Evaluate The View That Political Loyalty Is The Most Important Factor Governing The Prime Minister’s Selection Of Ministers.

Introduction

Paragraph Focus

• Para 1 = Political Loyalty vs Ideological Balance

• Para 2 = Political Loyalty vs Competence and Experience

• Para 3 = Political Loyalty vs Representation

Para 1 = Weaker Argument - Not the Most Important

• Prime Ministers have to balance selecting political allies with balancing different factions and maintaining support from across the part

• to make sure their party stays united, Prime Ministers select an ideologically balanced cabinet which represents different factions of the party

• Theresa May, for example, appointed a cabinet with a balance between Brexiteers (including Boris Johnson and David Davis) and Remainers (including Phillip Hammond and Jeremy Hunt).

• Keeping important members of the party who may oppose you in the cabinet is effective as they have to sign up to collective responsibility and are therefore unable to publicly challenge the government.

Para 1 = Stronger Argument - Most Important

• Prime Ministers seek to reward the loyalty of key allies and bring in ministers they know will support government policy in public.

• Loyalty was a major factor in Liz Truss' selection of her cabinet, almost all of whom had supported her in her leadership campaign.

• Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was a key political ally who was made Chancellor despite having very limited experience in government.

• The Prime Minister must be confident that ministers won't destabilise or embarrass the government by going off message or questioning its policies.

• In his 2020 cabinet reshuffle, for example, Boris Johnson sacked Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith as he had spoken out against a no deal Brexit.

Para 2 = Weaker Argument - Not the Most Important

• Prime Ministers consider individual competence and experience when selecting ministers

• Prime Ministers have to be confident that their minister's have the experience and specialist knowledge to run their department effectively.

• For example, Jeremy Hunt being brought in as Chancellor by both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak
  Having served in the cabinet for 9 years since 2010, Hunt was seen as a safe pair of hands after Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked and is a key reason why Sunak kept him as Chancellor after replacing Truss as Prime Minister.
  Another good example is Ben Wallace, who has been the Secretary of State for Defence under Johnson, Truss and now Sunak due to his experience as a former soldier and competence in his job.
  Prime Ministers also often consider the prospects of MPs becoming cabinet ministers in the future when selecting junior ministers, as they feel a responsibility to keep the party secure and in a good state for the future.
  Liz Truss, for example, was made a junior minister by Cameron in 2012 and remained in cabinet from 2014, enabling her rise in the party before she became leader and Prime Minister.

Para 2 = Stronger Argument - Most Important

Para 3 = Weaker Argument - Not the Most Important

Para 3 = Stronger Argument - Most Important