Collective Ministerial Responsibility

• Government ministers are collectively responsible for all of the government's policies and must resign if government loses vote of no confidence to Parliament
• Ministers can privately disagree in Cabinet meetings, but the discussions must be kept secret. Ministers must publically agree with government policies in the media even if they disagree.
• Ministers must resign before publicly criticising government policy.
• One exception to CMR is that the PM can decide to suspend CMR if they deem it necessary for the government to function effectively or if it is politically advantageous. For example, in 2016 so that ministers could campaign for either side of the Brexit vote.
• Free votes are when MPs can vote as they wish on a particular issue, without being bound by the whip. For example, Rishi sunak said he would allow a free vote on the enforcing penalties against Boris Johnson if he was guilty for party gate.
• Referendums are an exception to CMR as it allows MPs to freely vote for what they want without dividing and harming government. For example, 1975 Harold Wilson allowed ministers to campaign either side of the EU argument in order to prevent resignations by anti-europeans. They were allowed to argue their cases in public but had to unite behind the people's verdict.
• An exception to CMR is coalition governments. In 2010 it was agreed that LibDem ministers were not bound to CMR on 4 key issues: Power stations, tax allowance on married couples, higher education funding and renewal of Trident
• One limit to CMR is Leaking. Sometimes when ministers are dissatisfied with policy they leak it to the media and rest of the party. Although they have plausible deniability and do not have to resign.
• A limit to CMR is 'Big Beasts' who are above CMR. These are important figures in policies are too powerful and popular to sack. Sacking them could cause a revolt within the party and risk bringing down government. As a result they are able to quietly brief against the government
• A limit to CMR is ideological disunity within parties. If they are disunited than CMR is limited as a concept. E.g. Theresa May's conservative party were disunited on Brexit and without suspending CMR mainiting government unity would be extremely difficult
• CMR was important in 2022 as Lord Wolfson resigned due to the party gate scandal as he couldn't accept his responsibility for the government breaking rule of law
• Robin Cook resigned over the Iraq war in 2003. He didn't want to accept CMR over Blair's decision to invade Iraq. He disagreed with committing Britain to military action without international agreement or domestic support
• An example of CMR not being important is that Johnson consistently leaked his dissatisfaction with government policy and briefed against Theresa May, including writing weekly articles in the Daily Telegraph. Due to his popularity with Conservative, especially brexiteers and due to May's weaknesses she could not sack him. CMR couldn't be enforced because Johnson was a Big Beast.
• Steve Barclay voted against his government's own plans to extend Article 50 in relation to Brexit , despite defending the plans in the house of commons just hours earlier. The vote was not a free vote and Barclay didn't have to resign showing the weakness of CMR under a weak party leader, Theresa May
• CMR isn't important as

  • It can be relaxed: free votes, coalitions, referendums.
  • Breaks down significantly under a weak PM
• CMR remains important as

  • Under a strong PM, ministers rarely speak out or if they do disagree, they resign. Shows they are bound by CMR
  • Rishi Sunak has had far less problems compared to Truss and May, suggesting it is important again.
  • The ability to relax it ensure government is flexible and can continue its functions effectively.
• Essay Paragraphs:

  • Responsibility of departments
  • Personal conduct
  • Collective Ministerial Responsibility