PM & the executive key concepts

Political Executive

Includes PM and ministers. Responsible for formulating policy, setting direction, and governing.

Official Executive (Civil Service)

Permanent, politically neutral officials who advise ministers and implement policies. Operate independently of party politics.

Prime Minister — Key Roles

Forms a government via patronage, directs government policy and strategic goals, chairs Cabinet and controls its structure and agenda, organises government departments and oversees the civil service, controls Parliament as leader of the majority party, and provides national leadership during crises (e.g., war, pandemic).

Cabinet Composition

About 20 senior ministers, including the Great Offices of State (Chancellor, Home, Foreign Secretaries). Acts as the PM's core advisory body.

Cabinet Dynamics

PM decides who is in Cabinet. Must consider party balance and factions, talent and loyalty, political rivals ('keep enemies close'), and diversity and representation.

Ministers vs Civil Servants vs SpAds

Ministers set direction and represent government; civil servants remain regardless of government, advise and implement policy; Special Advisers (SpAds) are temporary political appointees, offer partisan advice or media support (e.g., Alastair Campbell, Fiona Hill).

Individual Responsibility

Ministers are accountable for departmental actions and misconduct or mistakes.

Examples of Individual Responsibility

Lord Carrington (Falklands, 1982), Amber Rudd (Windrush, 2018), Robert Jenrick (Rwanda policy, 2023), Dominic Raab (bullying, 2023).

Personal Misconduct Examples

Damian Green (porn allegations), Michael Fallon (harassment).

Collective Responsibility

All ministers must publicly support Cabinet policy, encourages unity, gives PM control; Cabinet leaks or public dissent may lead to resignation.

Examples of Collective Responsibility

Sajid Javid (2020, over SpAds), Robin Cook (2003, Iraq War), Ian Duncan Smith (2016, welfare).

Exceptions & Weakening of Collective Responsibility

Suspended for EU referendum (2016), coalition government reduced unity, increasing public dissent (e.g., Brexit Cabinets under May).

Cabinet Government

Traditional model: Cabinet is supreme, collective decision-making, PM is first among equals. Reality: Rare today; PMs dominate but still need Cabinet support.

Prime Ministerial Government

Post-war view: PM dominates the executive and Parliament. Cabinet advises, but real power lies with the PM.

Presidentialism

PMs resemble presidents due to spatial leadership, populist outreach, personalised elections, use of SpAds, and strengthened Cabinet Office.

Formal Powers (Royal Prerogative)

Appoint/dismiss ministers, command armed forces, sign treaties, grant honours, dissolve Parliament (restored in 2022), direct the civil service.

Informal Powers

Leadership of the majority party, patronage and loyalty, media and public presence, Cabinet management.

Elastic Band Theory (George Jones)

PM power expands/contracts depending on context. Never all-powerful or powerless — success depends on various factors.

Key Determinants of PM Power

Style and Personality, Cabinet Support, Party Support, Parliamentary Majority, Public Popularity, Media Performance, Events & Crises.

Public Popularity

High ratings boost authority (Thatcher, Blair early years); decline leads to crisis (May post-2017, Johnson post-Covid).

Events & Crises

Can boost or break PMs; e.g., Thatcher: Falklands = strength; Poll Tax = downfall.