GOVERNMENT, CABINET AND THE CIVIL SERVICES

what is the difference between parliament and the government?

Parliament = The legislature

• the supreme law making body in the UK made up of House of Lords and House of Commons

Government = The executive

• The PM and their ministers who make decisions

What is the role of the government?

To ensure the country is running effectively, the economy is working and that vulnerable people have support

What is the role of the civil service?

To carry out government policies and put building blocks in place to get things working

What is the role of a civil servant?

Permanent employees of the govt who implement policy in the background , advise and support ministers and run essential public services

What is the role of the cabinet?

Collective decision making body

Consists of senior ministers who work at no 10 - at the heart of government operation

What are the three main roles in government?

Secretary of State , Minister of State , Parliamentary Under-Secretary

What is a Secretary of State and explain their role?

Senior government officials member who is responsible for running a particular department

role :

• set and oversee policy in their department

• set how their department should be run

• answering to the PM and Parliament

Eg Shabana Mahmood foreign secretary

What two conventions must all ministers abide by?

Collective responsibility and Individual Ministerial Responsibility

What is collective responsibility?

The idea that government should show a united front to the public. If a minister were to come out and criticise the government they’d be expected to resign

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

The idea that we’re a scandal to break out in a department the sec of state would be expected to take responsibility and if serious enough resign to separate the departments failure from the rest of the government

What role does the opposition play?

• the largest party in parliament

• Job to hold the government to account and act as a ‘government in waiting’ by presenting a different vision of how the country should be governed to public

• The LOTO is consulted on issues of national security

• Shadow ministers are appointed to hol their government counterparts to accounthold

What is a backbencher?

A backbencher is an MP who is not in the government or front bench of the opposition.

Can come from any party

What is the role of a backbencher?

650 MP’s are backbenchers

Their role is to scrutinise and hold the government to account

They debate and vote on laws and private members’ bills

They represent their constituents in parliament- can raise issues raised to them by their constituents (hold surgeries where constituents can visit to discuss any issue they’re having.

What is a private members bill?

a proposed law by a back bench MP or member of the House of Lords

Examples of Private Members Bill

The assisted dying bill

The upskirting bill

The Abortion Act

Abolition of the death penalty act

How can private members bill introduced?

the ten minute rule

• MP’s are entitled to a 10 minute speech to but forward their PMB proposition and raise awareness on the issue

the ballot

• a random draw at the beginning of the parliamentary year that allows backbenchers to put forward a PMB on certain Fridays

What is the role of a whip?

MP who is tasked with ensuring party discipline

Ensure MP’s votes with the party in parliament

persuades, coerces and pressurises MP’s in private

sends a weekly email on upcoming parliamentary votes and for

What is a one/two/three line whip?

Refers to the number of time a vote is underlined in the whips email signifying how important the vote is

What does it mean to ‘lose the whip’?

Metaphorical symbol signifying parliamentary membership

If a MP votes against what the whip has advised they loose their membership and have to vote as independent