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Summary UK executive and PM
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This is a good summary note for the topic PM and executive in UK politics. It is very helpful during exam season
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The structure and role of the executive- Consists of the PM and cabinet and junior ministers. The cabinet comprises the heads of
the departments of state such as the home secretary and the foreign secretary and the
chief of the whips.
- Also served by senior civil servants, who run the administration of the departments of
state and implement gov policies.
- Executive introduces parliament proposals for new legislation based on the manifesto it
fought during the general election.
- It introduces legislation into parliament in response to changing circumstances, known
as the ‘doctor’s mandate’.
- It introduces a budget, which outlines how the government proposes to raise revenue. It
is drawn up by the chancellor of exchequer in negotiation with the PM.
- It also introduces secondary or delegates legislation (process by which primary
legislation can be amended by the gov). This has been criticised as undemocratic as
they seek to bypass full parliamentary scrutiny and debate. E.g. During the covid-19
pandemic many restrictions on public activity and personal freedoms were introduced
through statutory instruments, leading to criticism from the speaker of the HoC.
Sources of power of the PM
● The authority of the PM derives from the fact that they have been asked by the monarch
to form a government on their behalf. The individual selected is able to command the
support of the majority MP’s. There is a convention that the PM should be a member of
the HoC. The PM can be asked by the monarch to form a government having won a
general election or because they are replacing a PM who has resigned.
The powers of the PM
● Exercises the royal prerogative (these powers derive from the monarchy but are
exercised on the monarch’s behalf by the PM). As a result the PM determines the
membership of the govt, makes senior appointments to civil services and judiciary and
recommends most appointments of life peers, negotiates foreign treaties, directs military
forces in combat and decides whether to activate the UK’s trident nuclear deterrent.
● The government shares in the PM’s royal prerogative. E.g. In 2013 the ministry of justice
requested royal pardon for Alan Turing, after he cracked the enigma code but was
convicted of gross indecency.
The role of government departments
● The govt comprises cabinet ministers and junior ministers. Cabinet ministers are usually
in charge of departments of states, such as the Treasury, Foreign Office and Education
or transport. Govt departments manage particular areas of govt and develop policy.
, ● Each ministerial team makes proposals for legislation concerning their department which
also include the introduction of major primary legislation and amending the existing
legislation.
● The key figures of the department are bound by the principle of collective ministerial
responsibility. Each department relied on the support of the civil service. Unlike political
advisors, the civil service is defined by neutrality, anonymity and permanence, which
means that civil servants should provide impartial advice and are not expected to be
held accountable for the actions of a department.
Ministerial responsibility
Individual ministerial responsibility:
According to the principle, ministers are accountable to Parliament for the actions of their
department. They should therefore justify the actions of their department during parliamentary
debate. It also means ministers should take responsibility for serious administrative or policy
mistakes that occur within their department.
1. Administrative failure: In 1945, Sir Thomad Dugdale resigned as minister of agriculture
over the Crichel Down affair, when his department failed to return land to its rightful
owner after it compulsorily purchased it to be a bombing range before WW2.
2. Policy failure: Gavin Williamson, education secretary in 2020, abandoned the algorithm,
and pupils were given grades during covid-19 pandemic purely based on their centre
assessment. Although the regulator of Ofqual resigned because of her policy failure,
Williamson remained until 2021 when Johnson dismissed him from the government.
Michael Howard, home secretary 1995 was widely criticised for not resigning following a
series of mass breakouts from Parkhurst jail.
3. Scandal: A minister can be held accountable for their personal conduct if this brings the
government into disrepute, they are expected to take responsibility for their actions and if
appropriate resign. Scandals can be financial or sexual or provoked by disregard for the
Ministerial code of Conduct. In 2017, Priti Patel, international development secretary,
resigned from May's government over a series of unofficial private meetings she was
having with the Israeli ministers, including PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Matt Hancock, the
health secretary in 2021 was seen kissing a colleague and cheating on his wife. This
disregarded the Covid distancing regulations which caused an outcry and he quickly was
forced to resign. Gavin Williamson, 2022 minister of state, was accused of using
bullywing language against civil servants when he sent the chief whip abusive texts over
his not being invited to the funeral of the Queen.
Collective ministerial responsibility
According to CMR, if the govt loses a vote of confidence the whole govt must resign in 1979
with labour govt, James Callaghan. It also requires the discussions within cabinet to be kept
secret in order to maintain the integrity of govt. Members must support agreed policies even if in
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