the executive

• The executive is made up 120 people
• The Prime Minister hasnt been a lord since 1902
• There can be up to 22 ministers in the cabinet
• There are about 80 MPs acting as junior ministers and whips and around 25 peers.
• There are currently 24 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments and 422 agencies making 465 departments.
• There are around 529,00 people working for the civil service.
• In 2019, Johnson promised to prioritise Brexit. May had done the same in 2017.
• In 2020 all COVID policy was made through the Health Department.
• Ofsted is under the control of the Education Department. Deciding how they should operate in England and Wales.
• The Rwanda Bill in 2023 was proposed by the executive.
• The Voyeurism (Offenses) Bill 2018 was originally a Private Members Bill that was supported by the Government. It became law in 2019.
• Hancock removed the need to test before entering care homes against expert advice.
• We send money to Ukraine as part of the Military Budget.
• £12 billion were spent covering wages (Furlow Scheme) during the pandemic.
• Budgetary Bills are often referred to as votes of Confidence, if they don't pass then the PM is out.
• The UK has signed treaties such as The Lisbon Treaty 2009, EU Withdrawal Agreement 2020, Good Friday Agreement 1998 and the Bilateral Agreement with France 2017.
• The executive engages in diplomacy in COP26 Conferences and the G7 and G20.
• The current UN ambassador in Barbara Woodward - who has expertise in China.
• 1982 Falklands War, 2001 Invasion of Afghanistan, 2003 Iraq War, 2018 missile strikes in Syria and 2023 Air Strikes in Yemen.
• Peter Mendelson was fired from the Labour Cabinet 3 times.
• Johnson fired Hancock over COVID policy breaches.
• Braverman resigned in 2023 over the Pro-Palestinian Marches she called 'hate marches'
• May's 2017 Snap Election and Johnson proroguing Parliament in 2019.
• Thatcher slimmed down the civil service.
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 made the civil service more transparent.
• There were over 4,000 pieces of secondary legislation in 2001, made under the threat of terrorism after 9/11
• Robert Walpole is regarded as the first PM, serving between 1721 and 1742
• Cameron's 2010 coalition cabinet (5 Lib Dems) and May's 2017 cabinet had to balance different opinions.
• During the Falklands War, Thatcher held two cabinet meetings a week and a separate smaller War Cabinet.
• During COVID 19, the cabinet made a greater impact in running the country due to the Parliament Act 2020.
• Blair ruled over the cabinet and practically ignored them during his term favouring one on one meetings known as the sofa cabinet.
• May suffered 66 resignations and 33 defeats during her time.
• Sunak sacked Lee Anderson over Islamophobic comments.
• Brown claimed to have 'saved the world' at the 2008 G20 Conference.
• Both Thatcher and Blair had strong relations with their retrospective US presidents.
• Conflict in the Executive, between Thatcher's Wets and Drys and then Blair vs Brown. Major declared the ministers should 'put up or shut up'.
• May created the ministry for leaving the EU in 2016. Up until 1992, Education and Science were not separate cabinet roles.
• When Harold MacMillan resigned as PM in 1963, the Earl of HOme succeeded him as conservative party leader. He renounced his heritage peerage and stood for by election.
• In 1990, Margret Thatcher resigned after failing to win a leadership election. 6 of our last 8 Prime Ministers took over when the incumbent resigned.
• The 2010 and 2017 General Elections produced hung parliaments.