Does the PM have too much power? arguments for and against

FOR

what do some people believe

PM yields too much power

FOR

What does a majority in the commons give PM control over

legislative process in the chamber

FOR

What help control PMs own backbenchers

whips

FOR

Examples of PMs who have been undefeated for at least a year in HOC

Tony Blair

Margaret Thatcher

Boris Johnson

Rishi Sunak

FOR

What is limited in it’s ability to check PM agenda

HOL

FOR

Example of lords not being effective at checking PM agenda

Sunak passing Safety of Rwanda Scheme 2024 unamended by HOL

FOR

What powers means the PM has significant control over their cabinet make up

powers of patronage

Who did Rishi Sunak appoint as deputy PM

Oliver Dowden

FOR

What allows PM to bypass parliament on many important aspects of decision making

prerogative powers

What did May and Rishi do with their prerogative powers

launched air strikes without holding votes in Parliament

FOR

What can be overruled with acts of Parliament

Supreme court rulings allowing PM with majority to bypass judicial checks

examples of overruling Supreme court

Gordon Brown with Terrorist Asset-Freezing act 2010

Rwanda Bill

FOR

What can nature of the constitution do

uncodified constitution means it can be adapted to increase executive power

What did the Coronavirus Act allow

executive to implement may policies without debate or votes in parliament

AGAINST

What do others argue?

PM faces significant checks and balances

AGAINST

what can all PMs be checked by

their own cabinets

what do cabinets usually contain

PMs biggest rivals and allies

AGAINST

who was forced to resign due to cabinet?

Thatcher Johnson Blair

AGAINST

wat has a reputation of being critical of politicians

UK’s news media

AGAINST

What can all PMs expect

to face intense media scrutiny of their governments performance and conduct

AGAINST

who frequently rules against high profile executive policies

Supreme court

Example for Blair

counter-terrorism measures

Example for Bojo

the prorogation of parliament

Example for Rishi

The Rwanda Bill

AGAINST

what is the HOL likely to do?

inflict legislative defeats onto the PM

5 PMS WHO WERE LIMITED IN THEIR POWER

Callaghan

May

Truss

AGAINST

How many commons defeats did Callaghan face

34 in 3 years

Why did Callaghan’s labour government lose the 1979 election

his government had been defeated in a motion of no confidence in the commons

What did Mays government lose in 2017

Commons majority

How many defeats did Mays government face in 2 years

33

What was May unable to pass and why

Her Brexit deal due to opposition within the party and she had to sign confidence and supply deal with DUP

as a result she had to resign

What did Lizz Truss have to abandon?

her tax-cutting neo liberal agenda

Who was Truss brought down by

backbench revolt

How long did Truss survive

44 days