Essay
Does the PM have power over the cabinet? A* Essay
- Course
- Institution
A* Essay, perfect for revision, uses examples, and is very well structured!
[Show more]
3 reviews
By: adamsharifkhan • 8 months ago
By: ridaf • 1 year ago
By: veerjutte • 1 year ago
Seller
Follow
oliviawoolley10
Reviews received
Content preview
Evaluate the view that the PM has power over the cabinet.The cabinet consists of roughly 20 senior government ministers who head large
state departments and approve and question new policies however the Prime
Minister appoints and chairs this cabinet and decides the agenda for their
meetings. Although it appears at first glance the Prime Minster has much power
over the cabinet, there are many arguments which contradicts the extent of
power the PM holds, suggesting the cabinet is equally important. For example,
powers of patronage, when used too often, could imply a weak government or
portray the PM as a weak leader. Furthermore, their methods of cabinet
management can allow them to control the cabinet but also, if managed
incorrectly, could lead to resignations or lack of support. Finally, the PM’s power
can hugely vary due to their current circumstances and particular personality.
This can hugely affect their popularity, difficulty of their job or their power over
cabinet. Clearly, there is a range of features to investigate when evaluating a
Prime Minister’s power over their cabinet and to what extent of power.
Arguably, the most influential power of the Prime Minister over the cabinet is the
prerogative power of patronage. This is where the PM has the ability to appoint
or remove a minister from their position if the PM feels they are not completing
their job sufficiently or they are breaking the ministerial code. This brings
numerous benefits to the Prime Minister and places them in a very powerful
position to establish authority. Firstly, they can promote loyal colleagues and
supporters into positions of power, making their cabinet more likely to support
them, their decisions and provide unwavering support in a crisis. An example of
a PM using their prerogative powers for this reason is Boris Johnson. He assigned
Priti Patel and Rushi Sunak into some of the most critical cabinet positions,
possibly because they are Brexit supporters. Brexit has proven to be an
extremely controversial issue in governments as seen from Cameron’s decision
to suspend collective ministerial responsibility due to the fear of it weaking
cabinet. Boris, therefore placing Brexiters in key positions strengthens his
cabinet and ensures his policies will be supported. Furthermore, the power of
patronage ensures loyalty as the PM controls the minister’s career. This can be
effective as the Prime minister can appoint conciliating potential rivals and
maintain a balance between different factions within the governing party. This
allows a range of views to be represented in meetings when deciding policy and
for them to be scrutinised before being introduced to the house of commons and
ensure rivals are loyal. Another advantage is it binds these more rebellious MPs
to collective ministerial responsibility. This means they must openly support
policies made, the government and must not disclose information. If they do not
adhere to his they must either resign or will be sacked by the PM through the
power of patronage showing the power the PM has over members of cabinet.
This was used by Cameron who placed leave and remain supporters in vital
cabinet positions to ensure a balanced cabinet in the run up to the 2016 election.
Whilst patronage has clear benefits, it also has limitations. The PM when
selecting their cabinet, must take into account many aspects. This includes the
diversity of their cabinet as John Major in 2009 received a harsh backlash due to
the lack of women in cabinet, which weakened the public’s view of him. Also, the
placement of opposition and rivals in the cabinet can cause a split in cabinet or
result in policies lacking support due to the range of ideas in Government. The
lack of support for policies can result in a divided cabinet leading to resignations,
reflecting the PM as weak. Their party will also have less faith in their leader. This
was seen in Theresa May’s cabinet when Davis and Johnson both resigned after a
Brexit conference in Chequers, reflecting May as weak that the government
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller oliviawoolley10. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.52. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
52510 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now