Essay
Essay: Prime Minister is dominant - FULL marks 30/30
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
A* 30/30 source essay for the question ' Evaluate the view that the prime minister is the dominant force in British politics'.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Eszter GerezdiUsing the source, evaluate the view that the prime minister is the dominant force in British politics.
For a prolonged period of time, it has been debated whether prime ministers have been 'prime
ministerial', sharing responsibility with ministers and involving parliament, or 'presidential', being
the principal representative of the party and making most decisions. There are a variety of factors
which makes it hard for a prime minister to be fully dominant, as seen in the source, including limits
on their power regardless of their status as head of government, publicly acclaimed collective
responsibility within the media, and the power of the cabinet. Whilst the prime minister's role has
grown over time, there is no codified constitution setting out the official role and significance and
they are in theory 'primus inter pares' (first among equals). Hence, I disagree that the prime minister
is the dominant force in British Politics as they share responsibility across the core executive.
According to the source, a reason why the prime minister may be considered a dominant force is
due to their role as the head of government, appointed by Her Majesty. The prime minister controls
the lower chamber in the bicameral parliament as they have the majority and the 'power of
patronage arising from the exercise of the royal prerogative', as seen in prime minister (PM) Boris
Johnson's landslide majority of 80 seats with highest percentage of the popular vote (43.6%) for any
party since 1979. However, it is important to note that party leaders can become prime ministers
without an overall majority, such as former PMs David Cameron in 2010 and Theresa May in 2017.
The source describes prime ministers as the 'party leader, responsible for party management and
discipline', which is true to an extent as they decide when and why cabinet meetings are held and
decide its agenda, and they possess the power of patronage, giving the impression that they can be
a dominant force. However, there are adequate checks on the prime minister himself as they can
only lead provided ministers are 'willing and able to be coerced' which was highlighted under the
premierhsip of former PMs Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, both whom had to resign once
held accountable by their own party and the 'Kitchen Cabinet'. The extent of their majority also
impacts their ability to lead, for example it was harder for former PM David Cameron to solely make
decisions during the Liberal Democrat - Conservative coalition of 2010. Furthermore, Henry VIII
clauses provide that the prime minister can not pass legislation without discussion with the
Parliament. Therefore, these premises make it difficult for a prime minister to be the primary
dominant force in British politics as their authority can be challenged, and can even be removed
from power via a vote of no confidence.
Furthermore, the source also entails that the media plays a key role in determining the extent to
which the prime minister has dominant power. They are the principle media spokesperson, and their
private lives are very much publicised making them highly prevalent in the media. However, this
depends on the context of their premierhsip, as at times the prime minister is more prone to a highly
public image, as seen recently in PM Boris Johnson's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and his talks
held on the Ukraine - Russian conflict. However, circumstances such as lockdown had also seen
other ministers, exemplarily Matt Hancock who broke the very rules he imposed as Health Secretary
and had an affair with assistant, and Gavin Williamson, who was under scrutiny for the handling of
the Education sector, heavily criticised for the under provision of remote learning and meals to
children from lower income backgrounds. As a result of this, both ministers had to start dictating the
way things are done based on their media image and notoriety. Ministers also shared collective
responsibility publicly during the 'Partygate' scandal, where PM Boris Johnson was able to spread
blame amongst his party members, and their 'popularity amongst front and back benchers' can also
dictate the extent to which they can exercise prime ministerial powers. Furthermore, Rishi Sunak
became the face of the pandemic as he delivered support packages to keep businesses alive,
specifically in the hospitality industry, so it would be difficult for Boris Johnson to reshuffle his
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 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 gerezdieszter. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.49. 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 revision notes and other study material for 14 years now