Collective and individual reponsibility

• Collective reponsibility

  • Secrecy - dispute within the cabinet makes the government look weak so what happens in cabinet stays in cabinet to give the appearance of unity
  • Binding decisions - what cabinet agrees to is what happens unless they all decide to debate and do otherwise
  • Confidence vote - Cabinet can collectively say they have no confidence in the PM - shows that collective responsibility is not working and confidence works both ways
• Iain Duncan Smith, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions resigned in 2016 over government disability cuts in economic and political interest rather than national
• In 2018, Boris Johnson, David Davies, and Steve Baker were part of a string of resignations showing a lack of confidence in Theresa May's leadership and her ability to manage Brexit
• Nigel Lawson, Chancellor under Thatcher's premiership, resigned over the poll tax and exchange rate in 1989
• Robin Cook resigned in protest of Iraq invasion in 1990 - he was President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
• Ministers are responsible for their own conduct and may be suspended or forced to resign if they are found to have acted in a way that is contrary to the ministerial code of conduct or committed an act that dishonours the House
• Priti Patel - personal misconduct when she held meetings with Israelis in 2017 while claiming to be on holiday

  She resigned after a 6 minute meeting with May - she did the right thing by maintaining relations but it should be done through the official channels
• Amber Rudd inadvertently misled the Commons over Windrush targets (removing illegal migrants from Britain)

  She resigned immediately after the leak
• Stephen Byers -professional misconduct

  His secretary told him that it was a very good day to get out anything they wanted to bury after 9/11

  He did not resign immediately but he did after an inquiry into his actions
• Some MPs didn't resign after Partygate despite receiving fines
• Collective responsibility is not observed during free votes
• Leaking information is not a sackable offence - Sunak leaks over the Budget under Johnson