UK Prime Minister And Cabinet Useful Terms

For A-Level UK Government and Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Civil servant

Employee of a government department. The most senior civil servants are involved with presenting political decision-makers with information, viable options and neutral advice. They are not politicians as they are not elected or accountable, and so cannot be involved in party politics, but they do have influence. They are permanent and are expected to faithfully serve ministers of any party equally. More junior members of the civil service, such as counter-clerks in the tax office of at the department of social security, will have face-to-face contact with the public, but will have no role in advising ministers.

Traditional authority

Authority that is considered legitimate because it has existed for a long historical period. The authority of the UK prime minister is traditional because they inherit the traditional authority of the monarchy.

Commander-in-chief

This term describes the person who has ultimate control over the deployment of the armed forces, including the security and intelligence services. In the UK the Prime Minister holds this position, delegated by the monarch.

Cabinet government

A situation where the main decision-making of government takers place in Cabinet. In modern history this is not normally the case. Its main alternative is the expression ‘prime ministerial government.’

Downing Street Machine

The various advisers, policy units and senior civil servants who work directly with the Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street to make strategic decisions before presenting them to Parliament or the Cabinet.

Cabinet committees

Small subcommittees of the Cabinet, formed to establish the details of government policies. Their recommendations are usually adopted by full Cabinet.

Coalition

A type of government, rare in the UK but common in the rest of Europe, where two or more parties share government posts and come to agreement on common policies. Coalitions occur when no single party can command a majority in the legislature.

Reshuffle

Occurs when a prime minister changes the make-up of their government. A major reshuffle is when a number of Cabinet members are dismissed, appointed or have their jobs changed.

Sofa politics

A style of governing attributed to Tony Blair, but common to other prime ministers such as Gordon Brown. It refers to the practice of conducting informal meetings with colleagues outside Cabinet, often with private advisers in attendance, so as to control policy-making.

Hung parliament

A situation where, after a general election, no one party has an overall majority of the seats in the House of Commons. It means that either a minority government or a coalition must be formed.

Inner cabinet

A small group of very senior ministers, including the Prime Minister, who dominate the development of government policy.

Prime ministerial coattails

A term that refers to the idea of a PM being so personally popular that a lot of MPs win their seats on the back of PM’s popularity, so they are dragged in Parliament by metaphorically holding on to the coattails of the PM.