US + UK Executives compared

Structural similarities

Both PM and Pres are leaders of their party

• Pres gains the title after entering office

Structural differences

• Separation of powers vs. fusion of powers

  • PM is also within leg, Pres cannot be part of 2

• Pres can serve a maximum of 2 terms (22nd amendment)

  • PMs have no term limits

• Pres. are directly elected, PM gain position by being winning party leader

• Pres has all executive power vested in them (Article 2)

  • PM shares executive power with cabinet (primus inter pares) and monarch

Similarities in roles and powers

• Both appoint executive branch officials, including cabinet

• Both fulfil role of Chief Executive

• Both submit annual budgets to the legislature

• Both are elected

Differences in their roles and powers

• Pres head of state so sign / veto legislation

  • Monarch always signs (by convention)

• Pres appoints all federal judges

  • Independent JAC responsible since 2006

• Pres. has the power to pardon for federal charges

  • Power reserved for the monarch

• Pres appointments need confirmation by Senate

• PM is part of a collective executive

  • Pres is a singular executive

• UK budgets generally passed

  • US budgets debated for months(gov shutdowns)

• Pres. SotU is a ‘wish list’

  • King’s speech is the gov. ‘to-do list’

• PM has small No10 staff + cabinet

  • Pres. has large EXOP staff

Similarities in accountability + relations with legislature

• Present their budgets to the legislature

  • More pushback from congress

• Present legislative plans annually

• Can be removed by legislature

  • Impeachment (legal)

  • Vote of no confidence (Parliamentary)

    • But removes whole cabinet

Differences in accountability + relations with legislature

• Separation vs. fusion of powers

• PM position depends on being leader of largest party

  • Pres. party can be a minority in both Houses

• Party discipline is a large influence on MP voting

  • Party disciple mostly ineffective in the US

• President not personally questioned by Congress

  • PMQs where PM questioned by Parliament

• UK executive dominates legislature too

• Pres. presents ‘wish list’ in state of the union

  • Kings speech is a ‘to-do list’

Similarities between cabinets

• Many decisions are made by the Pres. / PM and their cabinets

• Both appoint their cabinets

• Use cabinet meetings to discuss policy decisions

Differences between cabinets

• All executive power vested in the Pres.

  • Hence cabinet members are officers + secretaries

• UK cabinet has real administrative power

• PM doesn’t need to seek confirmation for appointments

  • Pres appointments need Senate confirmation

• US cabinets likely won’t have worked together

  • PM + cabinet likely worked together in Parliament and potentially in shadow cabinet

    • Some may be political rivals: when Cameron faltered, Home Sec. May succeeded him

• US serving members of the leg. barred from serving

  • UK cabinet membership limited to MPs

• PM obliged to maintain frequent meetings

  • Pres decides frequency of meetings

• UK CMR usually applies

  • Not in the US

• US cabinet primarily advisors + lack decision making power

Similarities in their governments

• Both accused of an unjustifiable increase of the Chief Executive’s power at the expense of the legislature

  • ‘Imperial presidency’

  • ‘Elective dictatorship’

  • Less convincing following the fall of Thatcher and Nixon

Differences in their governments

• EXOP looks very different to the staff + support of Blair and Cameron

• PMs have always been in a much stronger position than presidents to achieve legislature goals