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Prime minister summary
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summary notes on the role of the prime minister that I used to revise for my politics a level
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The Prime Minister & The Executive: SummaryExecutive: PM, cabinet ministers, junior ministers (most sit in the commons, but there are
some junior ministers in the commons – David Cameron = foreign minister), departmental
work is supported by civil servants who are not party political.
Roles: policy making, the budget (chancellor of the exchequer), day-to-day governance
Royal prerogative: constitutional monarchy – powers nominally held by the monarch not
parliament – in practise they are held by the PM (declaring war/making appointments e.g.
lords/signing treaties EU). The ability to call a general election was also a prerogative power
but given away by Cameron in the Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011.
Individual Ministerial Responsibility: by constitutional convention cabinet ministers are
expected to take responsibility for what takes place in their department – regardless of
whether they are at personal faut – as well as for their personal behaviour or failings.
Departmental responsibility: 2018 Amber Rudd resigned as Home secretary over the
Windrush scandal
Personal responsibility: 2017 Priti Patel resigned over meetings with Israeli officials that
hadn’t been authorised by the foreign office, 2021 Matt Hancock for kissing Gina
Coladangelo and breaking Covid rules – resignation called for by Covid-19 Bereaved
Families for Justice (pressure group)
Collective Ministerial Responsibility: once a decision has been made by the cabinet all
ministers must support it in public. If they don’t, they should resign – unanimity
After the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, Theresa May’s government
struggled to uphold collective responsibility. On a number of occasions, ministers
openly voted against the government without facing any punishment. For example, in
March 2019, eight cabinet ministers voted against a government motion to request an
extension to Article 50. This included the leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom, who
remained in her post until June 2019.
Robin Cook over the Iraq war
David Davis over the Chequers agreement
The convention was suspended in 2016 during the EU referendum – could express
public disagreement
Roles of the PM: head of govt, head of govt policy chairs cabinet, chief appointing officer,
chief spokesperson overseas, chief spokesperson for the government, exercise the royal
prerogative powers
Role of govt ministers: dual role as heads of their department and members of the cabinet,
responsible for policy and strategy in that area, also in cabinet they’re jointly responsible for
day-to-day governance
Selecting ministers: PM promote, demote or sack ministers, ‘big beasts’ or rivals in their
party may be better inside the cabinet rather than outside, some from lords (David Cameron).
Cabinet government: government by committee where decisions are taken on a collegiate
basis with the the PM being primus inter parus (first among equals)
Callagham – cabinet meetings were long and regular – ministers submitted discussion
papers and the decisions were made in cabinet
Approach was very different under Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair
Cameron pledged to bring back cabinet government
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