How effectively can PMs dominate cabinet?

How can a PM‘s ability to dominate the cabinet be impacted by the impact of circumstances?

The PMs ability to dictate events and policy is dependent in the current state of affairs; if the PM’s have less favourable circumstances, then their relationship with their cabinet ministers can be impacted and their ability to dictate policy. E.g. Theresa May post 2017 election

How can a PM‘s ability to dominate the cabinet be impacted by cabinet mechanisms?

• The PM usually chairs the weekly cabinet meeting. The PM ‘s usually allows some discussion, asserts their authority and sets out policy position, but not much formal decisions are made.

• Cabinet committees - most decisions are made in these committee. PMs can create, abolish or continue cabinet committees as they please. They also choose who is in the committee.

• Blair had many committees but routinely bypasses the cabinet structures by holding bilateral meetings. Brown reinvented cabinet committees with the National Economic Council during the 2008 economic crash.

• Cameron also set up task forces - groups of ministers designed to ensure press release would highlight govt priorities - May set up several Brexit-related committees

• However, many committees are just for show and policy may not be tested there.

How can the membership of committees help with cabinet relations?

Memberships are chosen by the PM who can use the committees to reward loyalists and involve junior ministers

How can a PM‘s ability to dominate the cabinet be impacted by the informality at the centre?

• May looked to establish a system of decision making at the gov to enable collective cabinet decisions- making at the centre of govt to enable collective cabinet decisions-making function.

• A PM with a strong electoral mandate (Tony Blair) was less keen on formal committee structures and preferred informal decision-making.

• Role of key advisors - May struggled to keep control over the decision-making process and her ministers - e.g. Dominic Green, who registered due to sexual misconduct allegations, highlighted May’s inability to manage the centre.

How can a PM‘s ability to dominate the cabinet be impacted by patronage powers?

With a minority government, patronage powers are weak - May was unable to shape her cabinet as she wished and utilised her powers of appointment. Cabinet factions - In July 2017, May had to warn her ministers about collective responsibility and address the factions in her party

How can a PM‘s ability to dominate the cabinet be impacted by the cabinet and its policy?

• The first monarch’s speech after the general election sets out the legislative agenda and which legislation will be given parliamentary time

• Cabinet divisions - Agreements in cabinets are desired but not always possible. It is dependent on the situation for the govt and the PM‘s authority over the divisions, then they can dominant the cabinet and shape events to their favour.