister each run their own department - there are around 25 but this number fluctuates.
        
        Junior ministers are responsible for sections of government departments.
      - Civil servants
        
        completing the work of government no matter who is in power - permanent secretaries here are headed by the cabinet secretary
      - Special advisers
        
        they hold expertise in a specific area, some special advisers are responsible for the media they are known as ‘spin doctors’ (Malcolm Tucker)
        
        eg - Campbell and Blair or Cummings and Johnson.
    - - The Political executive - aka the government made up of elected ministers whose jobs it is to oversee the direction and coordination of government policy.
      - The official executive - or bureaucracy, elite civil servants who provide expert advice and implement government policy.
    - - In 1867 Walter Bagehot described the role of the PM as ‘primus inter pares’ or ‘first among equals’
      - Key roles:
        
        Forming a government, the power to 'higher and fire' (Patronage). - Directing government policy
        
        Managing the cabinet system - reshuffles, meetings, cabinet committees.
        
        Providing national leadership through the lens of the media.
        
        Organising government and controlling parliament, allows them to introduce secondary legislation allowing the executive to amend laws without the authority of parliament.
      - Considerations for cabinet appointments
        
        Big Beasts, ability, wings of the party, rivals
- - - - This can be split into legal and political responsiblity.
      - Key Scandal
        
        John Profumo - War minister under Wilson in the 60s
        He was having an affair with a woman who was also having an affair with the head of the secret service. He denied this and therefore misled the house, he ended up in Jail for perjury.
    - - EG - In 2018, Amber Rudd was forced to resign when she inadvertently misled parliament when answering questions over the existence of targets regarding the Windrush scandal.
    - - EG - Andrew Mitchell resigned in 2012 for allegedly (but now proven incorrectly) calling police officers on duty at No 10 ‘fucking plebs’. + 2025 Angela Rayner Stamp duty
  - - - Yes
        
        Creates a unified government where ministers are held to account see through resignations over Brexit deals.
        
        Flexible convention which can be suspended, seen through Cameron allowing ministers to campaign either way on Brexit.
        
        Ensures that ministers stay in line.
        
        creates accountability for government departments - seen through Rudd 2018.
      - No
        
        Ministers often disagree but do not resign which creates splits in the cabinet
        
        The flexibility of collective responsibility also has its downsides, the PM can be seen to set it aside ‘when it suits them’. It is just used as a management solution when it is needed.
        
        Not legally binding or consistently applied.
        
        While individual ministerial responsibility is clear ministers may look to shift the blame to others to deflect backlash. Matt Hancock pushed COVID blame onto public health England.
- - - - There is not much known about where power actually lies in the executivy at any one time - its not public facing.
    - - Powers
        
        The number 10 team is key for the coordination of power with a policy unit and cabinet office at the PMs disposal.
        
        Civil servants also staff number 10.
        
        Spads play a key role in number 10 particularly when it comes to comms - the use is rising. Where major had 8 Blair had 50.
        
        Boris Johnson’s most important and infamous special advisor was Cummings
      - Limits
        
        The set up around the PM does not constitutionally mean as much power as in a lot of other nations.
        
        Special advisers can become a liability - Campbell and the death of Dr David Kelly.
        
        chief of staff can make the wrong calls - seen through mcsweeney's moves in the current Starmer government
    - - William Hauge - The tories are ‘a party of absolute monarchy and occasional regicide’
      - Powers
        
        The PM has considerable power as the leader of the majority party in the commons. The bigger the majority, the greater the power. Backbench MPs can be used as lobby fodder.
        
        Blair's three figure majority meant that he didn't loose a vote in the commons until 2005.
        
        Members and MPs understand that party splits are problematic and therefore chose to unite over a leader - Johnson created agreement over Brexit where may could not
        
        The PM and other government ministers are also MPs and are able to sit and vote in Parliament. This gives the government a headstart in legislation.
      - Limits
        
        PMs with small majorities will be limited by Parliament because backbench rebellions can destabilize their position. They need to ensure party unity to get things done. Coalition governments have even further issue with this.
        
        The Commons can effectively remove a government by forcing a vote of confidence
        
        a lack of popularity with the wider electorate trumps the backing from the party as PM - Starmer 2025
        
        The House of Lords is a limit on the PM’s leadership because the governing party does not have majority control of the second chamber.
  - - - For
        
        Ministers can be powerful in their own right (big beasts - Brown under Blair.) and have the ability to kill off prime ministers - Thatcher.
        
        The cabinet provides authority to government decisions - cabinet must back policy.
        
        Cabinet were the ones who decided to hold the snap election in 2017.
        
        PMs must be careful with their powers of patronage, a bad reshuffle can destroy a party.
        
        Ministerial resignations can really shake up government and caused the end of Johnson.
        
        The resignation of Geoffrey Howe was really what finished off Thatcher (1990). Over disagreements on Europe.
        
        The Cabinet is particularly important in times of national crisis; they meet in COBRA
      - Against
        
        The Cabinet now meets less frequently than in the past and they are often seen as a ‘rubber stamp’ for policy.
        
        PMs can manipulate policy decisions through selective one on one meetings - this method was favoured by both Cameron and Blair.
        
        PM splits the cabinet up into committees and can control the outcome of these meetings.
        
        PM leads and chairs these meetings - and can also use powers of patronage to push an agenda and force loyalties
      - examples of the use of patronage
        
        Thatcher consolidated her position in government in 1983 after dominating her cabinet with Thatcherites ‘wets’ instead of on nation conservatives ‘drys’.
        
        In Feb 2020 chancellor Sajid Javid refused to fire his special advisers so was replaced by Rishi Sunak.
    - - are a set of powers which would in theory be carried out by the monarch but are exercised by the PM on the monarch’s behalf, this convention is part of our constitutional monarchy.
      - Examples
        
        Sign treaties
        
        Grant honours
        
        Declare war and command armed forces
    - - Differences from personality/style
        
        Laissez-faire leadership: these are leaders that have a very ‘hands-off’ approach to leadership and do not interfere with matters out of their responsibility. Douglas Home and Cameron.
        
        Transactional leaders: Leaders who attempt to uphold the government through a fine balance of individuals. Edward Heath and John Major.
        
        Transformational leaders: These are inspirational leaders who hold a strong ideological stance and political will - Thatcher and Blair.
      - What can constrain power?
        
        Cabinet - EG The ‘Wets’ were the more one nation wing of the party under Thatcher and they posed a serious challenge to the PM (1981-1982).
        
        Events (dear boy) - COVID-19 killed the credibility of the 2019-2024 tory government.
        
        The party - EG Johnson 2020 he was forced into U-turns by his Parliamentary party as they lost faith with his ability, through scandals like Partygate.
        
        Portrayal in the media - Campbell's ability to spin and Blair's close relationship with Murdoch allowed Blair at least at the to get a good look in the media.
        
        Majority size - May (2017) with the help of the DUP had a 'working majority' of 13, this meant that she could not push a Brexit deal through.
        
        popularity in the polls - Starmer's leadership (2025) is undermined by his low polling.