Paper 2- The Prime Minister and the Executive

What are the lowest to highest positions in the Executive?

The Civil Service, Junior Ministers, The Cabinet Ministers, and the Prime Minister

What are Cabinet Ministers?

Senior people in the executive, they are responsible for running government departments- such as the Home Office- they also make policy decisions.

What are Junior Ministers?

Members if the executive who assist the senior minister in the running and policy decisions of a government department.

What is the Civil Service?

Permanent officials who carry out the day- to day- running of government departments. They advise ministers and enact policy decisions- they don’t make policy decisions.

Give a couple of examples of different jobs you can have within the civil service…

• Government Finance Function- helps ensure public money is spent effectively.

• Project Management and Delivery Function- support professional planners and planning inspectors.

Traditional Authority is a source of Prime Ministerial Authority and power, how does it give the PM authority or power?

As the monarch cannot exercise their powers, they delegate them to the PM. When using these powers, the PM is representing the whole nation. The PM inherits traditional authority of the Monarch.

Party is a source of Prime Ministerial Authority and power, how does it give the PM authority or power?

The PM is always the leader of the largest party following a general election. The PM’s authority comes from the people through the leading party. If a party changes leader, the new leader is automatically PM. PM’s have the power to lead policy making.

The people are a source of Prime Ministerial Authority and power, how does it give the PM authority or power?

The PM has a degree of authority given to him from the people, as the people voted him or her in- this causes a problem for PMs who rise to their position without an election- they are less accountable.

Parliament is a source of Prime Ministerial Authority and power, how does it give the PM authority or power?

The PM gains power over Parliament as they are the leader of the largest party in Parliament.

Give an example of the PM exercising his power to negotiate foreign treaties…

The PM signed a landmark defence agreement with the Japenese PM on 11 January 2024, allowing UK forces to be deployed to Japan.

Give an example of when the PM exercised his role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces…

Rishi Sunak has authorised military intervention after the UK joined the US in launching air strikes against Houthi linked targets in Yemen.

He was criticised by parties such as the Lib Dems for not seeking Parliamentary approval- he had no legal requirement to do so.

Give an example of the PM setting the general tone of economic policy…

On Jan 4th 2023, Sunak pledged to:

• Halve inflation

• Grow the economy

• Cut NHS waiting lists

• Stop the immigration boats

He wasn’t specific about the time frame for delivering his pledges, apart from to halve inflation by the end of the year.

Give an example of the PM heading the Cabinet System ( choosing its members, setting agenda….)

Sunak resisted making too many changes to his top team in his November Reshuffle. He sacked Suella Braveman from Home Secretary, and brought David Cameron back into government as Home Secretary.

How likely is it for the cabinet to question a Prime ministerial initiative?

Very rare.

If ministers oppose the PM, what will they usually do?

Resign

Where is the most detailed policy worked out?

In small committees consisting of cabinet members and Junior Ministers.

How likely is it for Cabinet committees to secure approval?

Very likely as the committees present their proposals to the full cabinet and are usually accepted.

How likely is the Chancellor of the Exchequer to secure approval?

Very likely as the Exchequer is almost always supported by the PM.

How likely are individual ministers to secure approval?

A minister who is backed by the PM is in a very good position to secure approval. However, dissent is most likely here, so this could mean that they are less likely to secure approval.

How likely are Groups of Ministers to secure approval?

Very likely as any amendments have already been decided.

List some powers of the UK cabinet…

Legitimising government policy, setting the legislative agenda, supporting the PM, and deciding on government policy.

What is Collective ministerial responsibility?

Governing in the UK is a collective exercise as a whole. It means that all ministers are collectively responsible for all executive policies and decisions. All ministers will defend and publicly support all official policies.

List a few principles of collective ministerial responsibility:

• Ministers are collectively responsible for all government policies.

• All ministers must publicly support all government policies, even if they privately disagree with them

• If a minister wishes to publicly dissent from a government policy, they are expected to resign first.

• If a minister dissents without resigning, they can expect to be dismissed by the PM.

• Any dissent within the government is concealed.

Why is collective ministerial responsibility Important?

It supports Prime Ministerial powers, a PM’s authority is enhanced by the fact that they won’t experience open dissent within government, it is important that government presents as united to the open world.

List some reasons to suggest that collective ministerial responsibility does have a negative impact on the UK political system.

• Puts too much power into the hands of the PM.

• Ministers cannot be openly honest about their views on policy- could cause debate within government.

• Resignations are dramatic events that may seriously undermine the government.

List some reasons to suggest that collective ministerial responsibility does not have a negative impact on the UK political system.

• Creates a strong united government.

• The public, Parliament, and the media are presented with a clear, single version of government policy.

• The confidentiality of the cabinet means that ministers can engage in frank discussions in private.

During the 2010-15 coalition government, why did an exception to collective ministerial responsibility need to be made?

It would have been impossible for ministers from two different parties to agree on every policy- no one would have believed them had they made such a claim.

During the 2010-15 coalition what alterations were made to the concept of collective ministerial responsibility?

• The coalition arrived at a coalition agreement, which included all the policies the two party leaderships decided should be common to both sets of ministers.

During the 2016 EU referendum there had to be an exception made to collective ministerial responsibility, why?

Because during the campaign, Conservative ministers were free to express views counter to the official government position- the UK should remain in the EU rather than leave.

During the 2017-19 Brexit deal, why did an exception to collective ministerial responsibility need to be made?

During the Brexit deal, Theresa May failed to exert collective ministerial responsibility as various cabinet ministers became openly critical of her Brexit deal.

She tried to find consensus between two deeply divided sides and forced any key cabinet ministers to resign, despite their open hostility towards her deal. This may have lead to a loss of support.

During the 2017-19 Brexit deal, what alterations were made to the concept of collective ministerial responsibility?

Forcing the PM to resign through public criticism.

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

It is where ministers are responsible for their own personal conduct and their department.

List some key principle of individual ministerial responsibility…

• Ministers must offer themselves to be accountable to Parliament.

• There is no specific way in which Parliament can remove ministers, however if a minister makes a serious error of judgement, they are required to resign.

• If a serious error is made by the minister’s department, whether or not the minister was involved, the minister has to resign.

• If the conduct of a minister falls below standards, they should leave office and may face dismissal by the PM.

What is the Executive and what is it’s job?

It is one of the three branches of government, and it’s job is to execute laws or make them happen. It is responsible for making policy decisions, taking action, and running the country.

How many MPs is the executive comprised off?

About 120

What are the main roles of the executive?

• Proposing Legislation.

• Proposing a budget.

• Making policy decisions.

Give an example of a private members bill and it’s purpose.

The Abortion bill. It is a bill to lower gestational time limit for abortion from twenty-four weeks to twenty-two weeks.

It was a private members bill from Baroness O’Loan.

The bill hasn’t been passed yet, it is in the process.

Give an example of a private members bill by Vicky Ford

The Affordable Housing bill. Designed to make provision to enable local authorities to establish planning obligations relating to affordable housing.

List some of Rishi Sunak’s recent actions:

• Wants to lower taxes.

• Refusing to acknowledge leadership issues.

• Promised to half inflation.

• Declared that Rwanda is a safe country.

• Trying to get a bill passed to ban/restrict mobile phone usage at school.

List a couple of examples of when prerogative powers were executed by the PM:

• In 1982, Margaret Thatcher sent a task force to ‘liberate’ the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic from Argentine Occupation.

• In 2011, David Cameron committed the Royal Air Force to air strikes in the Libyan civil war to save the democratic rebels.

Is there often disagreement between Parliament and the cabinet?

No

What does the cabinet do to make it be called the ‘rubberstamp’?

It confirms decisions that have already been made by the PM.

How many people does the cabinet consist of?

between 20 and 25

What category do most of the members of the cabinet fall into?

Most of them are senior ministers in charge of large government departments.

What are the four great officers of state?

• PM

• Chancellor of the Exchequer

• First secretary of state and secretary of state for foreign and common wealth affairs.

• Home Secretary.

Give an example of a cabinet member who resigned under the rule of Tony Blair…

Robin Cook.

Give an example of a member of the cabinet who resigned under the rule of Margaret Thatcher…and briefly sum up why…

Sir Geoffrey Howe’s. He didn’t like Thatcher’s style of rule, he called Thatcher his ‘friend, however, didn’t like the way she handled money related issues. He didn’t like how she would turn down cabinet members ideas. She wasn’t entirely willing to compromise which could improve the country for the better. He thought that Thatcher’s perception wasn’t very encouraging for the interests of the nation.

Who is the current Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Jeremy Hunt

Give a reason why Matt Hancock had to resign due to individual ministerial responsibility?

He broke social distancing guidance, he was caught kissing a colleague, and was caught taking his son somewhere during covid 19.

Give an example of someone who should have resigned due to individual responsibility but didn’t

Chris Grayling. Under individual ministerial responsibility he should have resigned. However, although he apologised for the chaos, he continued as Transport Secretary until July 2019 and only left the backbenches when Theresa May stepped down.